Chapter 17
17
TATUM
I find myself unsure of what to do now that Angel is gone. I know my parents will come to visit in a few weeks for my graduation, but now I have no one to really talk to while Anthony is busy, and I find myself aimless.
I manage to do some homework and then wander around the gardens, seeing the flowers in bloom that Angel worked so hard on. Who will care for them when they’re wilting? When they need weeding?
Teddy’s watching me from the porch, but I don’t see any of the gardeners in sight. This whole place could become neglected.
Bending down, I pull a weed from the soil, the thorny sides biting into my skin.
“Shit,” I murmur just as someone appears next to me, cigarette smoke wafting up to meet me.
Luca.
“It’s different without him here, huh?” he asks, leaning against a tree, sucking on his cigarette.
“Yeah,” I say, brushing my hand on my pants and standing up straight. “It’s kind of awful.”
I sniffle and swipe at my eyes.
Luca holds out his cigarette, and I take a step toward him, grabbing the infernal thing and taking a hit.
He grins at me when I start to cough, unused to smoke in my lungs.
He takes it from me and inhales once more. “You’ll get used to it.”
“It’s a terrible habit.”
“Only if you die from it,” he says, and I let out a small laugh as I lean against the tree next to him. “You know what you could use? A night out.”
“Anthony won’t let me leave.”
Luca snuffs his cigarette out on the tree and then pushes away from it to face me. “Why does he need to know?”
My eyes widen, and I feel my lips pull up. “Are you serious?”
“I am. Meet me here after dinner. Anthony has another meeting, and I’ll send Teddy on an errand so I can sneak you out for a bit. It’ll be fun.”
“You do realize that he will kill you for this?”
“I think we’ll be just fine.”
He winks at me and then places a finger to his lips as he walks away from me. “Just don’t tell anyone. Our little secret.”
I watch him walk away and sink down to the base of the tree, absently pulling at blades of grass.
I shouldn’t. I absolutely should not leave the premises, but if he says it’s safe…
Why the fuck not?
I try not to be suspicious, spending the rest of the day working on finishing up my homework for the week and then messaging Angel. He doesn’t answer like he normally would, so I text Casey.
Within minutes he responds, letting me know that Angel is alive and well, just busy unpacking his things and getting settled in. He even sends me a picture of Angel grinning at the camera, an airy and bright room behind him.
Seeing his smile makes me feel a little more at ease. But I’ll feel loads better once I can actually talk to him face to face and get a read on him. To see how he’s really feeling about the move and the marriage.
But for now, I’m left to wait. Wait to chat with Angel and wait for my little sneaky rendezvous with Luca later.
So, I try to bide my time, helping Agatha in the kitchen and then getting ready for my night out while Anthony is preoccupied with his meetings.
I should tell him, but he’ll just say no, absolutely not. And Luca is his best friend, his right-hand man. There’s no way he’s going to let anything bad happen to me.
I’m safe. I’ll be fine. And what Anthony doesn’t know won’t kill him.
So when it’s time, I meet Luca by the tree outside, and he grins at me, nodding toward a shed on the far end of the property.
“We can sneak out this way. It leads out to an exit.”
My eyes widen, and I link my arm with his. “Seriously?”
“Yeah, but no telling anyone. Not many people know.”
“I won’t say a word.”
He unlocks the door and steps through, pulling me into his side in the darkness and working his way forward. I stumble slightly, but his arm around me keeps me steady and pretty soon we’re walking under dimly lit lights through a tunnel that I’m pretty sure I’ve been through before.
But then again, I don’t know. I’m all turned around.
“How do you keep track of where you’re going?” I ask.
“Practice, but I’ll give you a little tip.” He points up and I see a red marker. “Those are clues. They let you know which way to go. If you know the combination, you can find your way around pretty well.”
“And who knows the combination?”
“A select few.”
“Who’s going with us?”
“Just Viktor. The fewer who know where we are the better. For safety reasons.”
“We’re gonna get in trouble.”
Luca grins as he shoves open a door and gestures for me to follow him out.
“No, we won’t. He won’t ever know, and you need a break. He can’t keep you locked up for ages. You’re not an animal.”
He places his hand on the small of my back and leads me forward to a waiting black SUV. I can see Viktor inside, his face set in a scowl.
“Are you fucking serious?” Viktor asks as soon as I slide inside. “You didn’t tell me he was coming.”
Insecurity hits me. He obviously doesn’t want me here with them. I’m offending him by my mere presence. Luca notices my frown.
“It’s not you, don’t take it personal. He just doesn’t want to get into trouble. He’s a brown noser, right up Anthony’s ass all the time.”
“No. I’m just a good fucking friend. I’m not taking Anthony’s boy around town when it’s fucking dangerous.”
“It’s not dangerous where we’re going…”
“If you do this, he’s gonna have your balls,” Viktor barks, and Luca just grins wickedly.
“You’re always so uptight, and listen, you owe me. So fucking drive, you prick.”
When we slide inside, he rolls his window down a bit and lights up a cigarette, blowing the smoke out as Viktor grumbles but pulls away from the hidden exit. I can’t even make the door out when I look, the entrance is completely camouflaged in the trees.
As we drive away into the night, my gut tightens. I should have told Anthony. If he comes looking for me and can’t find me, he’s going to be worried. But at least I’m with Luca.
I’ll be fine. One-hundred-percent fine.
“So, why does Viktor owe you?” I ask softly, and Luca grins down at me.
“I may have a little dirt on him. He has filthy little secrets.”
Viktor’s cheeks darken and his eyes flash to Luca in the rearview mirror.
“Fuck off, Luca.”
“What kind of secrets?” I ask, far too intrigued and way too nosy. You can’t say things like filthy little secrets and not divulge. It’s like showing me an entrance to a secret passageway and telling me not to go inside.
Luca winks at me. “I’ll tell you when he’s not listening.”
Viktor’s hands flex on the steering wheel. “You won’t say a fucking word.”
Luca inhales his cigarette and then shrugs, nonchalant. Apparently, these two don’t get along, the tension in the cab of the car creeping up to near visible proportions.
I don’t know much about Luca other than he’s been Anthony’s right-hand man for years and the two of them are loyal to one another. Loyal to a fault, it seems. And I know that Luca adores Diablo and Angel, has been there for their entire lives. And he apparently had a thing with Anthony’s late wife. But whatever’s happening between Viktor and Luca is something else entirely. I don’t even know if Anthony knows how deep this feud may run.
“It’s none of your business, Tatum,” Viktor grinds out, and Luca stabs his cigarette out after one last puff.
“It may be. He is Anthony’s, after all.”
Suddenly, the car lurches to the right and Viktor slams the car into park. The hazards are flipped on and he jumps out. Luca’s car door opens and Viktor wrenches Luca out by the lapels of his coat.
Luca just chuckles as Viktor pushes him up against the side of the car, closing the door with his hand. It slams shut and I jump slightly, turning in my seat to watch as Viktor gets in Luca’s face, spitting out muffled words that I can’t hear.
And then Luca does something I’m not expecting. He grins, his hands moving into Viktor’s hair, making Viktor sputter and blush. He’s obviously confused, caught off guard by the touch, and when Luca has him right where he wants him, the cards are flipped.
Viktor is slammed into the side of the car, Luca pressing up against his chest, his mouth near his ear, whispering something.
God damn, the tension is high.
My dick appreciates the show, and I reach down to adjust myself. This is like a well-done porn flick. But in real life.
They tussle for a few minutes and then Viktor is pressed face first against the glass, Luca pushed up against his back, his lips still moving, making Viktor’s mouth open in a pant. He’s not replying, just being held docile.
And I swear, I see Luca’s hips thrust forward a few times.
Christ on a cracker, what is going on?
And then suddenly, as if it never happened, it’s done. Luca pushes away from him and slides inside the car, leaving Viktor to adjust himself and slip back behind the wheel.
I stare at Luca, his cheeks a little flushed, and when I move my gaze to Viktor, he refuses to make eye contact with anything but the road.
“We’ll get back to it now. Sorry about that little tantrum,” Luca says calmly.
I swallow and nod, wiping my hands down my pants. The tension is now so thick, you could cut it with a knife.
But neither of them says anything, so I stay silent too.
What the fuck is going on with them? And why do I want to know so bad?
Twenty minutes later, we arrive at a dingy warehouse district. Somewhere I’ve never been. It looks shady as fuck, but Luca looks unbothered. Although, he’s the very description of calm and collected, even after that little showdown with Viktor earlier. It’s like it never happened.
Viktor, on the other hand, looks like he’s ready to combust, a fire in his eyes that hasn’t dimmed since he slid back behind the wheel.
“This looks a little sus,” I say, and Luca chuckles.
“Outward appearances aren’t everything,” he replies. Don’t know what that means. Not a fucking clue.
When we exit the SUV in a dark alley, Luca tucks me into his side and pulls out a key card, pushing me through a side door. My heart thunders in my chest but then I hear it, the sound of music and voices.
Luca isn’t bringing me here to kill me.
Fuck, why didn’t I think about that when I first got into the car? I obviously need to do better.
I glance back at Viktor and see that he’s whispering angrily into Luca’s ear, but is dismissed.
“Don’t fucking worry. He’s fine,” Luca replies.
Viktor crosses his arms on his chest and sets his jaw as he follows us into the large room. The heavy bass thumps through me, house music blaring through the speakers. Luca’s right. This place is far nicer than the outside. In fact, it looks as if this is a place for people with a certain kind of wealth. The kind I could only dream of.
The kind that Anthony apparently has.
My eye catches on the long bar, expensive bottles lining the shelves behind it. Hanging from the ceiling are dancers in cages, all of them completely naked, their bodies on display. I see people in outfits far fancier than mine mingling, dancing, drinking, and for a moment I curse Luca for not telling me where we were going. I’d have dressed a little nicer.
“Who owns this place?” I ask, and Luca chuckles.
“Anthony and I. It’s very lucrative.”
I eye him, and he taps his nose. I don’t know what that means. Drugs? Sex? Gambling? I have no idea.
“And see those people wearing those silver arm bands?”
I peer over and see one every few yards, looking dapper in their suits and ties.
“Yeah, who are they?”
“Guards. It’s safe here. Now go have fun. Drink. Dance. We’ll keep an eye on you.”
I hesitate a moment, looking out at the people writhing in the middle of the dance floor. They even dance like rich people. I will definitely not fit in.
“A drink first,” I tell Luca, and he grins.
“Viktor. Take him to get a drink. I have business to attend to.”
Viktor’s hand lands on my lower back and he guides me forward. When we get to the bar top, we move between a few people and I half-expect I’ll have to spend hours waving someone down, but Viktor is immediately recognized. A young woman saunters up to us, winking at us both.
“Oh, Vik, you have a cutie with you tonight.”
Viktor huffs and shakes his head. “He’s not mine. He’s the boss’s.”
The woman’s perfectly plucked eyebrows rise. “You don’t say?” Her manicured hand reaches across the bar top and as she does this, I realize I can peer down the front of her sheer dress. Not that I look. “I’m Monica. So nice to meet you.”
“Tatum,” I say, slipping my hand into hers. She shakes it and then winks at me.
“Everything’s on the house, of course. What would you like? And only the best for you.”
I feel my cheeks flush and then I blurt, “Um, surprise me.”
Monica grins and nods. “Oh, I do like him. You got it. And I assume, nothing for you?” she asks Viktor. He just shakes his head.
She turns away and gets to work, leaving me to lean against the bar and wait. My eyes scan the people converging around us, watching as they interact. They seem like people who have too much time on their hands and way too much money.
They move like Anthony in many ways. Sure, confident. Powerful. Like they’ve never been told no a day in their lives.
As my gaze flits around, someone to my right meets my stare and nods at me.
I find myself blinking over at him, something unfurling in my stomach. I don’t like how he’s looking at me. Not at all.
“Who’s that?” I ask, leaning into Viktor, hoping his proximity to me makes the other man look away.
“Who?”
“The young guy with the purple tie and the earring.”
“Oh, that’s no one you need to be concerned with.”
“What’s his name?”
“Henry. But stay away from him. He’s an asshole and not to be trusted.”
I nod and tuck myself into Viktor’s side, letting him shield me until Monica brings me my drink. It’s bright green with a salt rim.
“What is it?” I ask, staring into the glittering drink.
“A green goddess, just like you.”
She winks at me, and I take a sip, the no-doubt expensive liquor sliding down my throat with ease. It settles into my stomach and immediately makes me lightheaded. It’s stronger than it tastes, it seems.
“You alright?” Viktor asks, and I nod, taking another sip.
“Yep. It’s good.”
“Yeah, but knowing Monica, it’s strong, so be careful.”
I smack my lips together and nod. “Mister, I am always careful.”
I am one with the beat. I can feel the thumping move through my torso and into my legs. I can’t stop moving.
I should have become a ballerina. I have grace and poise.
“You drank too much,” Viktor shouts into my ear as I spin in his arms and wrap my arms around his neck.
“I only had three drinks.”
“That was two too many.”
I snort and then lift my arms off him and sway them back and forth in the air. This has been nice, really fucking fun. It would be better if Anthony was here to grind up against, but he’s not. So I’ve been relegated to pulling Viktor onto the dancefloor. I haven’t seen Luca since he led me inside. I have no idea where he is or what he’s doing. And to be honest, I don’t fucking care. Viktor is doing a superb job of hovering.
“You’re a very good dancer,” I tell Viktor and then grab his hands and spin around, feeling like I’m flying. Perhaps there was something else in that green goddess drink. Something more than alcohol.
I have never felt this fearless before.
“Have you taken dancing lessons?” I ask as I shake my ass violently, but Viktor has stopped moving, his jaw tight as he stares over my shoulder, a flush moving up his cheeks.
“Oh fuck,” he murmurs, and then I feel it.
Anthony. Right behind me.
His hands move around my waist, pulling me back against his chest.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he asks, his voice a murderous rage.
It only makes my dick perk up and my heart stutter.
“Dancing like a pro,” I reply, leaning my head back against his shoulder and grinding my ass back against his groin.
His fingers tighten on my waist and his voice cuts across to Viktor. “Where the fuck is Luca?”
“In the back,” Viktor says, and Anthony’s fingers flex against me.
“I’ll deal with you both later. I’m taking him home. Now.”
“But I don’t want to go,” I whine, but Anthony just spins me around and tilts my chin up. His eyes meet mine, and I see his gaze darken. He’s unhappy, angry. But even so, he leans down and kisses me, sweeping his tongue into my mouth, tasting me.
I moan into it, leaning my full weight into his body and clutching onto him.
But before I can get carried away, he’s pulling away and huffing under his breath.
“A green goddess? Really, Viktor. You should know better.”
Viktor remains silent as Anthony pulls me against him and nearly carries me outside. Teddy is in the driver’s seat of a black SUV, not even looking my way as Anthony shuffles me into the backseat and follows me in.
The door slams and Teddy peels out of the parking lot, a sense of urgency about his movements that I haven’t seen before.
Anthony reaches around me and buckles me in, and I lean into him, sniffing his masculine scent. I want to rub all over him, I want to be naked. Suddenly, the clothes I’m wearing are stifling.
“Not on your fucking life,” he murmurs when I start to try and undress. “You keep your clothes on. You’re not getting shit from me tonight.”
“Luca said it was safe,” I reply, nuzzling into him, the seatbelt cutting into my neck slightly as I lean against him.
“Not a fucking word about goddamn Luca. The fool.”
I sigh and then slip my fingers through the buttons of his shirt, stroking his chest, his warm skin. He sighs but doesn’t remove my hand from him. He may be angry, but he’s not over me.
Which is good news. I’m not ready for any of this to be over.
“Anthony, do you really own that club with Luca?” I ask.
He nods. “Yes.”
“Is it for rich people? If I wasn’t with you, I wouldn’t be allowed in, huh? That’s discrimination, you know?”
He huffs as I peer up at him.
“You shouldn’t have been there, not with Viktor and most certainly not with Luca. When you sober up, you’re getting a spanking.”
I groan and wiggle a little closer, the seatbelt now cutting into my arm. I want to crawl into his lap and grind.
“I’m totally fine with that. I’ve been so very bad. Very, very bad. I’ll probably need several spankings.”
Anthony runs his hand through my hair and our eyes meet just as the first gunshot rings out.