Page 92 of Breaking Lucia

“I need to do a security check,” he whispers back to me. “You’ll be safest with Victor.”

“With Victor? Are you insane?” I ask. “He’s going to want to kill us both.”

He shakes his head. “He needs to know what’s going on.”

I don’t bother asking him how he’s going to casually mention that he had to murder one of their employees and take me out here because I was having a panic attack. That’s on him to figure out.

Victor’s eyes are already on us, and I wonder just when he spotted us. Probably as soon as we entered the room—I doubt he misses much, even in a crowd. He says something to the man at his side and they laugh before Victor leaves him and comes to meet us halfway.

“Angelo, Lucia. This is a surprise,” he says mildly, but something about how he says it makes me think maybe he expected this outcome. He’d bought the dress and accessories, after all. That doesn’t reassure me at all though, and I press myself closer to Angelo.

“Something came up. Freddie’s… indisposed for the rest of the evening.” Angelo glances around the room. “I need to follow up on a few things though.”

Victor’s gaze settles on me, doing a very obvious once over. “The dress suits you.” After that very uncomfortable assessment, he turns to Angelo. “And very well, she can stay with me for now. You have forty minutes before I need to meet with Don Marino.”

Forty minutes sounds far too long to be alone with Victor, especially if he’s annoyed. I grip Angelo’s arm tighter, hoping to keep him with me, but it takes him no effort to separate us and push me in Victor’s direction.

“Okay. Hopefully it’s nothing.” Angelo walks away before I can protest.

The urge to cower is strong, but the public setting keeps my back straight.

Victor smirks at me and puts a hand on my lower back. “What’s got you so frightened, Lucia?”

“I’m notfrightened,” I reply, keeping my expression pleasant even though all I want to do is glare at him. This isn’t the time or place to show any sort of defiance, though. I’m a woman, and in this world, I know my place. It isn’t to mouth off, especially not in public.

“Then you won’t mind if I introduce you to a few people,” Victor says, gently guiding me toward a group of men. “Let’s see how good you are.”

The last thing I want is to actually have toplayat being arm candy instead of just being seen as it. I’m still shaken up, and I’m not as nimble as usual. But like hell am I going to let Victor win this little fucking game. “Of course,” I reply, flashing him a smile as I allow myself to be led toward the men.

There’s three of them, and they all stand a bit straighter when Victor approaches. Not necessarily out of deference, but more like they’re on their guard. The oldest of them is a short man with a bit of extra paunch and half bald, but he’s clearly the one in charge too.

“Victor! I was just telling my sons that they could learn a thing or two from you.” He nudges the taller of his sons. “And look, Victor has a beautiful companion too. Where are your girlfriends, Raul?”

Raul gives him a brittle smile. “I don’t need one, pa.”

It looks like the man is going to rib his son some more, but Victor smoothly interrupts. “Carlo, your son has the right idea. Women are a waste of time and money. Just look at how much I had to spend to decorate this one.”

Shock barrels into me first, but I recover quickly. It’s not the first time I’ve been confronted by blatantly chauvinistic behavior, and it won’t be the last. It’s also not the first time Victor has been intent upon dehumanizing me. I only smile at him, like I have no idea I’ve just been insulted so thoroughly. “But wasn’t it worth it, Victor?” I ask, batting my eyelashes at him. “The diamonds look so good draped against my skin…” I trail a hand down my neck to settle against the necklace. I catch Raul’s eye and smile, adding, “And they even match the dress.”

Raul averts his gaze, but his brother and father are openly staring at my cleavage now. Men are so easy, whether they’re easily flustered or openly lecherous.

Victor snorts in amusement and adds his hand to mine on the necklace. “I suppose there are some benefits to having a beautiful partner around.”

Partner? That’s rich, coming from the man who had me locked up and—no, I can’t think about that right now. I need to put on a good front, I need to show him that I’m cool under pressure. That I’m notfrightened.

But part of me likes the sound of it too. Of being Victor’spartner. If Victor approves of me, if I can stand by his side rather than sit at his feet… God, I shouldn’t want to be here at all.

At least this kind of schmoozing is familiar.

“I should hope so,” I say, tilting my head up and stepping slightly closer so the fingers on my necklace end up touching skin as well. I give us that moment of intimacy before easing back, turning back to look at Carlo and Raul with a smile. “Don’t mind me. I’m only here to make sure Victor doesn’t get bored, and that could hardly happen in your company.”

Carlo laughs loudly. “Nice! You’ll have to tell me where you got this one, Victor. I need one like her.” He claps his other son on the back. “Danilo, tell your lovely wife she needs to up her game. And buy her some diamonds too. You’re too stingy with her.”

Good lord, can this man be more of a stereotype of the macho Italian man? He rivals my father in sleaziness. Danilo laughs along with his father and makes an unflattering comment about his wife. Only Raul looks uncomfortable, which makes me wonder if he’s the first decent Italian man I’ve ever met. Then again, open chauvinism isn’t the only way to be a bad person.

“I can recommend a jeweler, if you want to surprise your wife,” Victor says, drawing attention back to himself. “How is your family, Danilo? Your son is three now?”

“Yes!” Danilo smiles broadly and starts sharing some milestones, all while I’m completely bewildered by this turn in conversation. Victor is making the correct responses and asking follow-up questions, and I’m a bit surprised that he manages to give off this aura of caring when I know he absolutely does not give a shit.

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