Page 54 of Weaponized

“What do you think he’d do exactly? If he thought I might be afraid of my father? Or, forget something as threatening as that, what if I just told him that Theo had my number and called me? What do you think Luca would do with that information?”

Matteo’s shoulders slump. We both know about Luca’s temper.

“I won’t have him start a war with the Greeks because of me. And, I absolutely will not put him in a position where he will get hurt. My father would shoot him in the head and not think twice. It’s not an option.” All of this is true. Of course, I also won’t risk Luca’s hurt or disgust if he finds out about the list right now, but I keep that to myself.

Matteo sits back and looks me over. “You love my brother.”

I nod. “More than my own life.” What I don’t tell Matteo is that it may come down to that. I will find a way to protect him, and I need his brother to support my presence in his life, because I can’t let him go.

He absorbs my words. “Luca deserves the best, Gráinne. I’ve never seen him so happy. I need to look out for him. I hope you understand that.”

I do, but I can’t imagine Luca would enjoy knowing that he threatened to kill me. Instead, I nod. “He’s your twin. You protect each other.”

“I can never repay him for all he’s done for me.” He’s peeling the label from his beer bottle.

“He doesn’t want repayment, Matt.”

His head jerks up. “You know?” He says the words in shock.

“He thinks you had it worse. He says he’s the lucky one.”

Matteo’s body quakes. He stands. His hand tunnels through his dark hair. “We don’t talk about that.”

“Okay,” I tell him because he’s about to freak out. But, since I have him alone, and we’re issuing warnings, I decide I’m going to get something off my chest. “Do you ever talk about how you were a complete asshole to Elizabeth back then? How you called her fat then dumped her after taking her virginity?”

The change of subject startles him so much, he almost trips over his own feet as he walks backward toward my door. “Wh-what? I never called Lizzie fat! Who told you that?” He looks like he wants to murder someone.

I shrug. “The people I love tell me things,” I say to him.“I just thought you should know, given that you came to my home to accuse me of betraying the person who means the most to me. I assume it’s a concept you’re familiar with.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he scowls.

“Hmmmm, maybe not. But, I do know that Elizabeth had a difficult time after your cruel words and actions.” I’m on a roll. Elizabeth would kill me if she knew I was saying all this. “And I know she deserves happiness.”

He swallows, looks pale. “I don’t want to stand in the way of her happiness. It’s all I ever wanted for her.”

“Good. I’d hate to see her hurt again.”

Luca’s brother looks like he may vomit on my floor. He is quiet, contemplative. He finally looks up and nods. “Thank you for being a good friend to her.”

“She’s easy to love,” I tell him.

“Yes.” He says it so quietly, I almost don’t hear him. “She is.”

He puts his shoes back on, and turns to my door.

“Be good to my brother, Gráinne. That’s all I ask.”

“You don’t have to ask that of me, Matteo. That’s all I want.”

The thing is: I’m running out of time. My father obviously has some deadline. And, if Rowan and I can’t figure out a solid plan soon, I’ll have to tell Luca about the risk to his family.

Luca

“If you keep looking at me like that, Angel, I’m not going to be able to finish this workout and neither are you.”

My girl has joined me in my home gym and is currently eyeing me like I’m her favorite treat. I do another crunch and she sighs.

“I can’t help it,” she tells me. “I think that may be my favorite of all of your exercises. I mean…you look…yum.” She grins and moves into some other pose she tells me is Pilates. All I know is it looks like a squat and her ass looks fantastic. Tits thrust forward.

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