Page 12

Luca

I’m alerted to the car accident by one of my informants, a paramedic called to the scene. She recognizes Marco and contacts me immediately. She doesn’t have much information, other than to say both occupants of the vehicle are alive. My first reaction to the news is relief. Of course, I’m glad Marco is alive, but shouldn’t I be disappointed that Evan is also still breathing?

But I’m not.

Ever since Marco left with Evan, I’ve been obsessing about contacting him to call off the execution. I can’t stop thinking about what a fucking waste it would be to kill Evan. It’s not logical to feel this way. Evan messed up badly, and he needs to pay for disobeying me. People who work for me can’t just say no. That’s not how things work in the mafia.

I assumed Evan was already dead.

But he’s not.

And I’m not mad about it.

The minute I got the call, I drove straight to the hospital. Time is of the essence. If I know Evan is alive, there’s a very good chance people like Vincent know it too. Vincent and the others are a very vindictive lot. If I want Evan to stay alive, I need to get to him before any of my illustrious associates.

When I arrive at the hospital, I park and head straight to the ambulance bay. I get there just as they’re wheeling Marco away on a gurney. He’s unconscious and surrounded by paramedics and nurses, and I know he’s in stable condition. I’ll call the hospital later to get the updated details of his condition. I need to deal with Evan before I do anything else.

I head to the back of the ambulance, and that’s where I find Evan. He’s sitting like a statue, in the rear of the emergency vehicle. He’s covered in mud, and there are scratches on his face and arms. For a moment, I just stand there, drinking him in. I can’t explain the emotions flooding through me at the sight of him alive. Relief? Joy? It’s ridiculous. Foolish. But I can’t help it, I’m just so damn glad he’s not dead.

He stands and starts climbing down from the ambulance, but as soon as he sees me, he stumbles backward. The displeasure on his face is impossible to miss. I guess I can’t really blame him. The last time we were together, I ordered his execution.

I say the first thing that comes to me. “I’m glad you’re okay, Evan.” I try to smile but fail miserably. “You need to come with me.”

While I might be happy to see him, he is definitely not happy to see me. He stares at me as if I’m the grim reaper. His frantic gaze flicks past me, and it’s obvious he wants to run, but I’m blocking his escape route.

“Get away from me,” he hisses, holding out a hand to ward me off.

“Evan, I need to get you out of here.” I use a gentler tone because he looks like a trapped, wild animal.

“No,” he growls. “Why would I go with you?”

“Because I’m trying to save your life.”

His laugh is harsh. “That’s a joke.”

I glance around uneasily. “Look, I know you’re upset with me, but if I know you’re alive that means all my enemies do too. That’s very dangerous for you.”

“ You wanted me dead.” His voice is cold and accusing.

“I’ve changed my mind.” There’s no point denying what he said. I did want him dead after he pulled that stunt during the hockey game. But now, I want him alive. I need to find another way to handle the mess he made. It’s complicated, though, because he pissed off a lot of powerful, important people. I’ll figure something out, but the first thing I need to do is get him out of the public eye. “Come with me. I’ll take you somewhere safe.”

He narrows his eyes. “Why would I trust you?”

Good question.

I search my brain for a logical answer, but I draw a blank. Realistically, he shouldn’t trust me. I should want him dead. His death would be the simplest solution by far. But remembering how depressing it was when I thought he’d been killed, I’d rather keep him around a while longer.

“Evan, I don’t want you dead anymore,” I say and then wince because that sounded better in my head. “But my associates do.”

“Then how does that work? If they want me dead, how can you keep me alive?”

“The Barone Syndicate is more powerful than any of the other syndicates in the city. If I say you live, then you live.” I’m exaggerating how easily things like this work, but in essence, it’s the truth. If I say I want Evan alive, no one will dare kill him. It’s just that I’ll need to have an actual reason , especially after how he ignored my orders. Otherwise, I’ll look weak.

He narrows his eyes. “Okay, then tell them you want me alive, and I’ll just stay here.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Why not?” His stare is cold. “I thought you were the great Luca Barone. Just snap your fingers or something.”

I ignore how irritating his mocking tone is. “The epic size of your fuck-up isn’t something I can handle in a group text, Evan. I need to get you somewhere safe and then get the word out that you’re off limits.”

He studies me but then says, “If it’s all the same to you, I’ll just stay here.”

I’m used to being obeyed, so it takes a lot of effort not to yell at him, but I manage by the skin of my teeth. I count to ten and say, “This isn’t a joke. You need to come with me now, or you might be dead by morning.”

“God, what is wrong with you people?” A shudder runs through him. “Why can’t you just leave me alone?”

“You started this, Evan.” I move closer to the back of the ambulance. “You’d have been safe if you’d just done what I told you to do.”

“Safe?” His laugh is borderline hysterical. “You’ve been threatening me practically since the minute I met you.”

“I can admit we’ve had a complicated relationship,” I murmur. “But right now, I’m the only person who can protect you.”

“I can just go to the police.” He lifts his chin.

I stiffen and say harshly, “I wouldn’t say stupid things like that if I were you. Not if you want to make it out of that ambulance alive.”

He swallows loudly.

“Besides…” I rub the back of my neck, frustrated with myself for losing my temper. I need to cajole him, not threaten him. “You wouldn’t be safe at the police station. My associates and I have connections everywhere, if you catch my drift. I’m telling you this for your own good, Evan. The safest place for you right now is with me.”

He widens his eyes. “How can you say that when you tried to have me killed . Even now, you’re threatening me.”

I shift restlessly. “I don’t want to hurt you. I’m literally offering you my help. But if you’re going to go to the police, what recourse do I have? I can’t just let you do that. My hope is that you’ll use your brain and come with me. From there, I can try to figure out a way to satisfy my associates’ need for retribution that doesn’t involve you dying. That’s my goal.”

“Why all of a sudden do you want me alive?”

“I never really wanted you dead, but you disobeyed me.” I exhale roughly. “I couldn’t just ignore that.”

“But now you can?” he says harshly. “Bullshit. You just want me to come with you so you can finish the job. You said before you needed to make an example of me, or your associates would think you’re weak.”

I grit my teeth. “Yes, I did say that, and I meant it. It’s imperative that whatever I do to try and help you, I don’t look weak.” I glance around uneasily. “But I don’t have a plan yet, so it’s best we get you somewhere safe for now while I figure it out.”

He shakes his head. “Go away, Luca. I don’t believe you’ll protect me. I’d rather take my chances here at the hospital.”

“You’re so damn stubborn,” I hiss. “That’s how you got in this mess to begin with.” Frustration eats at me. If he stays, he’ll die. I know my pals way better than he does. They’re pissed off and they want someone to pay.

“I’d still rather not go anywhere with you.” He eyes me suspiciously.

“Sometimes I suspect you’re part mule,” I mutter. It’s becoming obvious talking to him won’t work. His mistrust of me is too ingrained.

Plan B.

With reluctance, I pull my gun from inside my suit jacket. I point it at him and say gruffly, “Get your ass out of the ambulance, Evan. I can see there’s no reasoning with you, so I have to do this the hard way.”

He curls his lip. “I knew I couldn’t trust you.” But despite his words, his eyes are pinned on the gun and he climbs down from the back of the ambulance.

Relieved he obeyed, I gesture with the gun for him to follow me. He does, although he looks angry. His resentment comes off him in waves. His eyes are glued on the gun and I know that if he gets the chance, he’ll try and grab it. He wholeheartedly believes I’m here to finish the job.

I parked in the darkest corner of the ER parking lot hoping no one would notice my car. I’m more vulnerable than usual without Marco by my side. It’s not smart of me to go out with security, but, to be honest, I don’t want anyone to know what I’m up to. Not yet. Not until I have some kind of plan in place. My men are loyal to me, but if I act confused or uncertain about what I’m doing, that would be very bad. Wishy-washy mafia bosses don’t live long.

When we reach my car, I open the trunk and grab a long zip tie, and he scowls. “Is that really necessary?”

I chuff. “With you, yeah. I have a strong feeling it is.”

“What does that mean?”

I arch one brow. “It means I don’t trust you not to try and grab the wheel or the gun while I’m driving.” He actually laughs, which makes me think I wasn’t wrong to worry about that. “Put your hands behind your back,” I order. He turns to face the car again, allowing me to clumsily slip the zip tie onto his wrists. It’s no easy task while holding a gun.

Once his hands are secured, I open the passenger door for him. He smirks as he slides into the car. “Wow, I get to ride up front and everything?”

“Keep mouthing off, and I’ll make you ride in the trunk.” I slam his door shut and move around to the driver’s side. I tuck my gun back into my jacket and slide behind the wheel. The car purrs to life as I back out of the parking spot.

Pulling onto the street, I keep an eye on the rearview mirror, scanning for any cars that might be tailing us. I don’t see anyone, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there. My grip tightens on the wheel as I wrestle with how to tell Evan that I think the safest place for him is my family home. He’s not going to like it one bit.

After about five minutes, Evan shifts sideways to study me. “You’ve been driving around in circles.”

“They’ll be watching the hotels and motels,” I mutter, glancing uneasily at the dark alleys we pass.

“Meaning what?”

I sigh. “Meaning we can’t go to a hotel or motel, obviously.”

He makes an impatient sound. “See, you should have just left me at the hospital. At least then I’d have some pain medication, and maybe something to eat and drink.”

I glance over, taking in his bedraggled state. I was so focused on getting him to come with me, I overlooked how thrashed he looks. He’s still covered in mud and there are twigs in his hair. His face and arms are scratched, and he looks exhausted. He’s also still sporting the split lip I gave him in the owner’s box. I feel a pang of guilt that he looks so miserable. Despite how he’ll feel about my decision to take him to my estate, it’s the best thing for him.

“There’s really only one place I can take you that’s safe.” I hesitate, bracing myself for the displeasure I know is coming.

He narrows his eyes. “And where’s that?”

I clear my throat, gripping the wheel tighter. “My family home.”

He goes very still, his face a cold mask. “You can’t be fucking serious.”

It’s clear he thinks this is some kind of trick, but it’s not. My home is a fortress, the one place I know for sure Vincent and the others can’t touch him. But Evan doesn’t know that. Of course, he assumes I want to take him there to kill him. Honestly, if our roles were reversed, I’d think the exact same thing.

“No one will dare come for you there,” I say.

“God, you must think I’m stupid.” His voice wobbles with anger. “Willingly going to your home is like a mouse accepting a sleepover invitation from a snake .”

I can’t help laughing. “I don’t blame you for not trusting me, but I really am your only hope of survival.”

He says bitterly, “I find that inconceivable.”

“It’s the truth. And let’s not forget, you did this to yourself, Evan, when you refused to throw the game. You should be happy I’m willing to help you after what you did. You screwed me over too.”

“Good.”

“Is that anyway to speak to your savior?” I taunt.

He crosses his arms. “If you’re my savior, I choose death.”

I sigh and turn the car around, heading in the direction of my family home. “You’re lucky I’m a patient man, and that I want you alive.”

“Liar. You’re just using me. You don’t care if I live or die, other than you need me to get your reputation back in order. You’ve said as much to me already.” He shakes his head and stares out the window. “Why did you have to come into my life?”

“You’re lucky I did. If you’d stop fighting me so hard, I could help you with some of your problems.”

He twists his head toward me, looking wary. “What do you know about my problems?”

Oops.

I had Marco dig into his background, so I know more about Evan than he’d like. He wouldn’t want me to know that his mother has Alzheimer’s, or that his father once had a drinking problem. He’d resent me knowing that he has a brother who suffers from PTSD from serving as a Marine in Afghanistan. But all those little details help soften my anger toward him for what he did tonight during the game.

But now is not the time to tell him how much I know.

Hoping to keep things vague, I say, “We all have our problems, right?”

He keeps his suspicious gaze on me for a few seconds, then he turns to stare out the window again. “I guess.”

A silence falls as we leave the city behind. After a while, his breathing slows and deepens, and I suspect he’s struggling to stay awake. Every few seconds his body jerks as he struggles to keep his eyes open.

“It’s not much farther,” I say.

He sits up, clearing his throat. “I’m not that tired. And even if I was, I’d rather sleep in a dumpster than at your home.”

I squash my smile. He’s such a prideful prick, but his rebellious nature kind of turns me on. I’d love to take him to my bed tonight, and make him submit to me. I’d give anything to have him beneath me, moaning like that first night. But if we can ever get to that point with each other again, it’s going to take a lot of finesse.

We pass the last public road, turning onto the private drive that marks the beginning of Barone territory. The city’s glow is just a memory now, the darkness absolute except for my headlights and the occasional gleam of security cameras.

When we reach the main gate, one of my men, Carlo, emerges from the shadows, flanked by two other men. His hand moves away from his weapon the moment he recognizes my car. Even in darkness, I catch his alert gaze as he notices Evan in the passenger seat.

“Welcome home, boss,” Carlo says when I roll down my window.

“Thanks, Carlo.” I accelerate past him, passing more of my soldiers patrolling the grounds. Between the men, infrared cameras, and dogs, this truly is the safest place for Evan.

The limestone facade of my home emerges from the darkness as we round the final curve. Motion-activated lights illuminate the way, but most of the mansion’s windows are dark. It’s after midnight and my mother and siblings will be asleep.

I park the car near the fountain and get out first. Opening Evan’s door, I wait as he slowly exits the vehicle, wincing. When I pull out a pocket knife, he watches me apprehensively. I shake my head at how little he trusts me and slice the zip tie, letting it fall to the ground. Relief flashes in his eyes as he rubs his wrists, still watching me.

“Let’s get inside,” I say.

He moves stiffly, dried mud flaking from his clothes. When I move to brush some of the caked mud from his clothes, he whirls around, looking ready to fight.

I laugh. “You’re a mess. I don’t want you dropping mud all through my house.”

He watches me suspiciously, then he swipes his hands over his clothing, helping to knock off the stuff that’s loose. “It wasn’t my idea for you to bring me here.”

“I know.” I shrug. “You’re here by necessity.” I lead the way up the steps. I’m grateful when he simply follows instead of me having to haul him up the stairs forcibly. I let us into the house with my key, and our shoes echo on the marble floor. Moonlight filters through the high windows, casting strange shadows around the foyer.

Evan scowls back at the family portraits that hang on the walls, and eyes and the expensive décor of my home. “No wonder you’re out of touch with reality,” he says softly. “You live like a king.”

“I’m not out of touch.” I frown. “My reality is just different from yours.”

“If you say so.” He follows me up the main staircase, hands in his pockets.

I lead him to the guest suite next door to my room. I want to keep him close, plus there’s an connecting door. That makes having access to Evan easier. Not something he’ll be a fan of, but I love the idea. If we become friendly again, like I hope, it sure will be convenient to have that connecting door.

I push open the door to the suite, and Evan steps inside, taking it all in. The guest room is a blend of understated luxury and elegance. The walls are painted a soft, muted sage, lending the space a calming, earthy feel. Crown molding frames the high ceilings, and the hardwood floors gleam with a warm, inviting sheen. A four-poster bed with crisp white linens and a plush navy duvet takes center stage. Antique mahogany nightstands sit on either side of the bed, each topped with a small brass lamp.

Underfoot, a Persian rug in rich blues and golds softens the room’s edges and adds a splash of color. A fireplace anchors one side of the room, while a seating area near the window features two upholstered armchairs and a small marble-topped table. Heavy velvet curtains in deep blue, tied back with gold tassels, frame the large window, completing the elegant atmosphere.

“There’s clean, dry clothes in the dresser.” I point toward a large mahogany dresser against one wall. Over it hangs a large oil painting of Sicily.

He frowns. “Is this your room?”

“No. It’s just a guest room.”

“Jesus, who do you usually have as a guest? The King of England?” Despite his sarcasm, he relaxes slightly, but then tenses up again. “Whose clothes would I be wearing from the dresser? You’re last kidnap victim’s?”

I shake my head at his surly attitude. “As a rule, I don’t bring people home, Evan. My family lives here. I don’t want strangers around them.”

“Then why the hell am I here?” He truly does look mystified.

“I don’t feel you’re a threat.” I highly doubt he’d be violent toward my family. Evan isn’t a violent guy.

His mouth thins. “I wouldn’t be so sure. Give me the chance and I can be a threat to you, Luca.”

I laugh. “I’m not worried.”

“Good, that will make you easier to get to.” His lip curls.

Irritation at how ungrateful he is eats at me. “Keep this up and I’ll make you sleep in the dog kennels.”

“I’m good with that.”

I do my best to appear unaffected by his rebellious behavior. “As much as I’d love to see you at my feet, wearing a dog collar, it’s late. You need to shower and we both need sleep.”

Pink touches his muddy cheeks.

I point toward the door near the dresser. “Bathroom is through there.”

He walks stiffly to the dresser and pulls open the drawers one by one. He chooses a pair of black sweats and a light blue T-shirt. Then he walks to the bathroom and slams the door shut. After a few minutes, I hear the shower turn on.

I grit my teeth, trying not to give into my irritation. As annoying as I find him right now, I should try to be more understanding. This has been a very difficult night for him. He played a long, stressful hockey game, was almost executed, and survived a horrendous car wreck. Now he’s staying in my house, which is probably his worst nightmare. He still thinks I want him dead.

I head downstairs to the kitchen to find him something to eat. He’s probably starving and dehydrated. I’m no cook, but I make a mean prosciutto and avocado sandwich. I grab some sourdough bread, prosciutto, mayo, mustard, and an avocado from the fridge. I work quickly, not wanting him to finish his shower and try to make a run for it.

Once I have his sandwich assembled, I grab a bottle of water and some Advil and head back upstairs. He’s still in the shower, so I set the food, water, and pain medication on the nightstand, and perch on the edge of his bed. Bringing Evan here was the smart thing to do if I want to keep him alive. But I’m nervous about how my family will react to Evan’s presence. I’m sure they’ll be very surprised that I brought him here. I’m surprised I brought him here.

My family knows I bought the Ice Hawks, but they don’t know about my more personal relationship with Evan. There wasn’t supposed to be a personal relationship. Not that what I feel for Evan is anything meaningful. I’d just really like to recapture the chemistry we had the first night we met. I’m hopeful that he’ll be grateful to me for saving his life. I’m equally hopeful he’ll show me how grateful he is by sleeping with me again.

I never said I was a saint .

I finally have an idea of how to save Evan. It came to me while I was making his sandwich. He’ll loathe my idea with every fiber of his being, but I think it could work. The way to protect Evan is to change how he’s perceived. Right now, Evan is simply a pawn who disobeyed me. That makes him vulnerable. Expendable. But if I were to tell people he was my live-in lover, then my leniency toward him would be accepted more easily. My associates would understand why I’m protecting him. It’s not because I’m weak. It’s because Evan is my boy-toy and I’m not done playing with him yet.

My idea could definitely work. While me and my associates are cold blooded assholes most of the time, we all have soft spots for our family and significant others. Vincent has had the same mistress for six years, and Dmitri often picks girls from his stable who he sets up in apartments. Everyone has wives or side pieces that are given leeway to misbehave, unlike regular nobodies. If I tell everyone that Evan is my lover, odds are they’ll all back off. I might still have to cover some of their financial losses from the game, because business is business, but they’d stop trying to murder Evan. He’d be under the Barone Syndicate’s protection.

Excitement shivers through me as my mind explores all the things I like about my plan. I know getting through Evan’s armor won’t be easy. He thinks I’m a monster. It’s up to me to show him my gentler side. My protective side. That should help soften him toward me. After all, I’m risking my reputation to protect him. I’m allowing him access to my home. That’s not something I’ve ever done before.

There’s something special about Evan. I felt it the first moment I met him. I’m not saying it’s anything that will last because I don’t believe anything lasts. But I do believe in chemistry, and Evan and me have that in spades. Even when I want to strangle him, I also want to fuck him. Just the sight of him sends heat coursing through my veins. My reaction to Evan is visceral, and I know he feels it too.

Now I simply have to convince Evan that my plan will work.

Because if he reject my idea, his chances of survival will be zero.