Page 32 of His Stakes (His Obsession 2)

VEDA

Luca had been gone all morning, leaving me to wander around the house. I’d joined Lisa in the kitchen while I had a cup of coffee, but she had other things to do than entertain me, so I was once again on my own.

I didn’t like being on my own. It gave me too much time to think. Surprisingly, Luca had never come to bed last night. But instead of enjoying the time to myself, I found myself tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep until the early morning hours when I finally dozed off from pure exhaustion. I’d woken up a few hours later, bleary-eyed and more tired than when I’d gone to bed.

Upstairs, I found a pair of yoga pants and some sneakers and then rummaged around in Luca’s drawers until I found a T-shirt I didn’t think he’d mind me borrowing. And if he did, well, then maybe he shouldn’t lock me in his house under guard after he jizzed all over me with nothing to do but go through his stuff.

As I made my way down the stairs, I overheard Enzo talking to someone near the front door. The words “apartment” and “truck” caught my attention. Were they talking about my apartment? Getting my stuff? My stomach flipped with excitement at the prospect of packing and moving, which only proved how completely desperate I was to have something else to occupy my mind.

Hurrying now, I caught them as they were about to walk out the front door. Both were casually dressed in jeans and T-shirts, which got my hopes up even more. “Hey! Where are you going?” I called out.

Enzo and the guy with him stopped. The new guy checked me out from head to toe, the expression of surprise on his ruddy face almost comical. Enzo indicated for him to wait. “We’re about to head over to your place and get your things,” he told me. “Tristan will stay here in the house with you.”

“I wanna go, too,” I blurted.

Enzo tilted his head as he studied me. His eyes dropped to what I was wearing, much like his friend’s had. “I think we can handle it.”

“But you don’t even know what I want and don’t want.” I was desperate to get out of this damn house and grasping at straws, I knew, but I had to try. “Come on. I’ll be with you. It’ll be perfectly safe. I promise won’t try anything.”

“No.” Grabbing the door handle, he opened it, letting the other guy out.

I grabbed his arm, feeling his muscles tense for a moment before they relaxed again. “Call Luca and just ask him. Please?” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I could’ve kicked myself. There was no way in hell Luca would let me go. But there was also no way Enzo would take me without his permission, so it was the only chance I had, albeit a very small one.

With a heavy sigh, Enzo pulled out his phone and tapped the screen before putting it up to his ear.

I crossed my arms over my chest and shifted my weight from side to side as the phone rang. And rang. And rang.

“He’s not answering,” Enzo told me as he put his cell back in his pocket. “I’m sorry, Veda. But you’re going to have to stay here.”

“Enzo, please. I have to get out of this house.” And if I was going to do it, I knew this was going to be my only chance until Luca deemed it safe enough to take me out himself. “Please,” I repeated. “I don’t have that much stuff. It’ll be a quick trip and I can help.”

“Veda. I said no.”

An idea came to me. “But, I have stuff I don’t want you to see.” I ducked my head like I was embarrassed. “Private things.”

One eyebrow lifted. “I promise you your ‘private things’ aren’t anything I haven’t seen before.”

Stamping my foot on the floor like a child, I tried one last time. “Enzo, come on! I’ll be perfectly safe. I’ll hide on the floor of the truck. I’ll let you sneak me in the back way. I need to get the fuck out of this house. And I’ll take full responsibility with Luca.”

I couldn’t see enough of his expression with his sunglasses covering his eyes, so I thought I’d lost my argument when he opened the door. But he only yelled that he would be right out and then closed it again. Pulling his cell back out of his pocket, he tapped the screen again, and I heard a phone ringing. This time it was picked up, and I heard Luca’s voice on the other end.

Well, hell. There went my chances of getting out of the house. Dammit.

“Luca. I’m sorry to bother you. We’re about to head to Veda’s place to get her things and she would like to come with us.”

I had no hope at all that he would say it was okay, yet I still waited, wishing for a miracle.

“I can bring Tristan and leave someone else here at the house.” A pause. “Yes.” Another pause. “Yes. I understand. Okay. We’ll be back in two hours. No more.” He tapped the screen to hang up the call and shoved the phone back into his pocket. “Okay,” he told me. “Let’s go.”

“He’s letting me go?” My mouth dropped open. I couldn’t believe it.

“Yes,” Enzo said. “But he’s not fucking happy about it, so let’s go before he changes his mind. He swore to string me up by my balls if we’re not back on time.”

He didn’t seem that concerned about Luca’s threat, but he didn’t need to tell me twice.

Enzo opened the door again, and I walked out into the sunshine with a grin on my face. I couldn’t believe I was getting to go back and see my home of the last five years. Perhaps for the last time.

“Wow.You weren’t kidding when you said you didn’t have a lot of stuff.”

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