Chapter 4
4
CELIA
“ W hy are you touching my fiancée?” Gabriel’s voice was icy.
I raised my head, shocked. I could have sworn that the man holding me held me closer to his chest. My fingers were twisted in the collar of his shirt.
“Actually, the more pressing question I have now is why is there a dead man sprawled across the crème br?lée?” Gabriel amended.
There was a commotion behind him. Royal, my father, and their men entered in a flurry.
Gabriel turned his icy eyes on Royal. “I thought your men were securing the kitchen.”
“It was empty. And your men had the alleyway?—”
“Shut up,” Gabriel told Royal crisply, before closing the distance between us in a few quick steps.
The man who had been holding me squeezed me—unless that was my imagination—and then set me down on my feet, steadying me carefully with his hands on my hips.
I found him comforting, then suddenly, I realized who he was. I’d only seen him at a distance.
Luca.
My father’s new favorite enforcer, the man who had recently bit and crawled his way up the ranks.
Gabriel looked me over in one sweeping glance, as if he were checking me for injuries, and then his broad palm went to my cheek, gently cradling my face as he looked down into my eyes. I froze, overwhelmed by the feeling of being caught between these two men, touched by them both. I was so unaccustomed to being held gently that way.
“Are you all right?” Gabriel asked. His voice was rumbly and fierce, even deeper than usual. I looked up at him in shock.
“Yes,” I managed. “Two of them chased me?—”
“ Two ?” Gabriel’s voice was cold. “Because I only see one body.”
His tone cut right through me, and I pulled back, convinced he was furious at me. Then he gave Luca a cutting look.
“I only saw one,” Luca said.
Gabriel swept a quick, dismissive gaze over Luca, a look that said he would never have made that mistake. “Well, that will be forgiven if you bring us his body.”
Gabriel’s gaze met mine again.
My father cleared his throat. “Yes, Luca. Find him.”
Even though Luca was one of my father’s men, Gabriel seemed to know him. But then, Gabriel had been working with my father, currying his favor recently. It was no surprise that he knew Luca.
Luca had already taken off, heading into the alleyway; I wasn’t sure if he’d left at my father’s command or at Gabriel’s. I twisted to follow him, feeling a sudden surge of longing. I had felt safe with him after that intense terror. My legs were still unsteady.
“Who is this?” Gabriel took a step toward the body, then paused. He pulled off the man’s mask, then looked back at me. “Did you recognize either of them?”
He turned the man’s slack-jawed face toward me. The man’s empty dark eyes stared at nothing. I’d never seen his face before.
I shook my head.
“Christ, Celia,” Royal scoffed, his voice full of disgust. “You’re shaking.”
“She has every reason to be afraid.” Gabriel’s blue eyes met mine, even though he was speaking to Royal. His eyes were as icy as ever, but I couldn’t look away. “Perhaps your family doesn't share my values. She shouldn’t have to be prepared for someone to hurt her. She should be protected.”
“We’ll get to the bottom of this,” my father said. “Are you all right, Celia?”
I was startled to find him right in front of me, giving me a worried look before he reached out as if he would touch my shoulder. The show of fatherly concern was disconcerting.
“Yes,” I said.
Gabriel’s hand fell away from me as he took a step back. “I’m glad to see at least one of your men has the right instincts to be able to protect her.”
“We lost her longtime bodyguard recently,” my father said. “It’s obvious she needs another. We’ll have Luca watch her.”
Luca was just stepping back into the room, sliding his handgun back into the holster under his jacket. His gaze met mine, and for a second I had the sensation again of being caught between him and Gabriel.
“I’d be honored,” he said, his voice deep. “I’ll make sure no harm comes to her.”
Well, if that were the case, he would be like no bodyguard I’d ever had before.
Gabriel walked me out to the car. My father’s driver opened the door for me, but Gabriel held me back with a brief touch on my arm. The contact of his fingers on my skin was unexpected, and my gaze flew to his.
But he was entirely focused on the car, frowning as he studied the driver.
“There was an attempt on Celia’s life today,” he said. “Surely, going forward, you’ll put her in a vehicle with bulletproof glass?”
“There is no reason anyone would assassinate Celia,” my father disagreed. “That seemed like a kidnapping attempt.”
“Perhaps. But I would still like to see her in an armored car with a trained defensive driver.”
“Certainly a wise idea,” my father said expansively.
I couldn’t figure out why Gabriel cared. It was too much of a show of care and attention. I’d done nothing to deserve this level of interest.
“We’ll take care of it,” my father assured him.
“Thank you,” Gabriel said.
Royal was watching me in a way I couldn’t read. The expression on his face contained the usual disdain, but it was mixed with something else.
Luca stood on the sidewalk and watched me until the car pulled away. I turned around as he got into the car behind us.
Only when both our cars were rolling down the street did I see Gabriel move toward his own sports car as if he felt perfectly safe, despite everything that had happened tonight. He had an aura of invincibility.
I settled into the leather seat, feeling suddenly drained. My bare legs, thanks to the very short skirt that I was wearing, stuck to the fancy leather as I shifted, trying to find a comfortable spot.
“Why is Gabriel Caruso so interested in our little Celia?” Royal asked in a slow, mocking voice.
My father didn’t even glance at him. He was focused on his phone. “You wouldn’t be able to see it, because she’s your sister, but Celia is a beautiful girl. Gabriel might be a psychopath, but he’s not blind.”
It was the nicest thing my father had ever said to me, which was pretty funny, since he was selling me off to someone he admitted was a psychopath in that very same breath.