Page 22

Chapter Twenty-One

Rafael

It’s only been a week since I’ve seen her in person. One single week. The longest fucking week of my life.

And now, she’s in front of me, smoothing down her hair and getting ready to meet her new boss. Of course, I knew she’d be here. I orchestrated all of this.

Somehow, I’d gone from dismantling Lux Davis’ life brick by brick, to building it back up again.

Somehow. It wasn’t somehow. I was madly head over heels in love with that little fucking ray of sunshine, and I needed to make sure she was safe.

I might not be able to hold her in my arms or kiss the tiny galaxy of freckles across her nose anymore, but I can fix everything.

I can make sure she gets a job that pays her more than a living wage. I can secretly set her up with an apartment in a safe neighborhood.

I can—no, I will—move mountains to make up for what I did to her.

But first, I need to see her. I need to feel the warmth of her smile directed at me again, hear the sound of her tinkling laugh, and hear her rich voice float over me.

The crossing light changes and the swarm of people in front of me surges forward. I lose sight of Lux for a second and start to cross but stop in my tracks. She’s moving right toward me, head held high, shoulders thrown back.

I’m balancing on the edge of a curb, anxiously holding my breath. Our eyes meet as she nears my side of the street and I open my mouth, ready to blurt out the mess in my mind. Her face is impassive, as if I’m any old stranger on the street.

With cool grace and confidence, she brushes past me without a word and slips into The Beanery. I’m frozen to the spot, my mouth opening and closing like a guppy. When people start to give me sideways glances, I force myself forward and cross the street to my car.

I duck inside, slamming the door a little too hard, and slump in my seat. Of course, she wouldn’t want to talk to me. What the hell was I thinking? She’d see me and jump into my arms after I shattered her heart?

Taking a long drag of my coffee, I stare out the window, watching her walk up to the counter to order a drink.

Enzo approaches her, tapping her on the shoulder, and they fall into an easy conversation. I watch like a hawk as he leads her to his table and they settle in for the “interview”.

This has to be truly one of my most brilliant plans. I get to pay her enough money to not worry about finances ever again, keep her safe at all times, and have Enzo report to me about her whenever I need a fix.

I watch her tell Enzo a story, her hands moving around in that typical animated Lux way. Enzo throws his head back and laughs. I only see the back of her head, but I know she’s shooting him that sunbeam smile of hers.

For a brief moment, irrational rage washes over me. I force myself to relax and breathe deeply. This is good. They’re going to get along. He’s going to keep her safe for me.

I grab my phone and send him a quick message.

Make sure she stays after you leave. I need to see her.

He responds almost immediately.

How the hell do you want me to do that?

I tell him to make it happen and attach a screenshot of a Lamborghini. I’m not above bribing Enzo with his favorite toys to go above and beyond for me. Slouching in my seat, I sip my coffee and play the waiting game.

After what feels like a lifetime of watching Enzo and Lux genuinely enjoy each other’s company, he stands. She rises to meet him, and they shake hands, grinning at one another. As Enzo moves to walk away, he clumsily trips and sends the rest of his coffee flying.

It hits Lux squarely on the chest and drips down the front of her dress. He acts horrified, rushing to grab napkins to clean her off. She pats his arm comfortingly and, after a brief conversation, heads to the bathroom.

I explode out of my car, almost getting hit by an oncoming taxi, and beeline it to The Beanery. Enzo emerges just as I reach the door and shakes his head at me.

“Forced me to make a damn fool of myself, boss.”

“You didn’t have to drown her in coffee!”

“It was my one and only idea,” he snaps, but a smile hides behind his gruff delivery. “She’s pretty cute. I get why you’re so obsessed with her.”

I glare at him and swing the door open, striding inside. Enzo’s voice wafts behind me, teasing me, as the door shuts. Grabbing a table near the bathrooms, I keep my eyes trained for Lux. She is not ignoring me this time, even if I have to force her into the booth with me.

After a few minutes, she emerges with a faint stain on her dress and an enormous smile on her face. As soon she spots me, the smile falls away, and a look of surprise and confusion replaces it. I spring up, heading straight to her.

“Lux, listen…”

“Dominic?” she asks, stepping away. “Are you stalking me or something?”

“No, I…I just needed to see you.”

She gazes at me, her eyes piercing through mine, trying to read my intentions. I try to reach out, to touch her elbow lightly, and guide her to the table, but she pulls back. Her elbow slams against the wall behind her, and she cries out.

“Shit, I’m sorry. I’m doing this all wrong,” I curse. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she snaps, taking in a deep breath. “What do you want?”

“Can we sit?” I plead, gesturing to the empty booth behind us. She sighs, a struggle playing out on her face. I can tell she’s curious about why I’m here, but she also thinks she hates me right now. “Please?”

“Fine,” she accepts, sliding into the booth and crossing her arms. I join her, careful to give her space. She stares at me expectantly.

“I’m not following you,” I lie, promising myself this is the last one I’ll tell her. “I saw you outside earlier, and I couldn’t believe the timing. So, I waited around to see you.”

Painful silence stretches between us. Finally, she arches an eyebrow at me and smirks.

“What if I was on a date?”

“A date?”

“Yeah,” she agrees. “You saw I was here with a man…and you waited around to talk to me after. What if it was a date?”

I scoff, but the steel-cold resolve in her eyes makes me pause. “I still would have waited. I needed to see you…”

“Why, Dominic? You didn’t seem to want to see me when you broke up with me,” she retorts. “With zero warning, I might add.”

“I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

“Why wouldn’t I be? Am I not a capable adult that’s survived twenty-odd years without you?”

“Look, Lux,” I say, sighing and resting my palms on the table. The urge to climb over it and kiss her is so strong that I need to keep my hands in sight. “When we broke up, you had nowhere to live and no way to make money. I just want to make sure you’re safe because I care about you...nothing will ever change that.”

Her single-minded determination to play the cold, hard bitch role crumbles, and she leans back in her seat. Her arms fall from their tight shield across her chest, and she glances out the window, stalling for time.

“I’m fine,” she finally says softly. “Just fine.”

“Can we just have a coffee and talk?” I beg, desperation making my voice softer than usual. She nods, and I catch the waiter’s attention. After we order our coffees, I take a deep breath and dive in.

“Where are you staying now?”

“With a friend,” she says noncommittally.

“Is it a safe situation?”

She snorts, wrinkling her eyebrows. “It’s definitely a weird situation.”

“Weirder than that time you accidentally moved into a convent?”

“That was so long ago,” she laughs, shaking her head. “I never should have told you that story. But no, this is just a strange living arrangement.”

I listen and nod, making all the appropriate facial expressions as she describes Mancini’s safe house in the suburbs. The only thing I can really focus on is that I made her laugh again. Even though she hates me, she granted me a smile.

When she’s finished, I force my face into a look of concern.

“That sounds pretty sketchy honestly,” I muse, keeping my tone light. “Seen anything dangerous or illegal going on?”

“Nope,” she shakes her head. “It doesn’t matter anyway. I just got hired for an amazing job! And they provide a relocation stipend, but since I’m local, it’ll just pad out my paycheck so I’ll be able to afford an apartment as nice as yours…one day.”

She cracks a smile again and the heavens open up. I may not be a religious man, but I know a religious experience when I see one. My body melts at the sight of her face, so beautifully transformed by that beaming smile.

I congratulate her and she thanks me, beginning to gather her things. Fuck, she’s leaving. I can’t let her leave.

“Lux, I…”

She pauses, glancing up at me. When I don’t continue, she smiles politely and rises from the table.

“This was nice. I hope you have…”

“Wait, I want to explain what happened,” I start, but she waves me off, shooting me a tight little smile.

“Water under the bridge, Dominic.”

“No, honestly,” I say, my fingers lightly circling her wrist and pulling her closer. She looks down, shocked at the contact. “I was falling in…”

“Stop,” she threatens, her voice heavy with emotion. “Whatever you were about to say…don’t. I don’t want to hear excuses about how it got too real and too deep, and you were afraid of getting your heart broken.”

She pauses, glancing up at the ceiling as if searching for inner strength. “You made your decision. Don’t start dragging up emotions that don’t matter anymore.”

I sit there, dumbfounded, watching her walk out of the coffee shop.

Out of my life.

Again.