What the fuck is that supposed to mean?
I moved towards him when I heard her voice, like an angel calling to me.
“Cal?”
I turned as she raced down the stairs, her eyes filling with tears as I caught her in my arms, burying my face in her hair. Her scent filled my nostrils, calming my senses as it always did.
“Are you okay? I’m so fuckingsorry,” I mumbled, aware my eyes were filling up too.
She meant so much to me and having her in my arms now made me realize how special she was. I held her away from me as I searched her face, her lips moving close to mine—
“Leonardo.”
The voice cut through our reunion like a knife as I tensed, turning to see Michael grinning at me.
“I suggest you take better care of this one. You are lucky to have such a woman.”
I noticed him staring beyond me, his eyes meeting hers. I glanced around as she dropped her eyes from his gaze, her cheeks flaming. He had that effect on women, being who he was, but also being blessed with those Italian good looks helped him along.
Suave bastard.
“Drake, take Gretchen to the car,” I ordered, as she made her way into Drake’s open arms. They had met before and had formed a friendship that drove me wild with jealousy until I realized they regarded each other as siblings would. They left, and I twisted towards Michael.
“I appreciate you letting me know she was here. It doesn’t mean I owe you a damn thing, though. I know you hate me; the feeling is mutual. I’m sorry about Lucia, but I’m not the one that hurt her. She cannot do this again, Michael. See that she doesn’t.”
The storm in his eyes forced me to step back, but it was then that I noticed a cigar being lit in the far corner of the room, the orange embers the only source of light.
“You’ve got some balls, kid. Speaking to him that way, others have died for much less. Lucia was in the wrong, and that is the only reason you are going to walk out of here. Now get the fuck out.”
I nodded, glaring at Michael as I left. Verno had spoken, and I respected him. But Michael— he was a different breed.
I didn’t trust him at all.
Part Two: Chapter Eleven
GRETCHEN
I bit my lip nervously as Cal slammed the door shut behind me, his eyes on mine.
I knew he would beat himself up, and I wished there was something I could do. He frowned as he took in the deep red vest I wore over tight jeans, his jaw tensing.
“Where did you get the clothes?” he muttered.
“Michael said he had some clean ones as all I had were my pyjamas.”
His eyes narrowed as he nodded slowly, walking towards me.
“I don’t like you wearing anything fromhim.”
I reached down, pulling the top over my head and peeling the jeans from my legs, tossing them on the floor.
“Better?” I snapped, annoyed that was all he cared about right now. “I get it. You don’t like him. But he was perfectly decent to me, and all I want right now is for you to change the fucking locks.”
His eyes widened as he took in my words. “Lucia did this. I’m so sorry.”
“Cal. She’s messed up... she went through so much it’s insane,” my voice trailed off, aware he was shaking his head at me.
“I know what she went through, Gretchen. But that doesn’t give her the right to abduct my fuckinggirlfriend,” he spoke through his teeth and I froze, aware this was probably the angriest I’d ever seen him, but what chilled me to the bone was how eerily calm he was.
