Page 40 of A Love So Deadly
Then he snaps out of it, eyes now on me. “Mr. Vale, I see you brought a vision.”
“Watch out. She bites,” Lucian says.
I narrow my eyes, but all Lucian does is ask Vinnie to point out someone even I’ve heard of.
Benicio de Santis.
A crime boss, a vile man in an expensive suit. He’s handsome, though next to the dark beauty of Lucian, he looks cheap and tacky.
All my senses tingle because no one goes to these things without not just having power but criminal interests. The crimes stacked against the politicians in here are breathtaking.
That makes me vibrate with an instinct that always gets me into trouble.
“Vincent, I need you to watch Ms. Montague for a moment,” Lucian says. “Only for a moment.”
Oh no. There’s no way I’m letting him talk to Benicio without me. “I’m coming with you.” And then add on for emphasis, “Lucy.”
He stares at me a long time, then he sighs.
“Fine.” We cross the room, including Vincent and Vittoria, who gives of bodyguard vibes, which is ridiculous.
When we approach the man in question, Benicio, at one of the poker tables, he looks at me with dead eyes. Everything about him is flat, like a marionette doll waiting for its strings to be pulled. Or maybe something waiting to be inflated.
His entire being wakes up when he sees Lucian, though. Even I can see the hate and greed.
“It’s good,” Benicio says as he sucks on the end of his cigar, “to finally meet you.” His gaze swings from me to Vittoria and to Lucian.
“I just wanted to make my apologies in person since that the project won’t be going ahead. Changing audiences,” Lucian says.
Audiences my ass. This is something else other than a project for TV.Every single innocuous word tells me that and the project bullshit is just that. Bullshit. Whatever it is, it’s big and no doubt highly illegal.
Benicio’s face twists into something cruel and ugly. It’s his turn to show his hand to the other players at the table, and when he turns over his cards, he reveals royal flush all in hearts. He glances at Lucian to make sure he sees.
Lucian, who’s expression’s remains neutral, says, “Tonight must be your lucky night.”
“Oh, it is.” Benicio sweeps the massive pile of chips to his corner of the table and puffs on his cigar again. “How is your grandmother, Vale? Penelope? Is she doing well?”
If I wasn’t watching Lucian so closely, I would’ve missed the flicker of malice. He locks eyes on Benicio, and the dark blue darkens to black.
“Vincent,” Lucian orders, his voice sharper. He never breaks eye contact with the crime boss. “Take my date and get her a drink. Now.”
Wait, what?
But Vincent is suddenly at my side, grabbing my arm, and tugging me away. I don’t want to go, but the growing tension between the two men tells me that whatever conversation they’re about to have wouldn’t be said if I was there anyway.
As I let Vinnie lead me to the other side of the room, I notice that Vittoria isn’t by Lucian anymore. Within the brief exchange, she’s disappeared.
I don’t like this Vinnie, but compared to the stink from Benicio, he’s a teddy bear. He grabs me a drink, pushes it into my hand, and stands beside me, silent. It’s clear he doesn’t want to be babysitting me either, but I take the moment to sip my prosecco and look around.
Most people are eating and drinking.Talking.
A small group of men have gathered in the middle of my line of sight of Lucian and Benicio, but I can just make out Lucian lips moving at a rapid pace. Oh yeah, he’s pissed. He may not appear to be to a stranger, but I know him. He’s always so calmand control, but even this far away, I can see his body vibrating with his anger.
And all over the mention of Lucian’s grandmother? A Penelope?
Hmm… I hadn’t found any mention of a grandmother when I had researched him. No relatives at all. Especially not living ones.
How strange.
