Page 28 of Reluctant Surrender

“If you keep doing my job for me, Mr. Kaczmarek will be forced to let me go,” she teased.

“Why would I do that?” Lukas’ deep voice penetrated the lightness of our conversation as he entered the kitchen. He’d already dressed for the day in a black suit with a light blue shirt and dark blue tie. With his hair neatly brushed back, and the expensive clothes and shoes, he looked every bit the businessman he seemed to want to portray himself as. But I could see the unsettledness in him. He’d rather wander around in his jeans than look the part of mob boss.

“She’s teasing. You’d never get rid of her. She’s wonderful.” I handed her the plate once I rinsed it, and she dried it.

Lukas turned his attention to me with a furrowed brow. “Why are you dressed like that?” he asked, waving his hand in my direction.

I looked down at myself. “What? It’s a blouse and skirt.” I ran my hands over my hips. In my haste of packing, I’d grabbed the flowing skirt instead of the pencil version that I preferred for work. It gave me a flirtier look, not business attire like I was going for. I wanted to be taken seriously. My position was as entry level as you could get, but I could work my way up easily. I had the degree and the knowledge; I just needed the work experience.

“Yeah, why are you wearing it?” He took the cup of coffee Mrs. Kowalski placed on the kitchen island in front of him. He thanked her and returned his stare to me.

“I can’t wear shorts and a t-shirt to work, Lukas.”

He frowned. “You’re not going to work.”

A fire ignited inside me. “Like hell I’m not.”

Mrs. Kowalski quietly escaped the kitchen while I moved forward to the island. With my palms flat on the countertop I leaned toward him, though I doubt my short frame could intimidate him from that distance.

“I have a job, Lukas.”

“Yeah. Right now, your job is staying put right here where I know you’re safe.”

“I’ll be safe at work,” I countered.

“Do you really not understand the danger you’re in?”

“There is no way for Bertonelli to know where I work. Even if Johnny was able to figure out where I lived, they wouldn’t know where my office is.”

Lukas moved down to his elbows, bringing his glare level with my own. Our battle of wills had begun.

“Of course he can and will figure it out.”

“How could he?” I wanted to laugh. I understood most of what they did was to work beneath the law, but seriously, even criminals had limits to what they could find.

“Information is just as lucrative as cash. If you think he can’t find you, you’re more naive than I thought.”

“I have to work, Lukas.” Maybe he was right about Sammy being able to track me down easily, but that didn’t change my situation. My father wouldn’t be making any more deposits into my account. Growing up, I learned not to depend on him to be around for things like school plays, birthdays, or anything really, but I’d always been able to count on his money. It was the only source of affection he’d afforded me. And thanks to his newest wife, he’d taken that away too.

It wasn’t like I was a spoiled little princess living in a high tower on Michigan Avenue. He paid the mortgage on the condo, but I paid the utilities, and worked to pay my own way otherwise. It never occurred to me that he’d stop putting a roof over my head.

“Take some vacation time.”

I sighed. “Lukas, I just started at this firm a few months ago. I don’t have vacation time.” My new living arrangement had left me with a forty-five-minute commute to my old receptionist job. It had paid like crap and while it had been enough to keep me clothed and fed when I had no other bills, it wouldn’t have gotten me far now. I’d switched jobs.

“You don’t need to work, Maggie. I have more than enough for us both.” He slid his hand across the counter and covered my hand with it. The warmth of his touch shot up to my chest, and for a moment, a brief silly moment, I wanted to believe him. But I’d seen this dance play out before.

“I don’t want your money, Lukas. When this is all over with, I’ll still need my job. I’ll need to pay rent and buy groceries, all of that.”

He stared at me a long moment, contemplating what I said or trying to come up with a new way to lock me into his house. I wasn’t really sure since his expression was unreadable.

“If you go to work, one of my guys goes with.”

“I’m not having some Polish mafia guy sitting at my desk with me all day.” I shook my head, but he squeezed my hand, cutting off the rest of my objection.

“No. He’ll stay in the lobby, or somewhere he can see you that is out of the way. But he’ll be there.” He let go of my hand and stood to his full height. “It’s that or nothing, angel.”

I sighed. “Fine. But if I get one question, one weird look, or my boss says one word about it, you have to call off the hounds.” I pointed a finger up at him.

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