Shiver (Unbreakable Bonds 1)

The man flushed, his eyes darting from Lucas to Stephanie and then back. “The three men from the hospital and me,” Andrei replied in a low voice. “That’s it.”

“Lucas?” Confusion and anger colored Stephanie’s voice black.

Lucas sighed heavily. Damn Rowe. He loved to cause trouble. He’d once flirted with a BBC reporter in Ankara while using Lucas’s name—when they’d been trying to avoid local cops. He’d slowed some since marrying, but Rowe still managed to find ways to cause chaos. It was his raison d’être.

“Please add Mrs. Mason to the list,” Lucas said evenly. “She cleans on Wednesday and Friday.”

“Lucas!” This time, Stephanie stepped around Lucas so he was forced to look at her.

Andrei turned suddenly and coughed, trying to cover his laugh.

Lucas waited for Stephanie to take in his battered appearance. She looked perfect, of course. Every blond hair was in place, her make-up expertly highlighting her large blue eyes and full lips. Her mint green suit hugged her slender form. Outside, she was a beauty, but her insides were as hollow as bird bones. Lucas ignored it for a long time because she’d been a useful accessory on his arm when he needed to make an appearance at some social function. And at one time, she hadn’t seemed so…so shallow. But recently, he’d gotten tired of her cruel, dismissive comments and sickened by her overall callousness toward people.

“What happened to you?” she asked. The faint hint of warmth threading her tone felt forced. Faked.

“A small scuffle. Nothing to fret about.” He knew his voice dripped sarcasm and he couldn’t help it. He settled into the one arm chair, taking another sip of his whisky, enjoying the burn down his chest and into his brain.

“This looks like way more than a small scuffle. Were you in the hospital?”

“Just a couple days.”

She genuinely looked confused, but not really upset and that made this easier.

“No one called me,” she finally said.

“No need to trouble you from your busy schedule.”

“One of your friends should have called me.” She wove her way around the furniture in the living room to sit primly on the edge of the sofa closest to him. “I am your girlfriend after all.” The last bit was said gently and Lucas nearly laughed out loud.

“That’s what I thought.” Lucas pointed with the hand holding the tumbler so that the remaining whisky nearly sloshed out of the fine crystal. “But the security guard said you claimed to be my fiancée.”

Stephanie gave a little wave of her hand as if brushing off his comment like a stray piece of lint. “Oh that. It’s just a matter of time. We’ve been together almost six months.”

Lucas shook his head. “I don’t think so.” He wanted to feel bad about cutting her loose this way, but couldn’t bring himself to frown. Maybe it was the Percocet. Or the whisky. Or sliding helplessly into that thick darkness after a bad beating. “I don’t believe this arrangement is working for either of us any longer.”

“What? Are you breaking up with me?” Her blue eyes had gone impossibly wide and she gaped at him.

“Yes.” He nodded slowly. “I am.”

“Now, Lucas, let’s just talk about this. You’re not thinking clearly. You’ve been drinking and I’m sure those doctors put you on medication.”

“Oh no, I decided this weeks ago. You just haven’t been around to tell.”

“Well, if you needed more time together, you just have to say. I can always make time for you.” She reached to place her hand on his knee but he jerked away. Stephanie frowned, snatching her hand back, curling her slender fingers into a fist.

Lucas reached over to put his glass on the table but missed. Luckily, Andrei was right there to catch it before it could crash to the hardwood floor. He took the glass and placed a cold bottle of water into Lucas’s hand. “This might be a good idea, Mr. Vallois.”

Lucas blinked. “Can’t you make some noise when you move?”

“But then it would be harder to protect you,” Andrei said with a half-smile as he straightened.

Lucas smiled back. “Good point.”

“Can we have some privacy, please?” Stephanie demanded through clenched white teeth as she glared at Andrei.

“No!” Lucas leaned in his chair so that his body was closer to Andrei than the woman currently turning her glare toward him. “He’s my bodyguard. He’s protecting me.”

Stephanie jumped to her feet. “Lucas Vallois, you’re an asshole!”

It was nice to see she was giving up all pretense of caring. He didn’t have the energy or even the desire to draw this out anymore. He’d enjoyed his time with her in the beginning, but it had been nothing other than sheer laziness and disinterest that had kept him from pushing her away sooner. “Come now. We both know you can do so much better than me.”

“Of course I can.” The snarl on her lips didn’t flatter. “But you’ll never find another woman who is going to put up with you fucking every man to cross your path. You’re a cheap, low-class whore and that’s all you’ll ever be.”