Acquisition (15 page)

If that made her a bad person, she could live with that.

***

Abby didn’t ask what they did to the senator, or how they disposed of the body and covered their tracks. She briefly noticed the news frenzy about the missing senator, but still didn’t ask. It was a topic they didn’t mention over the next few days, and she was content to let it go. Wanting him to suffer and knowing all the details were two different things, and she was careful to separate herself from it.

Separation was the only way to survive their lifestyle, and the activities in which the Rinaldis engaged. She’d found a way to move past her moral objections to their criminal ties by focusing on her family and its importance.

It was three days later, and they were cuddled on the couch with Lucas sprawled across his father’s lap, tugging playfully on Luka’s facial hair. Sometime in the past week as they’d searched for their baby and then spent time just basking in having him again, his whiskers had crossed the line from stubble to the beginnings of a beard. She was sure he would eventually trim it down again, but if not, she kind of liked the scruffier look. It made him look dangerous, which he was. She’d discovered she could be dangerous too, in the right circumstances, so seeing the proof of his dangerousness didn’t bother her.

“Is everything set for the fundraiser next Saturday?” she asked as their program went to a commercial.

He nodded, while wincing as Lucas’s fingers burrowed into his whiskers. “Yes, everything’s in place. I’m confident we’ll raise at least six figures for Children’s Hunger Fund.”

“And other business?” she asked delicately.

Luka stiffened and looked at her. “We were hoping Adams was just blowing smoke when he mentioned an investigation, but Dominic called in several favors and made contact with informants who assured him it’s true. Commissioner Faulkner is trying to put together a case against the Rinaldi family.”

Her heart stuttered in her chest as she imagined what that could mean for the three of them. The idea of Luka being sent to prison alongside his brothers filled her with panic. Now that she had a complete family with him, she didn’t want to contemplate raising Lucas alone or planning her life around visiting hours at prison. “What are we going to do?”

He smiled despite the topic. “I like the use of
we
, love. You don’t need to worry though. Dominic has plan.”

She tipped her head slightly. “Is it a good plan? Is it a plan worth staking our family on, or should we get away now while we still can?”

He reached for her hand, squeezing gently. “I think it’s a good plan. I don’t want to run away if we can help it. Being on the run and looking over our shoulders all the time is no life for us, and certainly not for Lucas.”

“It’s better than a life where he has to visit his father once a month in prison, and I’m raising him alone without you.” Tears came to her eyes, and though she tried to blink them back, they streamed down her cheeks. “I don’t want to live without you either, Luka. I love you.”

He pulled her closer, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead. “I know, and I love you too. Living without you and Lucas would be the worst thing imaginable. I’ll do anything to keep us together.”

“I’d do anything to protect our family too.” She cleared her throat. “I even strongly suggested that Dominic make Adams suffer.” Abby still felt no shame for having done so. “I wanted you to know I understand now how things…happened with Armstrong.”

Luka gave her a tender smile. “Dominic mentioned something about that, and I pieced it together. I figured you understood now what I was feeling that day.”

She nodded. “I guess I’m weaker than you though. I’m glad Dominic and Roman dealt with him, so I didn’t have to. I wanted him out of the picture, and I wanted it to hurt, but I’m relieved I wasn’t the one who had to do it.”

He nodded. “I’m glad you didn’t have to live with that either, love.”

She cuddled against him, smiling and grimacing at the same time when Lucas swayed her way and pressed open-mouth kiss to her cheek. Unfortunately, it was full of slobber that left her skin slightly sticky. She wiped it away absently. “How confident are you in Dominic’s plan? Because even though running isn’t a great life, we’d still be together.”

He hesitated for a moment. “I’m cautiously optimistic, Abby. I promise you that if it seems to be going south, we’ll pack up and leave. We’ll do whatever’s necessary to protect Lucas and our family.”

She liked the sound of that. Abby laid her head on his shoulder, squeezing his hand as their baby babbled between the two of them, one hand burrowing into Lucas whiskers, and the other grabbing hold of a handful of her hair. She winced when he tugged, but ignored the discomfort as she basked in the glow of her family.

She was frightened of what might be coming, but she was placing her trust in Luka, and he trusted his brother. She just hoped Dominic had a solid plan, one that wouldn’t necessitate uprooting their entire lives and starting over. Having done it once before, she had no desire to do it again. At least if it became necessary this time, she would have Luka beside her to help. She was determined the three of them would stick together no matter what.

******

If you enjoyed Luka’s story, be sure to look for Roman (now available) and Dominic’s (coming soon) stories. Join my
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Keep reading for a bonus excerpt of Roman’s story,
NEGOTIATION
—available to borrow free with Kindle Unlimited.

Sarah struggled to hide her fear and the creeping anxiety as she stared up at the human wall in front of her. The bouncer was a bulging behemoth of muscle, but with an undersized head, only made more obvious by his lack of hair. “I insist on seeing Roman Rinaldi.”

He crossed his arms over his chest, and she couldn’t help realizing how barrel-like they were. “This is a private club, lady. Get the fuck out of here.”

She took a deep breath, reminding herself what was at stake, and smoothed a hand down her stomach in an attempt to calm the colony of butterflies taking flight there. “I’m aware it’s a private club, but I have an invitation of sorts.”

He smirked at her. “Yeah? Let’s see it then.”

She licked her lips. “I don’t have an actual invitation. It’s more of a referral, I guess you could say.”

He cocked his head slightly. “Yeah, really? Who referred you?”

“Robbie Hastings.”

His expression lost some of its sneer, and he reached for his cell phone, blindly stabbing the dial pad but clearly knowing the number he was needing. A moment later, he spoke into the device. “Boss, there’s some broad here you might want to see. Robbie Hastings sent her.”

After a moment’s conversation, the bouncer moved to the side to allow her access to the door. “Go on in and straight to the bar. Mr. Rinaldi will find you.”

She inclined her head. “Thank you.”

The bouncer laughed harshly. “I doubt you’ll be thanking me for long, little miss.” With those ominous words, he stepped up behind her, basically forcing her to step through the doorway and making it clear there was no backing out now.

Sarah had been tempted, but she knew it wasn’t really an option. Licking her lips, she walked down the dim corridor until it opened into a large room. It was tastefully furnished with discreet illumination from an occasional overhead light, but not a tacky disco ball in sight.

She spent a moment looking around, somehow unsurprised the clientele was almost exclusively men, aside from some female arm candy draped strategically on them. This place was bad news and was certainly no place for a kindergarten teacher. She had the urge to turn and flee, but knew she couldn’t do so.

“You were supposed to go straight to the bar,” said a deep voice behind her. The timbre was rich and smoky, and sent chills down her spine.

Her nipples beaded in reaction, and she had too strong of a reaction just to the sound of his voice. She prayed he would be old and ugly as she turned to face the man she intuited was Roman Rinaldi. “I’m sorry. I stopped to admire the place for a moment.”

Nope. He was neither old nor ugly unfortunately, which made him even more irresistible. Instead, he was young and handsome. He was probably around thirty, with black hair, brown eyes the color of whiskey, and scratchy stubble on his cheeks that made him look sexy and dangerous. She had a feeling he needed no help in the last department.

Rinaldi was clearly appraising her with equal interest, taking in her light-blonde hair, baby-blue eyes, and general air of sweetness that she was certain she projected, especially when contrasted with this place. Maybe she should have changed out of her work slacks and button-down shirt, and she was painfully, self-consciously aware of the splotch of yellow paint at the hem from little Mark Gardner’s wild brush this afternoon.

She licked her lips again, but abruptly stopped when she saw his gaze following the path of her tongue and heard him moan softly. It was a nervous habit, and certainly nothing she had ever cultivated to drive men wild. Not that she believed she had actually driven Roman Rinaldi wild with the harmless gesture. She was the girl-next-door type, not the sexpot type—which made her proposition all the more ridiculous, but what choice was there? She had to try, or do, something.

“May I buy you a drink?”

She nodded, realizing she could use some liquid courage, along with something to lubricate her dry throat. She was surprised when he extended his arm in a chivalrous gesture, and she slipped her own through it cautiously. She walked beside him as he led her to the bar, and she started to climb on a stool, but his arm clamped tighter around hers, preventing her from moving away from him. She looked up at him questioningly.

“I have a feeling we’ll be talking in private.” He leaned closer, his voice lowered. “Besides, I don’t think I want to share you with anyone out here.”

Her stomach tightened with a mix of anxiety and apprehension, and perhaps a tinge of excitement. She knew why she was here, and she was encouraged that he found her attractive obviously, but it was still scary.

After acquiring their drinks—something amber in a cut glass for him, and an aromatically sweet white wine for her—he handed her the glass, still keeping possession of her arm as he led her through swanky bar and down another corridor, this one also dimly lit like the entryway. He turned into a doorway on the left, pulling her inside before closing the door.

He locked it with an ominous click before gesturing toward the arrangement of furniture in the large office. “Have a seat, mystery lady, and then you can tell me why you’re here, and what’s your connection to Robbie Hastings.”

She was tempted to take the lone armchair, but that wouldn’t fit in well with her plans. She took a sip of the wine as she sat on the couch, surprised when he sat down on the leather beside her, close enough that the heat of his body seeped into hers, but not quite touching. It was still an appropriate distance for strangers, but the air was fraught with the possibility that there wouldn’t be any distance between them for long. Or was she imagining that in her giddy state, made practically hysterical with nerves and hint of arousal?

“My name is Sarah, and Robbie is my brother.”

His expression tightened, going from flirtatious to cool. “So you’re related to that sack of crap?”

She frowned at him. “He’s not a sack of crap. He’s a young boy.”

Roman laughed, but it wasn’t a sound of amusement. “He’s over eighteen, right?”

She nodded. “He’s twenty.”

“He’s an adult and responsible for his actions. Your little brother stole from me.”

She blinked, stomach fizzing renewed anxiety. “Wow, that’s not what I heard.” She swallowed the lump in her throat, wondering if she had bitten off more than she could chew. Why hadn’t she had the forethought to doubt any of Robbie’s story? “He told me he lost a shipment. I’m not entirely sure what that means, but he told me he was in serious trouble.”

“He lost the shipment by diverting it to the Lithuanians with the help of his idiot girlfriend, Audra Vydūnas. He was entrusted with my guns and decided to sell them, but didn’t even have the common sense to get out of the city after ripping me off. I’ve dealt with the girlfriend, but your brother has gone to ground. And now he sent you here to face his punishment? I’d say he’s a huge sack of crap, Sarah.”

She nibbled on her lower lip. “Actually, he didn’t send me. I pieced together what he told me and figured out you must be here. I came on my own initiative, hoping to work out a payment arrangement or something with you.”

He started. “You expect me to let your brother pay me back a hundred thousand dollars? It would be one thing if the Lithuanians had stolen it from him, but the little fucker handed over the crate and stole from me. A hundred Gs is small change, but the lack of respect is what he has to pay for. This was his audition, and he blew it in a big way. I can’t let that go unaddressed. You might not understand our ways, but surely you understand that I’m in charge of this operation, and I can’t appear weak to anyone. Your brother has undermined me.”

She nodded. “Yes, I think I understand that. I’ve watched those mob movies.”

Roman laughed at her, and his flashing white grin made his already devastating looks even more charming. It caused her stomach to flutter, and she hated that she was attracted to the mafia man.