Chapter 9
Nine
Liam
Ever since that weird encounter with Harper at the grocery store, things have felt a bit … off. Actually, it started before that, with Luca refusing to play our last game of the season, which we lost without him.
I’m still a bit sore about the whole ordeal.
I know he claimed to be sick, and I feel for him, but it was like Ashton was playing Luca’s personal bodyguard, defending him and wasn’t the least bit worried about him seeing a doctor.
I hate secrets, especially when I’m the one being kept in the dark.
But I get it, Luca and Ashton work for Dante. It’s no secret around here that they’re both actively involved in Luca’s father’s business. Which has me curious if all of it is intertwined.
I drag Ashton into my bedroom. It’s hard to get five minutes of his time with Nova around. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on between you and Luca?”
Nova wasn’t home the day we fled to the grocery store to check on Harper and grill the manager about the security footage.
After we made it clear that Harper had been stalked and harassed, the manager reviewed the tapes and then let us watch them after he was convinced we weren’t making shit up.
It was no one any of us recognized.
And that was the last word Luca and Ashton had spoken of it for the past several days. At least to me.
“What are you talking about? Me and Luca?” Ashton glances at me like I’m the one who’s crazy.
“Harper. The stalker from the grocery store. What the hell is going on?”
Ashton’s gaze tightens, and he grimaces. “You should talk to Luca.”
“Fine.” I groan and throw open my bedroom door, storming out of the room.
Luca is seated on the couch with Zeke.
“A word,” I bite out and nod toward my bedroom.
“I’m a bit busy—” Luca attempts to blow me off, and I hurry across the room and yank him to follow, shutting the bedroom door behind myself. “Zeke—”
“Your son will be fine for five minutes.”
That’s all I need.
Luca folds his arms across his chest, leans back on the closed door and raises an eyebrow. “What’s going on?”
“That’s what I’d like to know!” I huff, glaring at Luca and then shifting my attention to Ashton.
“The two of you keep so many secrets around here. Which is fine, until you start dragging me into this mess. What was that at the grocery store with Harper? Who was that guy? Why is he threatening her?”
I have so many questions, and Ashton and Luca just stare at me. They quietly exchange a glance between themselves, followed by more silence.
Luca’s tense jaw tells me if I don’t keep pushing, I won’t get any answers. His gaze locks with mine, and he doesn’t waver.
Ashton glances away, studying the music posters on my wall, pretending to be interested in anything other than this conversation.
“Silence won’t cut it. Not with me. You owe me an explanation. I dropped everything to drive you both to help Harper, and I’d do it all over again, but you can’t tell me it was nothing. I saw the security footage.” I stare Luca down, waiting for him to flinch or cave and reveal something to me.
More silence and I step closer, invading his personal space. “You owe me answers.”
“I don’t owe you anything,” he bites back.
“Really? Next time your wife is in trouble, should I just leave you to figure it out on your own?” I had dropped everything I was doing, jumped in my car with Ashton and Luca, and hauled ass across town to make sure that Harper and Zeke were all right.
Luca sighs and tips his head back against the door, glancing up, avoiding my stare.
He knows I’m right.
“Harper and Zeke were threatened a few weeks ago by another mafia boss, Massimo DeLuca. It’s a long story, but the short version is Harper doesn’t know about the threats.”
Exhaling, I step backward, giving Luca space as I move to sit at the edge of my mattress. I shouldn’t be surprised by the news, it’s not like I’m unaware that Dante is mafia, but I don’t like hearing my friend and her son are being threatened by another mafia boss.
“And what about you? Is that why you couldn’t play our last game this season? Did he threaten you too?” I knew Luca wasn’t sick. I just wasn’t sure what the hell happened that made him give up his favorite sport.
“He did a little more than threaten me.” Luca points at his chest. “A couple of cracked ribs in addition to some nasty bruises.”
I grimace. The cracked ribs were probably why he couldn’t play hockey. I’ve seen him with bruises after a game. It’s never kept him from working out or attending our next practice.
When he’s finished telling me about Massimo DeLuca, his uncle and the man who he believes is behind the threats, I realize my lip is bleeding.
I’ve been biting down without even realizing it. I wipe away the blood and wince, but not from the pain.
It turns out the threats to Harper and Zeke aren’t just words.
“You can’t tell Harper.” The heat in Luca’s gaze is unnerving. Luca steps toward me, towering above the mattress.
He expects me to keep this just between the three of us?
My head swims.
Shouldn’t Harper be aware so she could be more careful? “Why the hell not? She deserves to know if she’s in danger.”
“I don’t want to worry her.” Luca scowls at me. “And it’s not your place to tell her.”
Ashton glances away, his attention moving from the poster to my record player against the wall on a wooden stand. He’s clearly trying to distract himself to keep out of the conversation as much as possible.
It seems he’s in agreement with Luca, based on his silence.
“That’s a hell of a secret that you’re asking me to keep.” I hang my head for a solid minute, debating what the right thing to do is for everyone involved. I finally glance up at him. “Fuck, Luca. It’s shit like that; it’s going to make Harper hate you.”
Just when they are finally getting settled into married life—happy, blissful—he’s going to fuck it all up.
At least I’m trying to help him from wrecking his marriage.
“Swear to me that you won’t tell Harper.” Luca stands over me, and I roll my eyes, annoyed that he doesn’t trust me.
“I swear it.”
“She doesn’t need to worry about DeLuca and his men. But I need both of your help.” Luca glances from me to Ashton, waiting to see if he’s onboard.
Ashton glances over his shoulder at Luca. “Whatever you need, we’re family.”
“There’s already surveillance around the property,” Luca says, “but I need to know Harper and Zeke are safe wherever they go.”
“You want one of us to play bodyguard all summer?” I quip. “That seems like a role more suited for you.”
Ashton laughs under his breath.
“This isn’t a joking matter!” Luca’s fuming, but I doubt Harper is going to be excited that she has one of us with her at all times.
Knowing Harper, she’ll evade us and run off as soon as she discovers what we’re up to. That girl has a sassy streak.
“Liam’s right. How are we going to follow Harper around without her knowledge?” Ashton smirks, waiting for Luca to come up with some grand plan.
“We take turns watching her back; it won’t be hard if it’s here, at the house. Someone needs to be with her and Zeke at all times.” Luca glances at both of us, and we nod in agreement. “I need this from you both. Don’t make me beg.”
“Only because I like Harper and Zeke. Otherwise, I’d make you get on your hands and knees for me.”
Ashton chuckles under his breath. “I’ll watch you beg, Luca.”
Luca’s hands ball into fists, and his nostrils flare.
I’ve seen his rage on the ice, and I don’t want to be on the other side of him throwing a punch.
“Relax, we’re just messing with you.” Ashton smacks Luca on the back. “We’ll make sure your family is safe.”
Luca exhales loudly. There’s no smile. No mirth. Just concern for his loved ones.
“And what about when she wants to take Zeke to the park or go for a walk? Are we supposed to follow her?” I ask. I don’t feel like he’s really thought his plan through very well. It’ll seem odd if we’re always escorting her. Harper will take notice, eventually.
Ashton snorts. “I don’t think stalking Harper is going to help the situation.”
Luca grumbles, clearly annoyed with both of us. “I’ll offer whenever I’m home, but it would be nice if you accompanied her, but don’t follow her.” His gaze is like two sharp daggers.
“Relax, I’m not your wife’s stalker. I was joking about the following. Sort of.” I force a smile as I hold Luca’s stare. “We’ll look after Harper and Zeke. You don’t have to worry.”
Ashton’s brow pinches as he strides across the room. He peruses my vinyl collection, clearly helping himself to see what I have. “I can probably convince Nova to help a bit too, if you’re comfortable with me confiding in her about what’s going on?”
“Absolutely not!” Luca paces the length of my bedroom. “Anything you say to Nova, expect her to tell Harper.”
“Nova can keep a secret.” Ashton defends his girlfriend, and I watch with rapt fascination.
Nova kept her relationship hidden from Luca for months, but Harper knew and kept it quiet too. There have been a lot of secrets under this roof.
“Just no.” Luca heads for the door, noting that the discussion is closed.
I’m glad for the summer break, the heat, the fact that I don’t have to go to class.
Bodyguarding for Harper and Zeke doesn’t seem that bad, except there wasn’t any mention of pay. Maybe I should have negotiated with Luca or asked to be put on his father’s payroll, like Ashton.
With Luca still recovering from his injuries, Ashton and Luca get weekends off from working for Dante. I’m grateful, or else I’d be spending all of my weekend with bodyguard duties.
Not that my weekends are jam-packed as of late.
Ashton and Nova spend just about all their free time hooking up or cuddling together. I try not to feel jealous—not that I like Nova as anything other than a friend.
I just miss what I had with Iris, which wasn’t much. A friend-with-benefits arrangement, which was great during our holiday breaks and summer, when we had lots of free time and could hook up.