34. Luc
34
LUC
CLUB NIGHTS
“ W e’re going to Club 188 tonight.” Kari wanders into her room, grinning when she closes the door and I’m laid out on her bed. A single sheet affords me modesty, while my clothes lie on the floor, rumpled into a ball. She carries a coffee mug in one hand, and a metric smile on her face. “This band is playing; you might’ve heard of them?”
I steal the coffee from her hand the moment she’s within reach, then I set it on the bedside table and hook my arm around her hips instead. Her yelp of surprise rings out, echoing from wall to wall. But we’re here all alone. Which means I could walk through the apartment naked as the day I was born, and that would be okay.
I mean… I wouldn’t. Because fuck knows the pain I’d be in if someone dropped by unexpectedly. But still. The opportunity is there. Sort of.
“I heard the drummer is the sexiest of them all.”
She snickers, rolling to her back and holding on so I practically rest on top of her. Her long hair fans out, covering her pillow and tickling my arm. “Considering that band is made up of my foster brother, actual brother, dude I grew up with, and you…” She purses her lips, though her eyes dance. “Yeah. I’d say, aesthetically, of course, you’re my favorite.”
“Aesthetically.” I lean in and nip at her bottom lip. “What are you wearing to the club?”
“Why? You want to control my choices? ”
“No.” I slide my tongue along her lip and grin. “Wear whatever the fuck you want. But if you show bunches of skin, I’m gonna have to listen to Marcus whine about it. Which is cool and all,” I press the tip of my nose to hers. “I’ve listened to him complain for decades already. But a heads up would be nice. His mood matters to the set we play.”
She snorts, turning her head and presenting her neck for me to taste. “I’ll wear jeans, probably. A cute, little top.”
“Wear a skirt,” I hum, “and I’ll fuck you in the hall, and no one will even notice.”
Her skin flushes, hot and pink, as her breath comes a little faster. “Luca?—”
“You’re so used to being told to dress down. To not attract attention.” I bite her neck and groan when her nails dig into my shoulder. “It flusters you when I tell you to slut up.”
“When are we supposed to tell everyone else what we’re doing?” She pulls back, just far enough to search my eyes. Her cheeks switch from blushing intensity to terrified white in the span of a single second. “The girls know I’m seeing someone. And Marcus has nearly caught us a hundred times. You’re ready to screw around in the hall at the club, which means you’re hardly even trying anymore. And I’m?—”
“Too scared to admit to Marcus you’re a grownup now?” I take her lips with mine. Calm her thoughts. Be her smooth seas when storms brew on the horizon. “I’m gonna follow your lead on this, Bear. When you’re ready to tell, I’m ready to tell.”
“That easy?” Her heart thunders, pulsing against my chest so I feel it. “You know Marcus is gonna lose his mind . Like… really lose it. This isn’t just admitting I’m grown now. It’s admitting I’ve been sharing a bed with his best friend for the last two years. He’s gonna go nuts, and you’re just… whenever you’re ready, Bear .”
“I’ll stand up when you tell me to and say what I’ve gotta say.”
“Your friendship won’t survive that!” She digs the heels of her palms into my chest and pushes me back. “Do you understand what’s gonna happen when he finds out, Luc? Your friendship will be over.”
“It won’t. He knows you date. He’s not thrilled about it, but he knows it happens. You went away to college for years, so he knows you have a life outside of him. He’s gonna be pissed when he finds out I’m involved, but again, he knows I’m a good fuckin’ dude. He’ll be angry at first, and then we’ll move past it. ”
“A lifetime of friendship,” she trembles. “He’s gonna snap, and you’re gonna catch the horrible end of that deal.”
“You underestimate his ability to see reason. I can feel your heart sprinting, Bear. You’re worried about this, but I think you’re taking on way too much stress when it’s not necessary.”
“His entire life has been wrapped up in protecting me!”
“And now his life is wrapped up in Meg. He’s having a blast with her in his bed. So let’s not pretend his every thought is about you anymore.” I chuckle when her eyes flash. Hurt. Pride. A little pain to the latter. “He still loves you, Kari. And he’ll forever want to protect you. But he’s also a grown ass man with a sex life and a relationship he’s trying to figure out. His every thought does not revolve around you.”
“Hey, Kari, do you?—”
Britt strides through the bedroom door without knocking, skidding to a stop, and startling when I swing my gaze around. Instantly, I grab the sheets and pull them up to make sure my ass is covered, then I shoot a look back down at Kari as panic lances through my veins.
“Um—”
“Oh my god!” Britt turns, then turns again. She walks straight into the doorframe and bounces off. Then she spins back in our direction but slaps her palms over her eyes and gulps. “Kari!”
“Close the door!” Kari slips out from between me and the mattress, smoother than a fucking snake in long grass, then she rushes her friend and grabs her wrists. Holding her hands there or pulling them away? I’m not sure. “You can’t say anything!”
“You and Luc?” she squeaks. Squeaks ! “You and Luc?!”
“Shhhhh!” Kari kicks the door closed and presses her friend against the wall. “Not a word.”
“You and Luc,” she whimpers. “How long? Since when? Why!?” Then she drops her hands and stares straight across at me. “Marcus is gonna kill you!”
“Ya think?” Kari grabs Britt’s jaw and forces their eyes to meet. “Not a word!”
“But fruit,” she moans. “And all that talk at dinner. And fruit .” She looks across to me, desperation in her stare. “Dude!”
“We’re gonna tell him soon.” I sit up on the bed and make sure the sheet covers all of me. Lifting my knees, I set my elbows on top and groan. “We’ve been working on it, Brat.”
“But you have to shut your trap in the meantime!” Kari snarls. “Not a word. ”
“But how long?” She stares at the side of my face, bright blue Turner eyes both dancing and filled with dread. “How long has… and when did…” She claps her hands to her cheeks and exhales. “Holy shit. I’ve gotta tell Jack.” She looks at Kari. “I wanna tell Jack!”
“You tell anyone and you’re dead meat.” Kari releases her friend and groans all the way into the depths of her stomach. “You can’t say anything, Britt. Marcus is not gonna take this well.”
“I think he’ll be fine,” I rumble. “I mean… sure, he’ll be enraged at first. But I’ll tell him I love you and that I intend to marry you. And that’ll?—”
“Marry?” Britt gasps. “Marry! Luca, you don’t marry chicks.”
“Thanks, Brat.” I look at the back of Kari’s head and shake mine side to side. “I’ve been in a committed, monogamous relationship with your best friend for two years now, jerkoff. Can I get a little faith, please?”
“Two years!” She booms, loud enough to rattle the walls. “Are you insane?” She glares at Kari. “Are you even my friend? Two years, and you said nothing?”
“Marcus.” She looks to me, widening her eyes impossibly round, then back at Britt. “That’s all I need to say on the matter. Marcus ! He’s going to prison once he finds out. And Luc is permanently relocating to the cemetery. Excuse me for not wanting to rush the process!”
“I say she’s being dramatic.” I scratch a hand through my hair and sigh. “He’s gonna be pissed. He’s not gonna end up in prison.”
“No,” Britt quips, so fucking easily. “You’re wrong. He’s gonna claim temporary insanity and end up in the whacky cell block. Either way, you should probably pick out your headstone now if you want any say in what it looks like.”
“Kari?” Marcus’ voice echoes from the front of the apartment. Instantly, Britt and Kari freeze up and pale. “You home, Kar?”
“Oh shit!” Britt yanks the bedroom door open and swings it wide, then she grabs Kari’s hand and looks her up and down. Dressed? Yes. Decent? Sure. She tugs Kari into the hall, then pokes her head back into the room and snarls, “Get dressed, stupid. Climb out the chimney or some shit. You’re so dead if he finds out.”
“He’s not gonna kill me!” But do I keep my voice low? Fuck yes, I do . The second the door closes, and the girls are out of my sight, I bound out of bed and focus only on finding my boxer shorts. My pants. I don’t cling to every word the girls say outside of this room—I mean, I would if I could, but the walls are too thick.
I trip into my pants and tug the fabric up to sit on my hips, then I step into my boots and risk my neck when I leave them untied. I snatch up my shirt from the floor, and when I’m close to the door, I catch the murmurs of Marcus fucking Macchio in the living room. Settling in for a little visit with his baby sister, since I guess he’s done screwing Meg for today.
They’re hot and heavy when they’re together, but when they’re not, he’s back to obsessing about his sister.
“We’re playing a set at the club tonight,” he declares. “Just coming to see what you were doing, since it’s the weekend.”
“We’re going to the club too,” Britt announces. Seriously fucking loudly . “Kari and I were just thinking about getting breakfast at the diner, then we were gonna decide what to wear.”
“Jeans.” Marcus comes closer to the hall. His voice carries louder. So I shrug on my shirt and prepare to have my ass kicked. “You can wear jeans and a winter coat. It’s cold out.”
“Oh geez,” Kari rolls her eyes. I mean, I don’t know for sure that her eyes move. But the tone of her voice sure as shit indicates they do. “It is not cold out. And I’ll wear whatever I want.” She pauses for a beat, allowing the tension to build, before she adds, “Probably even a cute little skirt.”
“ Y ou were hiding in her room!” Kane giggles. Giggles! Who knew tattooed thugs giggle ? “Dude. You just walk out of that room and say hey, I’m here, I’m banging her, get used to it.”
“He nearly killed Luc.” Eyes deathly serious, Jess looks up at her husband and shakes her head. “Like, we love Marc. Really, we do. And god knows, his reactions are based in trauma. His entire life was built around protecting Kari, and none of that makes what he did right, but it provides a little context, at least. The day he did find out?”
“He nearly killed me.” I bring my hand up and touch my jaw. Pretty sure he splintered the bone that day. Busted my eyes. Trashed my nose and ribs. “He wouldn’t be reasoned with. Couldn’t be reasoned with.”
“He did so much damage,” Jess whispers. “We were so worried.”