Page 42 of Love At the Gates of Hell (The Seven Sinners Trilogy #1)

twenty-seven

Luke

“So, what? Are you two going steady now?”

“Will you shut the fuck up?”

Luke let out a deep laugh as he plucked his glasses from his face.

He had thought the big bad Angelo Torretta was going to tell his brother to fuck off, a far more generous forecast considering what he knew the man was capable of.

But when Gideon came downstairs this morning, hardly bruised after that dust-up with the demon ex-boyfriend, and Benny trailing behind him with a big dopey smile on her face, it seemed that whatever conversation his brother had with the head of the Caruso family went a lot better than Luke thought it would.

So maybe he could go a tiny bit easier on Gideon.

It wasn’t like he hadn’t noticed the little changes he had seen in his brother over the last couple of weeks, like the protective dumbass caveman thing or the way he doted on Benny when he thought no one was paying attention.

It was just outside of his typical character, which was something Luke was having trouble reconciling.

All these years, he’d never seen his brother take to a woman this way.

Not since before their father died. And that was simple, high school shit.

Luke rubbed his glasses against the lapel of his jacket.

“It’s cool, brother,” he started as he slipped the wire-rimmed frames back on, his eyes squinting against the bright sun ahead of them on the highway.

He flipped down his visor, thankful Gideon had the windows tinted on this thing.

“I like Benny. She’s good for you. She knows exactly how to make that vein pop on your forehead. ”

Even if being in her vicinity was a constant test of Luke’s endurance.

“Sweet of you to say, Lucas.”

There was a hint of amusement behind Gideon’s eyes, an easiness to his brother he hadn’t seen in a long time. Too bad he was about to fuck that right up. He cleared his throat.

“The gala next week. I have a feeling we’re going to see an old friend there.”

Gideon tossed him a look. His brother had always been good at reading Luke. Too good, probably. “I thought Tefi was in Europe.”

“She was.”

He had been surprised when he heard from her.

He had thought—no, he had hoped—her disappearance off the continent was going to be permanent.

The end of their relationship was tumultuous, violent.

It was plain fucked, if Luke was being honest with himself.

Which he had a hard time with where Tefi was concerned.

He didn’t like the hold she had over him.

The sort of dull ache he still felt when she was nearby.

They say a vampire never really loses the connection to their sire.

And no matter where Tefi traveled, whatever country or continent, Luke felt that connection intrinsically.

Like it was her blood still flowing through his veins.

Like he could still hear her whispering into his ear.

“And what does she want with a charity gala?”

“It’s the auction,” Luke replied. “There’s something on the list she wants.”

“Are you sure she’s not just saying that?”

“I know her too well not to pick up on her tells,” Luke said. “Tefi loves shiny things, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t think she’s after the ruby.”

“Well, she better fucking behave,” he muttered.

Luke coughed out a laugh.

“You know better than to expect that,” he said. “But she won’t be a problem.”

“Tefi is always a problem.”

Well, he couldn’t exactly argue with that.

The warehouse loomed ahead of them, the afternoon light hazy as they pulled into a small parking lot.

Pasquale and Jamie were waiting for them outside, the two involved in some animated conversation that Luke couldn’t pick up from within the car but he noted the aggressive hand waving.

He wanted to brush that off as a quirk of Benny’s family at large but there was something behind the younger man’s eyes that piqued his interest.

Something to store in the back of his brain for later.

“Pull up close to the entrance will ya?” Luke asked.

“You don’t wanna speed run inside?”

“Funny.”

While Benny and Gideon were in the interrogation room yesterday with the ex-demon douchebag, Luke had dove in to the archives of the Caruso family.

It held the items and goods they hadn’t sold yet, the ones waiting for verification, and the things they didn’t want to part with.

It was incredible. Filled with priceless heirlooms and ancient texts, probably half a dozen amulets that were cursed…

it certainly rivaled Harker’s library. But the monster explosion cut his time short and Torretta was more than happy to grant him more access knowing what was at stake.

He thought Benny would come with them, but Torretta had asked her to stay behind.

Gideon parked right beside an overhang and the men approached just as they slammed the car doors shut.

Luke adjusted the cuffs of his sleeves, eyes darting back and forth between father and son.

Jamie must take after his mother. Tall and fair and pretty.

Nothing like the short, grizzled old Pasquale.

“Angelo said you were looking for something?” Jamie asked.

“A book,” he said as they ducked inside, the warehouse cool and air conditioned compared to the heavy heat hanging in the outside air. “I should’ve grabbed it yesterday but what with the incident —”

Gideon raised his eyes to the heavens.

The Healer raised a pale brow.

“And you have permission to just take it?”

“Kid, they wouldn’t be here if they didn’t,” Pasquale said.

Jamie said nothing but his face spoke volumes. He didn’t trust the Crawfords. Not like Luke gave a shit. They had Benny’s trust, and Angelo’s. That was enough.

They followed the men down a clear hallway, the warehouse quiet.

When they reached the room that led to the archives, the energy in the air changed.

He could only imagine the wealth of power behind the large double doors, the money that came with it.

It was enough to consider expanding the kind of loot the boys looked for in future gigs.

“You go on in,” Pasquale said with a wave. “James and I are here to make sure the boys cleaned up last night. It’s a hell of a hard time to get demon blood cleaned up, you know?”

“Tell me about it,” Gideon muttered.