I glanced cautiously up at Luca as he leered over his brother, breathing deeply down at him in annoyance. He was still a foot taller than his little brother and he oozed power, he commanded it. He wore a dark suit, but not like the security guys, no his was 100% designer, fit to perfection and showcasing his muscly frame. The top two buttons of his dark grey shirt were undone and he’d loosened his black tie. He was dressed for business and sin all at the same time. I couldn’t breathe, the air was stifling. Would he recognise me? Would it upset me if he didn’t? The last time he saw me my curly hair was frizzy and wild, my body certainly a hell of a lot different to the one I was hiding under Freddie’s jacket now, about three or four cup sizes different. My attitude hadn’t changed though, I was still the ultimate boss of my world.
Luca put his hands on his hips and shook his head, then turned to face me. I froze, I couldn’t second guess how this was going to play out. Seconds passed as he gazed at me, starting at my high heels and stocking clad legs, then up my body carefully hidden under the oversized men’s jacket and then to my face and my eyes. I saw it the instance he recognised me the flicker of recognition for just a second then it disappeared. What it meant I had no idea but something had been there, something passed between us. He knew exactly who I was and I still affected him in some way no matter how small or how he tried to hide it. It made my tummy flip in triumph but I still bit on my bottom lip nervous to hear what he would say or do next.
“I know who she is.” He said quietly turning to Freddie. The brothers stared silently at each other before Luca finally broke, “Fine…what do you want me to do?”
“I want you to look after her. She’s vulnerable.” Freddie replied.
“Ha! I am not vulnerable.” I snapped back, “I can deal with any assholes that come my way don’t you worry about me.”
“Still as stubborn as ever.” Luca said without looking at me.
“It’s a case of having to be when you’ve lived alone on the streets for years like I have.”
Luca seemed to wince slightly at this little revelation, but Freddie as ever was the one to pipe up.
“Hey you two enough with the arguments we aren’t kids anymore and Chloe if we’d known you were on the streets we’d have helped you. We had no idea, honestly.”
I wanted to argue that they’d left me, that they didn’t care, but what was the point. I had zero energy right now and I was rapidly losing patience.
“Whatever Fred look I need to go I have an important assessment to take tomorrow and I have to be up early for class.” I sighed.
“You’re going nowhere, not for a long time.” Luca turned to look me dead in the eyes now, pointing at me to emphasise his seriousness, his jaw clenched shut and the pulse in his neck throbbing on double time. “You have a target painted on your back, you both do. The sooner you go into hiding the better. I can protect you both but only if you do what I say.”
“I’m not going into hiding it’s an important year for me, I’ve already paid to get myself through the first three years of med school I’ll be damned if I let your crazy lifestyles stop me now. Forget it, I’ll take my chances.” I stood up to leave but Luca took a step toward me and glared at me, the sinister way he snarled down at me with those delicious plump lips made me tremble.
“Sit.” He commanded and just like that I did.
“Chloe, we’ll help you with anything you miss whilst all this is going on but please, just this once, let us protect you. We owe you that much at least.” Freddie looked so contrite, so honest I just nodded back.
“What the hell, it’s only my life and career, not like it’s anything important right? I suppose you’ll ‘take care’ of Teresa for me too?” I said sounding ungrateful but I honestly didn’t know how I felt about any of this right now. Was I really ear marked for some kind of sex trafficking gig? My skin prickled and I shivered involuntarily.
Ignoring my question, Luca strode over to the door, even the way he walked made me go giddy with what I thought was long since buried desire. I wished he’d taken his jacket off so I could check out how good his ass looked in his tight trousers. I bet it looked damn fine too. The corner of my mouth curled up into a cheeky smirk as I thought about it and gazed longingly at the back of his jacket, then I reluctantly shifted my gaze away from his ass to find Freddie wrinkling his eye brows at me. I shrugged my shoulders and he chuckled to himself and shook his head in mock despair. He could always read me like a book, and pick up on my unspoken thoughts. I had missed him and the crazy connection we both had.
“Leo, Dan can you take Freddie to the safe house. Fred you need to lay low. I’ll call you on this mobile,” Luca said going over to his desk and pulling a mobile phone out of his drawer and handing it to Freddie. “Don’t call anyone else, don’t go out, and don’t do anything unless I have okayed it. Are we clear? If you need anything you go through me first, yes?” Freddie nodded then motioning over to me with his head and said, “And Chloe?”
“You let me worry about her.” Luca said half-heartedly, it was clear he wanted Freddie out of the room before he sent me packing or palmed me off onto someone else ridding him of the guilt or responsibility.
“Oh no, I want to know where she’s going. I want your assurance she’ll be safe and nowhere near that club or that monster ever again. I’d die to protect her from him and you know that brother. What would you do huh? What would you do to protect Chloe, Luca?” Freddie was playing with fire even I could see that.
“Don’t push me Fred. She can stay with Gina or one of the other girls until it’s sorted.” Luca maintained his dismissive attitude but Freddie didn’t look happy.
“How is that safe?”
“It’s all you’re getting from me, take it or leave it.” Luca spat out standing and glaring eye to eye with Freddie, his muscly arms folded over his broad chest. They didn’t budge for what felt like ages then Freddie sighed, “Okay. Whatever. I trust you brother.”
Freddie turned then sat down next to me on the sofa and grabbed me unexpectedly into a massive bear hug.
“I hope we can catch up when all this is over. I’ve missed you little sis. I really have.”
I was taken aback by his change in attitude, but the friendliness he was showing me now wasn’t unwelcome, I needed a hug.
“I missed you too Freddie. Can I keep the jacket for a bit? It’s not really g string weather right now.” I said pulling it closer around me and breathing in his smell from the fabric.
He laughed a proper belly laugh then said in a hushed voice, “Yes Chloe keep the jacket on, you’ll give my brother an even bigger headache if he sees what’s underneath it.” He grinned. “You can give it to me when we meet up again, or just keep it forever. I don’t mind sis.”
He seemed reluctant to let go of me and took a deep breath in as if he was breathing in my scent and saving it to his memory. I looked over Freddie’s shoulder to see Luca watching our display of affection, and grinding his jaw in agitation. He wasn’t pleased, I knew the signs all too well. It made me feel smug and satisfied that he was the one on the outside right now. I’d spent years on the outside looking in where Luca was concerned, so a touch of redemption no matter how small felt damn good.
“Okay Freddie you gotta put me down we can’t stay here forever.” I smiled pushing him away lightly. He cupped my face and planted a big sloppy kiss on my lips making me scrunch my nose up and laugh. “I still don’t like your sloppy kisses Freddie.”