The Marriage Debt (Underworld Kings)

He plants himself against the wall. “Ladies first.”

Even though he’s always been a gentleman, it still makes me blush.

I don’t know why.

I never used to be like this around Easton’s main guard, but ever since I’ve been busy with his wife Charlotte’s charity, something about our dynamic has changed. Every time I go there, Nick is there too, and I don’t know if it’s because Easton told him to guard Charlotte or if it’s because of … me.

I swallow and walk past him, rubbing my lips together to stop the warmth from spreading. “See you later,” I say.

“I hope so.”

I almost stumble across the hallway.

He hopes so?

When I glance at him over my shoulder, he winks.

Oh, God.

I walk away until I’m behind a wall and then stop to clutch my own body with my eyes closed, holding my breath.

Nope, do not go there. You are not ready for any of that. You don’t even like Nick.

I open my eyes again and sigh out loud.

I really have to stop making him think he has a chance, but it’s tough because I hate disappointing people. And I also hate it when guys try to make me fawn.

Because if there is one thing I learned, it’s that men can’t be trusted.

Men use. They betray. They hurt.

And when they’re done with you, they discard you like you never meant anything.

And I refuse to deal with that kind of heartbreak.

So I walk away with my head held high, determined not to let myself be swayed by anything or anyone, no matter how handsome or kind they are to me.

I’d rather not have anyone at all than have someone shatter my heart.

Luca

* * *

Present

* * *

It was easy enough to track the fucker down. There aren’t that many guys named Nick working for a dude named Easton Van Buren. Especially not when that same employer is one of the most notorious hotel-restaurant chain owners here in the Netherlands.

Our parents regularly had business dinners at his restaurants, and he’s a family friend. Or was, before I knew he harbored Jill.

Out of all the places she could go, that asshole was nowhere near safe.

I expected a guy like him who’s used to working with mobsters to make smarter decisions.

He’ll deal with my wrath later.

First, I’ll have to deal with his employee, Jill’s fucking ex-boyfriend Nick. Just the thought of him touching her … kissing her, makes me trigger happy to the point where I’m about ready to get out of this car with my knife in one hand and my gun in the other and slice his heart out.

I had my men track Nick’s movements for an hour after they spotted him at one of Easton’s restaurants. He’s all by himself now, strutting around some local bakeries with a small bag in his hands.

“Off to do some groceries during lunchtime, eh?” I mumble to myself as I stare at him through the car window. I snap my fingers at my driver. “Stop there. He’ll go into the park. We’ll ambush him there.”

My driver nods, and the two men I brought check their guns for bullets and add a silencer.

Good. I don’t want to make noise if I can avoid it.

Our family thrives by being invisible to the public, and it’s best kept that way.

But fuck me, shit like this makes it difficult to maintain my self-control.

When Nick opens up his bag and pulls out a sandwich, he walks into the park up ahead, just like I thought he would.

“Let’s go,” I say. We throw the doors open, and we all jump out. I quickly run into the bushes and push through them to reach him from behind while my men follow my trail. Nick doesn’t seem to notice we’re tracking him as he’s too busy chomping down on his sandwich to notice his surroundings.

Never, ever let your guard down.

“One, two …” I mumble at my men. “Three!”

We all jump out of the bushes at the same time and lock him in, one arm around his neck, the other around his mouth. His sandwich falls from his hands onto the bench while we drag him back into the bushes with us. As my men hold him down, I point my gun at his head and pull the safety back to make him stop thrashing.

“Make a sound, and I’ll put a bullet in your brain,” I say.

His eyes widen when they lock on mine.

“Are you going to cooperate?”

He nods, after which one of my men takes his hand off Nick’s mouth.

“What the fuck do you want from me?” he growls. “Who are you?”

“Who I am doesn’t fucking matter to you,” I say. “What matters is that I know who you are … and that we both know the same girl.”

His lips part. “Jill.”

They obviously know she’s missing.

He suddenly begins to fight off my men who hold him down. “You motherfucker, you kidnapped her, didn’t you? Let her fucking go!”