Lucien (The Marchesi Family 1)

A few seconds of silence passed, then he said, “I got away.”

“What do you mean? Got away from who? Mario?”

“Yeah and… Stefan. They…” He paused and seemed to be trying to catch his breath. “They were never going to cut me in. Then I wouldn’t… They’re selling little girls, Pete. That’s what they wanted me to do. Can’t do that. They tried to kill me.”

At least he had some lines he wouldn’t cross. When would he learn to stop listening to fucking bullshit promises? “I’m glad you got away, but I’m done talking to you—”

“Don’t hang up. I know where Lucien is, and he’ll die if someone doesn’t find him.”

I couldn’t trust him, but I also couldn’t bring myself to hang up. “Where is he?”

“I have the key. Meet me, and I’ll give it to you.”

“No fucking way. You bring it here.”

He had another coughing fit. “Marchesi’s guards will kill me.”

“I’m not falling for more of your shit, Jimmy.”

“It’s not…” He paused to draw in a raspy breath. I could tell he was in pain, but that didn’t mean he was telling the truth about any of this. “I swear. I can help you.”

I sighed. If there was any chance he was serious, I had to follow through because there was one thing I was sure he wasn’t lying about. Damian was going to kill Lucien if we didn’t find him soon. “Where do you want to meet?”

“You know the warehouse where they took Damian’s men?”

“You mean where I was nearly captured?”

“Yeah. There’s a pawn shop down the street. Meet me there at ten tonight.” Was there any chance this wasn’t a trap?

“You know I can’t come alone, right?”

“You have to. None of Lucien’s men will let me live long enough to listen to me. I’m probably going to die anyway, but I want to save you and Lucien first.”

I’d never heard Jimmy sound so defeated, but I also knew he was really good at acting. All of it, even the weak voice, could be a ploy to make me feel sympathetic so he could lure me in. After what happened to Lucien, there was no way I was going to be able to walk out of there and go somewhere on my own. I was going to have to tell someone—probably Angelo—about Jimmy’s call, then convince them to go meet him with me. But what if they wouldn’t go?

My heart pounded. Was I brave enough to sneak out and go on my own? Brave enough or stupid enough? I was sure Lucien would say it was the latter.

But I had to take any chance I could to save him. That’s what he would do for me, and if he hadn’t needed to come looking for me, he wouldn’t be Damian’s prisoner right now. This was my chance to prove I wasn’t a fucking coward.

“I’ll be there.”

“I swear to you,” Jimmy said, “I’m telling the truth this time. I know you don’t have any reason to trust me. Lucien gave me a chance, and I blew it. He could’ve roughed me up or killed me. He could’ve done anything he wanted to me, but he gave me a chance to work off my debt. I should’ve taken it.”

“Yeah, you should have.” Except then, I would never have met Lucien and never fallen in love with him. My life might’ve been easier in some ways, but I wouldn’t change what had happened, even knowing who Lucien was and how dangerous it would be to be with him.

“These men don’t care about anything or anyone. No matter what they say, they’re not going to let Lucien or anyone close to him live. I know you don’t trust me, but don’t trust them either.”

“I won’t. I promise.”

That night, I dressed in dark clothing and got ready to go meet Jimmy. I waffled back-and-forth several times on whether I should try to slip out on my own or tell someone. Who would it be? Sabrina? Angelo? Devil? If I went alone and it was a trap, they’d have me and Lucien. But if it wasn’t and whoever I told denied me the right to go, Lucien might die because I didn’t take action, just like my parents. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself then.

From the first day I’d met Lucien, I’d told him I wasn’t brave enough to be with him, but when I saw that man carrying him away and realized he was unconscious and unable to fight, I’d known right then that no matter what Lucien did or who he was, I loved him, and I wanted to be with him. That meant I was going to have to be brave enough to save him. Lucien thought it had taken courage to warn him to be careful when I’d nearly been kidnapped, but I hadn’t had to take any action. This time, I had to make the choice to walk into danger, and I was going to do it.