Page 31 of Luca
His mention of Luca sent a jolt of annoyance through me. “You think bringing him into this will make me comply? This isn’t about him!”
“It is about him. He can’t protect you right now, but I can. Staying at the Estate is the safest option. You’ll have guards, and you can still work from there. Plus, Gracie is here; I know she’ll feel better having you close, especially given the circumstances.”
I inhaled deeply, the weight of my situation pressing down on me, and let out a rush of breath. He had me.
“Fine, Miki. I’ll stay, but only because I want to help Luca and don’t want to worry Gracie.”
“Thank you, Claire. Your safety is my priority, and I’ll ensure you’re well taken care of. I promise.”
I hung up, frustration and resignation heavy in my chest. I loathed feeling forced into actions I didn’t want to take, yet deep down, I recognised their necessity.
Not long after, I found myself settled in a room at the Rominov family estate. I was right where I didn’t want to be, yet part of me felt oddly relieved. The added security of the estate allowed me to justify my stay by spending more time with Gracie. But beneath that, a knot of dread twisted in my stomach. The shadows encroaching around us felt darker, and I couldn’t shake the nagging sensation that my safety—and Luca’s—hung by a thread.
CHAPTER 18
LUCA
OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS – PRELIMINARY HEARING
After Claire had left, worry clawed at me for the rest of the day. Would she do what I asked and call Miki?
My sexy lawyer could be stubborn. She liked to act tough, but underneath she was a pussycat. No doubt she’d think she could protect herself, but she couldn’t take on our world alone. Like it or not, she needed protection.
I hated that I couldn’t protect her myself, but I would bloody well make sure Miki did. Of course, knowing my Little Miss Sexy Ass, she’d likely fight him on it all the way. A flash of warmth ran through me at the thought of her getting her claws out, and I smiled, but concern quickly wiped the smile off my face. Despite how tough my woman thought she was, she had to listen to Miki.
She would? Wouldn’t she?Not unless she believes she’s in real danger, the annoying little voice in the back of my head said.
Damn it! I needed to call Miki and make sure he knew she’d been threatened.
Before I could think about it, I found myself at the door to Sean’s room.
“Luca, everything okay?”
“You got a phone?” I asked, keeping my voice hushed as I entered his cell.
“Sure. What’s the problem?”
“My woman’s in danger and I need to make sure she’s being properly protected,” I replied.
He nodded and tossed a phone my way. “Have at it. You can keep it tonight, give me it back in the morning,” he said.
“Thanks.”
I returned to my room just in time for lockdown. As the door closed, shutting me in for the night, I was glad I had a cell to myself.
Settling into my bunk, I dialled Miki.
“Who the fuck’s this?” he asked, suspicious of the unknown number.
“It’s me. Borrowed the phone from an Irish guy. Sean O’Brien. Him and his cousin Finn have got my back in here. They moved from Ireland recently. Their dad wants to carve a niche in London and wants a chat. Apparently, Jim will vouch for them. You heard of them?”
“No, but Jim left a message saying he’d arranged protection for you and he’ll call me tomorrow, so I assume he’ll enlighten me then. I’d called him since we don’t have anyone inside and neither does Glowacki. I didn’t want you in there without backup,” he replied.
“Thanks. I knew you’d get something organised. Did Claire call you? She needs protecting. She’s being threatened by the judge who’ll be handling my case.”
“Yeah, she did. But there’s more,” he said, a grim edge in his tone. “Her car was vandalised in the prison parking lot.”
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. “What?! Is she okay?”