LUCA (You Will Be Mine) (The Sicilian Mafia Series Book 1) (23 page)

“Wow! You look stunning as always. I’m going to have to keep an eye on you all night.”

Staring at the beauty before me, I couldn’t help but sigh. I so wanted to tell him to go shove his possessiveness up his own arse, but I couldn’t quite seem to muster the heart for it somehow.
Maybe he is mellowing me.
I certainly couldn’t be having that!

“I was perfectly capable of looking after myself before you came along.”

Pulling me to his chest, Luca tenderly brushed his lips with mine. “I know you have, my lioness, but now your lion is here and has become king of the land. No one else goes near you.”

I raised my eyebrow at him. “Let’s go now, so you can take your time rubbing yourself up against all of the walls—marking your territory.”

Pulling in closer, he held my gaze. “You know, I might just do that.”

Finally leaving my tower, we ventured down towards the stairs where Luca seemed to take everything I said seriously. By the time we got down the stairs, he had rubbed himself up against the whole of the wall by each step. I was laughing so hard I thought I might trip.

“I see we’ve been having fun.”

The harsh tone of voice abruptly halted my good mood. Rachael.

Finally done with her attitude, I turned to Luca. “Excuse me a minute whilst I have words with Rachael.” Luca smiled and nodded his head.

I grabbed Rachael’s arm and I pulled her into the boardroom. “Can you please tell me what your problem is?”

“My problem?
My
problem? For fucks sake, Clara! You were always around for the business. Now, you’ve let this arsehole come in and take over. He’s spoiling everything and taking you away from something you once cared about. You’re slipping, Clara. Slipping badly.”

I felt my insides buckle as her words hit home. I wasn’t about to let her get to me. I quickly recovered from her onslaught and began one of my own. “Luca is here now, and whether you or I like it or not, he’s staying. He holds several shares in the business and has a right to both be and stay here.”

Her eyes widened. “He owns part of The Castle?”

“Yes, and it’s a rather large part. It’s a long story, but that’s really all you need to know for now.”

She was flustered. Then, the pacing started as she rubbed her forehead. “Can’t you just buy him out? Do something. Get rid of him!”

Her demands shocked me. I couldn’t believe she was telling me what to do. “Listen, I don’t care for your tone. He’s here, and he’s staying. That’s all you need to know.”

“He’s changed you. You used to be here for us, and now you’re abandoning everyone.”

I could feel my anger rise. What she said hurt. I always took pride in my girls and in the fact that I had always been there for them. It was true I had been neglecting them somewhat during these past couple of days, but I would never let them down.

“Abandoning everyone or abandoning
you
?” I had to air this. It needed to be said. The question silenced her for a minute. I didn’t think she was expecting that.

“He’s not letting you out of his sight. He’s constantly there, constantly with you. It’s unhealthy, Clara. Can’t you see that? It’s like he’s obsessed or something.”

I couldn’t believe this. Everyone but Rachael was happy for me. Everyone but her had been saying it was a long time coming.

Finally fed up her tantrum, my voice went up a notch. “What’s happening here is none of your fucking business!”

She didn’t like that. Rachael was a pretty girl, but when she wasn’t happy, her features began to resemble those of an evil creature. She was quite frightening when she was like that. “Oh, I get it. I should just do as I’m told by the great Clara Murphy should I? Just fuck whomever you tell me to and keep my fucking mouth shut.”

I was mortified. She knew I would never force her to do anything she didn’t want to do. That was always my number one priority.

“You know for a fact I would never force you to fuck anyone. You decide, Rachael. Not I!”

Getting closer to me now, she started screaming, “Why do you think I do it? I never enjoy it. I was just trying to make you happy. I’m always trying to make you happy, and yet you never fucking notice me. Never even batted an eyelid!”

Her confession shocked me. I always knew she liked me, but never to this extent. I guess I had been blind.

Calming a little, I offered her a hug, and she cried in my arms. “Why won’t you love me?” she whimpered.

I stiffened, and before I could even comprehend what she had just said, Rachael’s lips were on mine, forcing my mouth apart so she could stick her tongue down my throat. “I could love you. I could make you happy. Just let me.”

I tried pushing her away, but her strength was enormous. “Get off me.”

She ignored my pleas and strengthened her grip. Her tongue was there again—almost making me choke. Her hold eventually slackened as she moaned into my mouth. I took the opportunity to reach behind and pull her away from me.

I slapped her hard across the face and I pointed to the door. “Get out!”

Hearing the door creak open, I looked up to see Belinda enter. “What the hell’s going on?” Her face looked shocked when she saw the state of us. My dress was now riding halfway up my arse, Rachael’s hair was all tossled, and she was rubbing the side of her face.

“Rachael, I want you to leave and never come back. Consider yourself fired.”

Belinda’s eyes widened, and Rachael’s face took on an even more sinister mien. “You’ll fucking regret this,” she seethed as she marched out the door.

Belinda rushed over to me. “What the hell was that? Are you okay?”

Taking deep breaths, I nodded. “Yes, she said some things I wasn’t aware of, and then it all just spiralled out of control. I’m shocked. I really don’t know where it all came from.”

Belinda offered a sympathetic smile and stroked my arm. “To be honest with you, she has been acting weird lately. Ever since Luca came on the scene really. All of us have been saying how happy we are that you have someone in your life and that it was a good thing you were finally taking a break. Rachael, on the other hand, has been saying the opposite. She seems to think you’ve abandoned everyone. I knew there was something definitely wrong with that girl.”

“Well, she kept it well hidden until now.” I chuckled a little, but I didn’t find any of this amusing. I had never been forced upon by a woman before. It was all a little too shocking for me.

“We all know she hated Luca. Even Luca’s bent her ear about her attitude. That couldn’t have helped matters much.”

My eyes widened. “Luca never said anything to me.”

“He probably didn’t want you to worry. He may have been trying to give her the benefit of the doubt.”

I shook my head. “He still should have come to me. We’re supposed to be business partners. We should be telling each other everything.”

“Does this mean you’ll tell him about Rachael?”

Thinking about it, I realised I would have to. Rachael had been fired, and I would have to give him a reason. “I don’t think I have a choice in the matter. Rachael’s fired now.”

Belinda sighed. “Well, luckily for us, we are operating on a first-come, first-serve basis tonight. Any of Rachael’s regulars will have to be picked up by someone else.”

I nodded my head and I smiled. Maybe it was better to do business this way; people could mingle and get to know one another before being paired off.

“Is everything okay?” Peaking from behind the door was Luca. When he saw my discomfort, he arched his back and raced through the room. “What’s happened?”

“I’ll leave you to it.” Squeezing my arm, Belinda smiled and walked out the door.

“Rachael just stormed out the house. She looked pretty mad. What happened with her?”

“She’s been fired.”

“Fired? What for?”

“For kissing me!” I was still mad about it all.

Luca gritted his teeth and tightened his fists. It would seem even women got Luca’s possessive streak going. “She’s lucky she’s not here.”

“Or what? You’d slap her one? I already did that for you.”

Luca half smiled and half growled. Pushing me up against the desk, he whispered. “One, I would never—ever—hit a woman. You should know that about me by now. Two, you slapped her when she kissed you?”

“Yes,” I said, smiling a little. His presence and playful tone were quickly becoming infectious. At least it was calming me a little.

Luca ground his erection into my stomach. “Stop it, Luca. You’re too much!”

Luca leaned in and nibbled my ear. “I wish I had been in here to see that. You’re some woman, Clara Murphy.”

I playfully smacked his arm. “Stop it. We have guests arriving.”

“Well, I’m glad she’s gone.” He pulled away, and the serious face was back again. “She was rather rude to me.”

“Yes… So I heard. I had to hear it from Belinda, though. I’d have preferred to hear it from you. You should have told me. If you had, maybe this could have been dealt with sooner and a bit more easily.”

As I stroked my chin, Luca pouted a little. “I’m sorry, amore mio. I won’t do it again.”

I shuddered under his touch, and Luca rewarded me with a smile. “I’m afraid I do have to leave you to it for a couple of hours. I have to take care of some business at one of my casinos. Tony, Alessandro, and a couple of others will be here to take care of everything. I have assigned Stefano to take care of you.”

I frowned. “Stefano?”

“Yes. He is one of my men who hasn’t seen you naked.”

I shook my head in frustration. “I don’t need looking after. When are you going to get that through your pigheaded skull?”

Stroking my cheek and leaning in for a kiss, Luca said, “I always take care of what’s mine. I would never be able to live with myself if anything happened to you.”

I frowned and pulled my head back to look at him. “What could possibly happen to me?”

Luca sighed. “Nothing. I just feel better having someone look out for you.”

Judging by Luca’s face, I could tell he was lying. I didn’t bother asking, though. There would be no point; he would never tell me.

“Boss, the car is ready.” Tony was standing by the door, scratching his head.

Luca looked towards the door. “I’ll be out in a minute.”

Tony nodded and left us alone. “I will miss you.” He placed his tender lips to mine, and the fire between my legs started soon thereafter. I had been sore all day, but that hadn’t stopped me from wanting more.

Reluctantly pulling away, Luca went on his way, leaving me breathless and extremely horny. It really didn’t take much. Not much at all…

A couple of hours later, Luca still hadn’t returned, but the party was in full swing. Stefano never left my side, and it both amused and irritated the hell out of me at the same time.

Melinda was upstairs with Matthew, and a few others had paired off quite well. Eventually, they had all disappeared, too. Only I and around a dozen others were still in the bar.

While drinking my glass of champagne, a movement out of the corner of my eye sparked my attention. It was Belinda.

“Clara,” she said, eyeing Stefano. “Jeffrey is being unruly again.”

Oh, shit. I’d known this would happen. I had just made a slight move off of the bar stool when Stefano pounced to attention. “Oh, for fucks sake, Stefano. Cool it! I’m going to the ladies with Belinda. Do you want to follow us in there and then explain how you also saw me naked to your boss later?”

Stefano cleared his throat and let us pass. “Thank you. I shall be back in five minutes. If I’m not, send the fucking search party.”

Belinda giggled and Stefano looked away in embarrassment. “Come. Let’s go before he catches on to us.”

Belinda and I raced for the stairs towards Belinda’s room. Along the way, Matthew and Melinda were walking down, smiling and linking arms.

“Clara, hello. How lovely to see you.”

“Hi, Matthew. I would love to stay and chat, but I have a matter that needs tending to quite urgently.”

“Of course, of course. Nothing too bad, I hope?”

“No, not at all. I just need to show someone who’s boss.”

Matthew’s laughter echoed round the halls as Belinda and I reached the top of the stairs. “So tell me, what’s he up to now?”

“He keeps flinging his pens across the room and saying that he can do whatever the hell he likes.”

Pushing the door open, I found an unruly schoolboy sitting on the floor in his uniform, flinging a red colouring pen across the room.

“Jeffrey, what have I told you about this kind of behaviour in Miss Nelson’s class?”

Looking up from the floor, Jeffrey gave me a stern, boyish look. “I can do what I want!” He flicked another pen across the room just to prove his point.

Grabbing him by the ear again, I shouted, “You have to stop being this unruly, insolent child. Miss Nelson is always kind to you, but your behaviour towards her is nothing short of disgusting. You should be ashamed of yourself.” I gripped his ear tighter causing a groan from Jeffrey.

I looked up to Belinda. “Miss Nelson, I think three strikes with the whip are in order … preferably across the bottom.”

Jeffrey moaned again. I was about to go on, but the door bursting open drew my attention away. It was Luca, and he didn’t look happy.