Chapter 42 – Luka
“ A re you going to kill Markem?” Her question broke the insistent chatter of the night wind.
I cut a look to the side. Vivian’s arms were crossed over her chest, her gaze trained on the ground in front of her, but the tight line of her mouth was full of determination.
“Yes,” I said simply.
That chin lifted and fell. “Good. He deserves it.”
My vicious little hellcat.
There was something about her outburst that gave me pause. “You really won’t mind?”
A rough laugh gave me enough answer.
“Yeah, I would want to kill the rat bastard who messed with my life too,” I assured her. “Do you want to pull the trigger?”
Vivian stopped mid-step and finally lifted her eyes to meet mine. “Is that an option?”
“It’s always an option.” We were at the mouth of an alley, but this wasn’t the area I wanted to be pausing to have a chat. However, Vivian’s next words told me that we wouldn’t be moving for a few minutes at least.
“You told me your history, now I want to tell you mine.”
Gently brushing my fingers down the sleeve of her deep navy hoodie, I brought us farther into the shadows of a big shrub. “Are you sure, Vivian?”
She nodded. “Absolutely.”
The shake in her voice sent a cloud of red misting into the night surrounding us. But I didn’t dare breathe lest I interrupt her.
“Markem was my father’s friend, always around. As a kid, I adored him. When your parents are workaholics, you soak up any attention, especially if it comes from an adult. I don’t know when he started his plans to take our wealth, but before I knew it my parents were dead and I was under his care.” Vivian took a deep breath. I wanted to reach for her. Instead, I fisted my hands at my side. “He was the creepy uncle. He never crossed any lines that would make him a pedo, but he was too familiar. I think he planned that it would make marriage easier if we were close -close.”
I kicked myself for not having killed the bastard yet. First thing tomorrow, I was expediting my plans and hurrying the timeline for my attack.
“My parents might not have had much time for me, but they loved me in their own way. And he killed them, Luka. I found the evidence after graduating law school. I just…stumbled upon the truth.” Her voice came out as a whisper.
“Vivian,” I murmured, her pain threatening to break me. I wanted to take it all, to let it crush me.
She blinked up at me, determination shining through her. “I don’t know if I can pull the trigger. I’ve never killed anyone, but that’s not what haunts me. I’m not scared of anything, Luka. Not of jumping, not of swimming with sharks, but that man? He’s my own nightmare. I doubt I could pull the trigger when the time comes. That was why I cut the rope and ran.”
I stepped into her, holding out my hand. When she slid her soft, warm palm against mine, a shot of electricity shot through me. My fingers curled protectively around hers. “If you let me have the honor, I’ll end him. Not a moment of hesitation, Vivian.”
“I know. Why do you think I’ve been asking you to kill him since the first day we met?” The smile that played on her lips looked so damn kissable.
I leaned forward but only enough to show her what I wanted.
She closed the distance.
Our lips found one another’s. The kiss was gentle yet firm. It was the perfect seal to the blood contract we’d struck. Although, in truth, this was more of a clause. Because the moment I decided Vivian was mine, that meant I would move heaven and earth, kill beast or man that threatened her, and serve her with every breath I took. Killing her nightmare was an extension of that promise.
When her tongue slid against mine, I groaned. “We can’t. Not here, baby.”
Vivian sighed against my mouth. “Alright. But you’d better believe it, mister, the moment we get home—”
I lifted her and spun her around. “Only if you touch me first, darlin.”
Vivian clapped both hands on my cheeks. “Done.”
I shot forward, needing just one more taste of her smile. “Come on, baby, let’s go rob the Irish.”
I set her down, but this time, I tangled our fingers together.
Breathless, Vivian trotted after me. “Rob? The Irish?”
“Yeah,” I chuckled. “They have something I need.”
We emerged from the yard and stopped under the shelter of a large oak tree.
“A church?” Vivian hissed. “You want to rob a freaking church?! You’re insane!”
I cocked my head to the side. “Didn’t you know that already?”
Vivian shook her head, rubbing her eyes. “What could they possibly have in there that we need to steal ?”
“Ah, I’m so glad you asked!” I whispered, tugging her close and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “The head honcho of the Irish Mob, a real thick turd named Flannigan, acquired a few relics from some bishop. There’s a dagger in the mix that has gemstones stolen by some Irish pirate wench, who they’re really proud of, by the way.”
Vivian’s jaw was actually open.
I reached out, pressing her chin up to close the gap. And then I booped her nose. Because I could.
“If anyone else told me that story I would say they were full of shit,” Vivian began, but stopped to shake her head. “You’re actually going to do this, aren’t you?”
“Mhmm, sure am.” Smoothing back the curls on her head, I pulled the hood of her sweatshirt over her head. “The only question is are you going to come with me?”
Please jump with me.
“Unless…you’re scared,” I urged, remembering with perfect clarity how that spoke to her of our first encounter.
There was a long pause. It was filled with Vivian looking between me and the church.
“Oh, what the hell,” she muttered. “ I’m not scared. But I can’t wait to see you shake in your boots.”
My black heart fucking soared.
“Put this on.” I handed her the black mask. “We’ll turn on the LED strips once we’re inside.”
I pulled out my phone, never letting go of the pretty little troublemaker at my side, and tapped into the security system. Having computer wizards on our side sure made this part of the work easier. I used the program to put the cameras on a loop, and then it was just a matter of disabling the alarms.
“Come on, babe!” I whooped under my breath and tugged Vivian across the back parking lot. At the great wooden doors, I pulled out the lockpick set. Vivian watched me intently as I coaxed the balls and pins to slide into place. The click was oh so satisfying.
The thrill that shot through my veins was better than any drug. I pushed the door open just enough for us to slip inside, the creak of the hinges echoing like a trumpet in the silent building.
A shiver vibrated through Vivian. Her twinkling eyes peered inside. “Okay, you win, this is fun.”
“What do I win?” I hissed as I followed her.
She turned on the LED strips on her mask. Two blue Xs for eyes, a garish mouth, and a line across her forehead shown back at me. In the cobalt glow, her pretty little fingers reached out and clicked on the lights on my mask before they dipped under the black plastic to trace my lips. The insinuation sent a groan rumbling through my chest and an ache pulsing heavy between my legs.
The air inside was cool and slightly stale, carrying the faint scent of cleaning supplies and old paper. I paused, letting my eyes adjust to the dim light filtering through the windows. Shadows stretched long and menacing, merging with the darkness that cloaked the corridors.
“Your family went to church last Sunday, right?” Vivian murmured.
I murmured in assent.
“So aren’t you worried about divine wrath?” Vivian stopped to peer into the main sanctuary.
“This is a church of Rome. They split from the church of the East almost a thousand years ago. It’s okay to teach the Papists a lesson in humility once in a while,” I explained, pulling her down a side corridor.
I moved cautiously, my steps light and deliberate, trying to muffle the sound of my feet against the tiled floor. The faint hum of the building's HVAC system was a constant background noise, masking the occasional creak of the structure settling. I strained my ears for any other sounds, each unholy whisper making my pulse quicken, my body tensing with the fear of being caught.
Not for me, but for Vivian’s sake. I didn’t like to think what the hotblooded Irish would do if they took her.
It was unlikely there were any here, however.
We stopped in the side room, where the items were laid out on a table. Red lasers roped off the area.
Vivian’s hand came out and smacked my chest. I froze.
“There,” she hissed.
There was another laser, so low on the ground that I would have missed it.
“And there’s a camera in the corner.” Her finger lifted toward the far wall.
“The camera should be looped.” I pulled out my phone to confirm. “Yeah, that’s not recording us. Okay, so here’s the plan. Once we get inside, I’ll lift you, and you can pluck the items off the table.”
Vivian snorted. “I thought you were good at this.”
“How do you know this isn’t my first time?” I countered.
“The earrings Mrs. O’Conner wore? Those were doubloons. She said you brought them back from your trip to Florida. And—” Vivian paused to give her final argument the weight which it deserved. “The museum theft was the only thing people could talk about right as a certain charmer blew into town.”
I held my hands up. “Guilty.”
Vivian hmphed. “Alright, genius, we’re going to find something to pluck the items. There should be a toolbox in a utility closet or kitchen.”
Kitchen. Potlucks. Cooking stuff.
“Come on.” I began to jog down the hall.
“Have you been here before?” Vivian panted after me.
“Nope. But like any good thief, I memorized the blueprints.” Rounding the corner, I darted into the kitchen and began to pull out drawers. “Salad or grilling tongs will do the trick.”
Vivian pulled out another drawer.
“Unless you want to look for that toolbox?” I teased.
Vivian flashed me a finger.
My breaths came shallow and fast, each inhale filling my lungs with the musty smell of the place. But I couldn’t stop smiling. How lucky was I to find a partner in crime? Someone who not only didn’t judge me for my antics, but actively encouraged them? None of my family understood my need for thrills.
The little pistol who pulled a long pair of serving tongs from a drawer did.
“Great! But hold up a second.” I went to the fridge and pawed through the contents.
Score! I plucked two cookies from a tray, handing one to Vivian as I passed her.
“Really?” she drawled. “Aren’t you full from the meal your Irish grandmother made you? Oh, and the sandwiches we had before going to bed at nine?”
“Trust me, food from someone else tastes much better,” I said as we returned to the scene of our soon-to-be crime.
My skin tingled with a mix of adrenaline and anxiety, the tiny hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. The thrill of sneaking around, the illicitness of my actions, sent shivers down my spine.
Vivian handed me the tongs.
“Thank you, darlin.” I rubbed my hands and dusted the cookie crumbs from them. My palms were clammy, but the muscles were steady as I reached through the lasers for the first object. Every fiber of my being was alert, attuned to the smallest details—the shift of shadows, the distant hum of machinery, the faint rustle of my clothes as I moved.
“It’s like a high-stakes game of Operation,” Vivian murmured.
I couldn’t help but laugh at her comparison.
In five minutes, the three items I wanted were pulled through the barrier of red.
Headlights flashed in the window, effectively stopping me from reaching for the fourth.
“The leprechauns are here,” I muttered. “Time to go.”
“Luka!” Vivian breathed.
But how? A careful scan told me that as we’d crossed the threshold, cookie crumbs had dusted the floor.
“Time to run.” I clapped her hand in mine.
“Shit, Luka,” Vivian hissed.
“Don’t be scared. Hold onto me,” I promised. As I navigated the labyrinthine halls, I banished the undercurrent of fear. I stayed close to the walls, slipping from shadow to shadow, my movements fluid and stealthy. The sense of danger, of walking a tightrope with no safety net, heightened my senses and kept my mind razor-sharp. Every step sent a rush of excitement and terror.
I’d been in worse situations than this, and I could protect my woman.
The unmistakable slap of footsteps clattered down the hall. Adrenaline surged through me, sharpening my senses. Their approach promised danger, each step reverberating through the silent corridors and sending a delicious thrill racing down my spine.
I pulled my knife from the sheath at my hip.
Vivian scampered past me, tugging me into the shadowed alcove. She reached out and clicked off the LEDs on our masks, plunging us into darkness. This close to her, I decided not to waste the opportunity. Her hips were soft under my touch. I slid my hands up her body, cursing the padding of the sweatshirt. Those gorgeous tits fit perfectly under my palm. I gave the nipple a pinch, defying the layers between us. The sharp inhale passing through her lips was an instant vise on my balls. Skin prickling with anticipation, the faintest hint of sweat formed at my temples despite the cool air. We were hidden, just the two of us, in enemy territory.
The sound of Gaelic voices, low and urgent, grew louder as they neared. The idiots had no idea death was here, waiting to collect their souls for the Maker. I could feel the vibrations of their footsteps through the floor, a subtle but insistent rhythm that matched the pounding of my heart.
My grip on the blade tightened.
But Vivian gave her head a small shake.
Luck was with the Irish tonight it seemed. I did as my hellcat bid and let the greenies go.
They passed, their shadows flickering across us, disappearing in the direction of the crime scene. I exhaled slowly, the rush of air bringing with it the stale taste of the building’s air. The coast was clear. A wild, heady exhilaration coursed through my veins, my senses heightened to the point of ecstasy. I slipped from the alcove, my movements swift and silent, the thrill of the chase electrifying every nerve in my body.
I curled my fingers for Vivian, who followed.
Out the side door, we emerged into the night. The cool breeze caressed my flushed skin, carrying with it the earthy scent of damp grass and distant rain. Our footsteps were light and quick, barely making a sound on the gravel path. The thrill of having a partner in crime rushed through me. As we disappeared into the dark, I reveled in the sensation of freedom, and the woman who made me feel more alive than any brush with death.