Page 30 of Blood & Lace
I blinked at him. Immediately, I snatched off the deer in headlights look and forced my features to relax. Right away, I fell back into my role: cool, calm, sophisticated.
"I have an errand to run," I said tersely as I moved to the dresser and tucked my keys into my pocket. "You need to stay here. Or go to work. Pick one."
I'd thought about trying to kick him out, but it was impossible. Lucero wasn't going anywhere and it was too much of a pain in my ass for me to even contemplate arguing with him about it. I was all argued out. He had taken up residence on my sofa, his things tucked into a storage closet, my bathroom, and the corner of my bedroom. He'd been in my home for a week, and I felt like I was going crazy.
All of it made my eye twitch.
"I can go too," Lucero offered. "What if something happens to you?"
A scoff tumbled from my lips. "I've been taking care of myself long before you. I will be taking care of myself long after you." Once I had my wallet, I turned back to Lucero. "Listen to me closely because I am being deadly serious right now," I said.
Lucero leaned forward, hanging on my every word. For some reason, that made my chest tight. I rubbed at it, surprised by his attentiveness for once.
"You are not to follow me," I said sternly. "You will stay here. If you follow me, I'll never forgive you or speak to you again."
The big man whined. Actuallywhined."Don't say that, Onyx."
"I mean it," I snapped. "No matter what you say, I won't speak a word to you. Do you understand?"
He nodded hard and flinched back as if he'd been stung. My stomach clenched. Why the hell was I feeling bad for a man who had crashed into my home and was living with me as if I'd invited him?
"Yes," Lucero whispered.
I patted his hand, throwing him a bone. "Good boy. Now, I need you to do me a favor."
Lucero perked up. "Really? What do you need? I'll do anything for you."
Again my stomach tightened. Shit, he was going to be the death of me. All he did was listen, be there for me, and hurt people who he even thought had pissed me off. Now that I knew he wasn't scum, it was harder than ever not to find some parts of him amusing at the very least.
I sucked in a breath. "I need you to get rid of my last name. No, I mean it, Lucero," I said as he glanced away and frowned. I grabbed both his hands and his head snapped back in my direction. "Please, do it for me?" I begged, my voice soft and sweet just for him. "What I do… I need to remain unattached. It's easier to get in with these men when I'm single. I can't have you messing that up for me."
"I like my last name," he muttered. "It feels right."
"Yes, I'm sure it does, but Ineedthis, okay?" I glanced at my phone. "I have to go. Please take care of this for me."
Lucero sighed. "Yeah, okay. I need to go to work anyway. Damien's going to lose it if I don't."
"That's a good idea. Hang out with your family. I bet they miss you."
A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Yeah, they do. Okay, I'll get dressed and walk you out."
"No need," I said. "I'm going to snag a taxi. Be back later!" I called as I dashed out of my room and made a run for it.
As soon as I was outside, I breathed in deeply. Hailing a taxi, I glanced over my shoulder, expecting to see Lucero there watching. Waiting. He was nowhere in sight. I opened my phone and stared at the app I had installed. So far, so good. I'd installeda tracker on his phone and hid the app. It was better I knew where he was at all times.
Thank God he sleeps like the dead.
A taxi pulled in front of me, and I was brought back to the present. I climbed inside and shut the door before I gave the address. The city moved around me, but my heart hammered in my chest, and I quickly forgot about Lucero. The buildings went down, the people around me went from models and fashionistas to homeless tents, screaming kids, and graffiti. My stomach twisted.
I hate being here. I hate it. Please, I don't want to go.
I squeezed my eyes shut and laid a hand on my stomach. Slowly, I took a few deep breaths in and exhaled. The closer I drew to the apartment, the more I squirmed in my seat. By the time the taxi pulled to a stop, my heart was in my throat and everything in me screamed to turn around and run. I quickly pressed send on the orders that needed to be fulfilled, and stepped out of the taxi after paying. My hair was stuffed beneath a baseball cap, and I pulled it down and adjusted my sunglasses as I walked up to the building.
I pressed the buzzer. When there was no answer, I pressed it again.
"What?" A voice crackled flatly.
"It's me. Let me in."
