Oh wow. I had no idea. My tears had stopped, but my body tensed in worry. What if something would have happened to him? Luke was busy looking after me, but who was looking after him? I remembered the sickening feeling I had at the bar when he went outside to fight those guys. I didn’t even know him then, and now that I did that feeling had only intensified.
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered, turning to bury my face in his chest.
“You did nothing wrong,” Luke said, looking me in the eyes. He looked like he had aged a few years in just the past several hours.
“Please don’t leave me,” I begged. I was not worried about my own safety. No one could get to him out here, but if he went back to his house, he was fair game. He had said many times that he wanted to protect me. I knew if I asked him to stay that he would. Especially if he thought I feared for my safety. He looked torn and I felt like shit. I knew he wanted to be there with his brothers. He didn’t like sitting on the sidelines, but his safety was not only important for me but for everyone else too. If someone was after Luke, then this was the safest place for him to be.
I heard a phone ring and realized it was mine. Who would be calling me?
“I got it,” Luke said, leaning over and grabbing my phone from my clutch on the end table. “What you want Red?” Luke asked, answering my phone. “Really?” What was she saying? “Ok, hang on.” He handed me the phone and rolled his eyes.
“Hello?”
“Dallas, do you have a blue pair of heels?” Red asked, surprising me completely.
“Um. Yeah I think so.”
“Can you please go look and maybe tell me what other colors you have?”
Well this was weird. “Yeah sure, hang on,” I said, getting out of bed and heading into my closet. Luke was concentrating hard on his phone and paying no attention to me. “Ok, I have several different blues I ha-.”
“Dallas,” Red said, cutting me off. “Listen very carefully to me. I don’t care what you do or how you have to do it, but I need you to keep Luke there tonight. I can’t go into detail, but please. Consider it a favor for the club.” I knew whatever was going on was not good, but the urgency in Red’s voice was enough for me to do anything she asked.
“Ok, I can do that,” I answered her. “Is everything ok?”
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow and Dallas…. Thank you.” She hung up and I walked back into the bedroom to find Luke still lying in my bed.
“What did she want?” Luke asked, never looking up.
“To borrow my Jimmy Choo’s, but they’re the wrong size.” I said, quite convincingly.
“Babe, I have to go,” he said standing. Shit. I had to think fast. I thought I had convinced him to stay, but apparently not.
“Luke, please don’t leave me,” I whined.
“You will be fine darlin. I promise no one is going to mess with you out here. Come lock the door behind me.”
“Luke, wait!” I said a little too anxiously.
“Baby, nothing is going to hurt you. They were after me,” he said soothingly. I ran into his arms and without even trying, I was sobbing into his neck.
“Whoa babe. Are you that upset?” He asked, smoothing my hair and kissing my cheek.
“Yes. Please don’t leave me.” I begged, exaggerating my sobs.
“Baby I won’t let anything happen to you, but I have to go. I’ll send a prospect or I’ll take you to Lindsey’s.”
“I s-saw him Luke,” I announced, surprising myself when I said it.
“What?” Luke asked, pulling me from his chest so he could look at my face.
“I saw him. He was standing beside me and he touched my face.” There was a special place in hell for liars as good as myself, but this was my last resort and I prayed it would work.
“He touched you?” Luke asked, completely shocked by my admission. I nodded my head, and with an enormous amount of effort I forced my body into sobs and shudders. I felt him dig something out of his pocket. Without letting go of me, he grabbed his phone and dialed a number.
“Tiny, I’m staying at Dallas’s. Call me in the morning and let me know what you find. Be careful brother.” I didn’t hear Tiny’s response, but I knew he was glad that Luke was not coming.
“Come on baby, let’s go to bed.” Luke pulled the covers back and undressing, joined me in the bed and wrapped me in his arms. “Baby I am so sorry. No one will ever get that close to you again. I promise.” I felt guilty for lying to him, but I was asked to keep him safe and that’s exactly what I planned to do.