Chapter 34
LUCA
I t’s been a very interesting week. When we left Jenna Sloane sleeping like a baby, we returned to Rockwell and The Elusive House, where we made straight for the basement and attempted to make sense of the endless photos Frankie took of Jenna Sloane’s little black book.
It was important that she didn’t remember we were there, and we left everything where it should be found.
Surprise will be our best weapon and as I forwarded the images on Frankie’s phone to my uncle, I am assured he will know what to do with the information.
Our job is to locate the students on her current list and refocus their attention.
There are currently three students on that list who are on varying stages of their membership trail.
Jerome was on his final act, which became his final act in life.
My uncle saw to that when he prevented him from showing up at the house.
He had a local girl tied up and terrified in the trunk of a beat up old car and uncle Lucian and his men intervened and rescued the girl.
Jerome wasn’t so lucky and his death was made to look like a car wreck and it raised no questions.
River has been brought deeper into the fold and Frankie is channeling his aggression in a more suitable way.
It appears that drugs play a vital role in shaping their members and Frankie has arranged for River to spend some time at a rehab center where he is getting all the help he needs before returning to Rockwell.
It’s a situation nobody but me, Frankie, River and Principal Constable know about and when River returns, he will be drafted in as a centurion under the watchful eyes of my fellow Elusives.
Frankie assured me River is a good guy under it all and will make a valuable addition to his team post graduation.
Then there’s Jesse. Frankie presented him with the evidence soon after we returned and explained his situation.
Jesse wasn’t as far down the line as the others and intends on cleaning up his act and the best way to do that is to take a steady girl who will keep him on the right track.
There is only one girl for the job and Imogen is about to become that girl.
When I head into the kitchen at breakfast, Frankie is already there. Cassie is unusually missing from his side and he nods toward the stool beside him.
As I take it, he shows me his phone and I raise my eyes. “So, it’s a go.”
His eyes flash. “Yes, Imogen signed up for The Claiming at six am. She is on the list for the first one.”
“That’s a relief.” I grin. “Miss Sloane is going to be pissed that all her hard work has come to nothing.”
Frankie taps the screen and I note another name added to The Claiming list of interested participants and my heart drops.
“Summer.” I slide my gaze his way and his eyes flash as he growls, “What am I to make of this?”
“That she has made her decision.” I shrug, fixing him with a non-committal smile.
“Do we have a problem?”
Frankie’s eyes flash. “I fucking hope not Luca because if I suspect for one second your intentions aren’t honorable toward my sister, friend turns to the enemy in the blink of an eye.”
“Noted.”
I stare at her name on his screen and taking out my phone, I send the message adding my name to the list.
He raises his eyes as the text comes through and silence sits between us as it waits for his decision.
“Fuck!” Frankie huffs. “Everything is wrong about this.”
“I feel your pain.”
“Do you?” He sighs. “You’re lucky, Luca. You don’t have a sister here and are not expected to protect her from bastards like us.”
“We’re not the bastards, Frankie.” I remind him.
“Not to women. If anything, we are the only option because knowing the guys at Rockwell and I include Jesse in that, their morals are in the gutter as they work their way through any willing girl who smiles their way. I am not that guy and I never will be. I have been raised to respect women and I don’t force them into situations they are uncomfortable with. ”
Frankie sighs, slamming down his phone. “Then tell that to my father when he finds out his daughter is seeing a rival family’s son.”
“It mirrors his situation. Who knows, it may even bring our families together.”
“Hold that thought, Luca, because if you hurt my sister, it will end badly for all of us.”
“I won’t.” I fix him with a determined glare. “I respect your sister. We will be perfect for one another.”
“But you have to catch her first.”
Frankie chuckles softly. “I’ll add both of your names along with Jesse and Imogen’s for the challenge this Friday. It will be interesting to see if you both get your girl.”
I’m surprised at the relief that hits me as I gain his acceptance.
I don’t want to fight Frankie Majerio. I never did.
If anything, I’m interested in cultivating a friendship that goes way past the academy because I’m not a fool.
We tread the same footsteps and having him as a friend and ally would definitely make life easier for me in the future.
Dating his sister is probably a risk, but I wasn’t kidding when I told him I liked her.
I do. Summer is everything I am looking for in a partner, both in the short term and the long one, and knowing where she comes from makes life a lot easier for me.
When I head to art later, it will be the first time I have seen Miss Sloane since that night and it will be interesting discovering her views on that—if she can remember anything that is.
Summer is already there when I head inside the classroom and, rather than pass her by, I take the seat beside her.
She slides her gaze sideways and rolls her eyes. “That seat’s taken.”
“By me.” I lean closer and whisper, “Get used to having me by your side, princess. After Friday, we will be a lot closer than this.”
The way her eyes ignite with sudden lust causes a wicked smile to flash her way and she frowns. “Fuck, Luca, you’ll be the death of me. Anyway, I may not be on the list.”
“You’re on the list.” I lean closer and brush my lips to hers and whisper darkly, “You better practice running, princess because I am playing to win.”
She pulls away and smirks. “Who said I wanted it to be you? If I’m correct, there will be four other centurions giving chase in that tunnel. May the best one win.”
I say nothing and settle back in my seat as Miss Sloane exits the store cupboard and stares around the room.
“Places everyone! Today, we will finish our preparations. Your paintings are required as part of your exam and you will begin them today.”
She glances around the room and when her gaze settles on me, she smiles softly. “Luca. May I have a word?”
She points to her desk and I nod, wondering what this is about.
As the other students start their preparations, she pulls me to the side and whispers, “Listen, I believe you could make a good grade with your painting and I wondered if you were up for some extra tuition.”
The way her eyes shine tells me she’s having this conversation for the first time – in her mind, anyway. If anything, it amuses me because if she could only remember what happened that night, she would be looking at me with a very different expression right now.
She is waiting for my answer and I shake my head. “I’m good thanks, Miss Sloane. I’m not interested.”
I say nothing more and turn, heading back to my place by Summer’s side. When I get there, she smiles with curiosity. “What was that about?”
“Nothing at all.”
I wink and Summer rolls her eyes and turns her attention to her prep and as I do the same, I wonder who will be the next entry in Jenna Sloane’s little black book.
It won’t be easy for her because now we know where it lives, it will be easy to keep tabs on her and cut off one line of entry into The Serpent Society.