Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chiara
The floor tilts for a fraction of a second and the letter flutters out of my hand. As if taunting me, the bold red letters are turned up, mocking me from the floor.
Eviction notice, effective immediately.
I had finished my shift and found the notice waiting for me on the door.
I’m being evicted. I stand frozen for a moment, mind blank from shock.
No, this can’t be right!
I grab the letter and my bag from where it fell on the floor, and I’m out of the door in a heartbeat. Seconds later, I’m in my car, speeding to the east part of town where Edna lives in her small cottage.
Another car is parked in her driveway, and I think I am going to scream.
The black matte SUV is standing there, mocking me with its air of ruthless dominance.
A chilling thought crosses my mind. What if he hurt my landlady to force her into evicting me?
My car has barely skidded to a stop and I am already out the door and running to the front door.
I ring the bell and wait, not sure if I should push the door open and rush in.
But luckily it opens, and Edna gives me a delighted smile.
She looks well and alive, and I start to breathe again.
“Cara, dear, it’s good to see you. Come in, you came at the right time, you won’t believe who’s here.”
Oh, I think I have an idea, I ponder sourly, gritting my teeth.
I can barely stammer out a greeting before I am ushered into her living room.
I immediately spot Lucas sitting on the sofa, relaxed and without a care in the world.
He is smirking at me as he gets up and stalks toward me like a hunter on the prowl.
I stand rooted on the threshold, not understanding what is going on.
Edna seems unharmed, that much I can see, she even seems giddy. I look up in confusion as Lucas reaches me to pull me into him and kisses me before I can dodge him.
What is going on?
“Hello, cara mia,” he says cheerfully, but his eyes are warning as he narrows them, unseen by Edna. He brushes his lips to my ear as if to kiss the spot, but he whispers low enough only for me to hear. “Play along if you don’t want her hurt.”
I pull back with a sharp breath intake, and he is wearing the same sunny smile again.
“I wanted to surprise you,” he says loudly.
“You young people are so charming,” Edna coos. “Come closer, have a seat, dear. I’ll get you some tea.”
Lucas takes my hand to lead me to the sofa and pulls me down to sit beside him.
My mind is reeling. “What did you do?” I whisper angrily at him once Edna is out of earshot.
“Surprise.” He smirks.
Just as I am about to ask further, Edna comes back and Lucas leans nonchalantly back on the sofa.
Edna puts a cup of tea in front of me, and I thank her with a faint smile, studying her face for any sign of distress.
But she is all motherly kindness and warmth.
Lucas extends his arms over the headrest and places his hand on my neck as if massaging it, but the underlying threat is unmistakable as his fingers curl into a vise at the base of my neck.
“You should have told me, Cara, that your fiancé wanted to buy the building.” Edna sits on the armchair to my left with a fond frown.
Fiancé? Building?
“W-what?” I stammer. “I didn’t—”
“It’s my fault, Ms. Summers.” Lucas falls in smoothly. “I wanted to surprise Cara, I haven’t told her about my plans.”
“Well, you could have told me that you were her fiancé when you made the offer.” She tuts.
“I didn’t want to pressure you into selling it to me.” He beams his megawatt smile at her and she actually blushes.
My jaw almost hits the floor. Then his words hit.
He bought the building, and I don’t even have to guess which one. My blood turns to ice.
“Um… Edna, it really is a bit sudden. Don’t you have second thoughts about selling? You… mentioned that this place was your retirement plan.”
Lucas’ hand tightens in warning around my neck and I straighten, heart racing.
“Yes, it was, indeed.” Edna laughs happily.
“But the young man here made an offer I couldn’t refuse.
With the money I will be able to enjoy my retirement with travels and comfort.
He also assured me that the building and the coffee shop will stay as long as I want, even though I no longer own them.
He even offered me a managing job if I get too bored from retirement.
” She cackles loudly, followed by Lucas who plays his role to perfection.
My stomach turns, I’m pretty sure I might throw up on Edna’s carpet. After two long steady breaths, I am able to talk again. “And…what about the…letter?”
Edna laughs harder, wiping a tear of mirth from the corner of her eye.
“Oh yes, the eviction letter! That was Lucas’ idea, and I must say, this boy is full of mischief.
” She looks fondly at him, and I am certain that I have been transported into the Twilight Zone.
“He was sure that you’d come here right away, so he came to wait and surprise you.
” She leans over and takes my hand with a warm smile.
“You should have told me that you were moving out into that beautiful cottage out of town.”
“What?” I breathe.
Lucas locks his arm around my shoulder to pull me into him and presses a kiss on my hair. “I just finished the last of the updates and the furniture arrived today, sweetheart. I wanted to surprise you, so I haven’t told you that it’s ready. I took Edna there for a visit earlier.”
“And I have to say that your little love nest is absolutely beautiful,” she chimes in. “I am so delighted for you two.”
At this point, my mind shuts down and their jaunty chatter is drowned out by the loud pounding of my pulse in my ears.
The facts keep spinning in my head. Lucas bought the building with the coffee shop and my apartment.
He evicted me. To move in with him into the cottage.
Suddenly I can’t breathe. I jump up with the intention of bolting to the door, but Lucas is faster, he stands and grabs me to pull me flush into his side.
“We’ll be on our way now, Ms. Summers. We have some packing to do.” He smiles brightly at her. “Thank you for having us.”
“Nonsense, you come back anytime you want. Cara dear, you are so lucky to have such a caring fiancé, let me congratulate you both again on your moving in together.”
I can’t reply my throat is constricted. My mind is spinning and all I’m able to do is let Lucas steer me out of Edna’s house. When we are outside, he starts to pull me toward his car, but I balk.
“Let me go, my car is over there,” I hiss, not wanting Edna to overhear.
“You won’t be driving that deathtrap ever again, cara mia,” comes Lucas’ cool reply. “From now on I’ll drive you, or Roberto will when I can’t.”
“Roberto?” I echo. Who the heck is Roberto?
As if on cue, a man steps out of the SUV and comes our way. “Good evening, Ms. Bianchi. I’m Roberto, your driver and bodyguard.”
My jaw drops to the floor. “I…don’t have a driver,” I manage to choke out.
“Now you have one, love.” Lucas spins me toward him and tilts my head up to kiss my lips tenderly. But his eyes are dark and menacing as they hold mine. A chill runs down my spine.
“Hand him your car keys,” he demands, and I slowly comply, heart fluttering like a caged bird in my chest.
“You can’t just…buy my life out from under me,” I choke out.
“I can,” he replies, low and rough. “And I did.”
“You can’t make me move in with you,” I reply weakly, more to myself than him.
He chuckles darkly, without humor. “Try me, love. Because what options have you left? If you insist on living there, I’ll make sure Edna won’t be able to enjoy all the money she got from the sale.
You could also try to rent elsewhere in town.
” He leans closer, his mouth brushing over my ear, sending goosebumps over my skin.
“Tell me, sweetheart, where exactly will you go?”
My pulse stutters, but I keep my chin high. “Anywhere but with you.”
“Anywhere?” His smirk is calculating as his eyes glint with something dark.
“You’ll find that option…limited.” He tilts his head, pinning me with his warning gaze, and at this moment, I feel like prey cornered by a predator.
“See, I’ve already made a few calls. Every landlord in this sleepy little town knows your name by now, and foremost, knows not to put a roof over your head.
Which means…” He pauses, savoring the moment.
“…there’s no door that will open to you except mine. ”
The floor starts to spin beneath me. “You…” My voice cracks. “You didn’t.”
Lucas smiles, tenderly cupping my face and brushing my lower lip with his thumb.
“I told you before, cara mia, I take care of what’s mine.
And you’ve run out of choices. Either you come home with me tonight…
or you sleep in the street. Oh, and before you stubbornly tell me that you’ll sleep in the street, let me enlighten you—I’ll burn this whole fucking town to the ground with all the people in it.
So, you see, there will be no street left to sleep in either. ”
He can’t be serious. “You’re insane,” I whisper brokenly.
He smirks, leaning closer until his lips brush my cheek. “Insane for you, sì. Call it what you want. But you’ll see, cara mia… I won’t let you slip through my fingers again. Ever.”
I shove at his chest, but he remains unmoving, unyielding, like stone.
My heart pounds harder, not only with fear but with the terrifying truth sinking into my mind—Lucas hasn’t simply invaded my world.
He has dismantled it piece by piece, until I have no other choice left but to become the accomplice to my jailor.