Page 3 of Luka

When he went into work that night—because he couldn’t afford to call off—Spencer hoped the makeup he’d bought would tone down the bruising, but Tanner spotted the swollen eye right away.

“What in the hell happened to you?”

“I got into a fight with an alley cat and lost,” Spencer said as he walked behind the bar. “Does it really look that bad?”

Tanner glanced at him. “Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if you didn’t have a pound of makeup over it. Now it looks bruised, and your skin looks like it’s peeling right off from so much foundation.”

Tanner took him to the bathroom, washed the foundation off, and applied something from his back pocket. “You never know when you’re going to need to cover up a bad pimple or other blemishes. Besides, given your uncle’s bad behavior, it’s just become habit to carry it.”

Spencer just stood there as Tanner applied whatever it was, praying his coworker wasn’t making things worse. Then again, nothing could look worse. But Tanner had done this too many times before, and Spencer trusted him to make the bruising disappear.

“There.” Tanner took a step back.

Spencer looked in the mirror and was glad at how faded the bruising appeared.

“There’s nothing I can do about the swelling.” Tanner tucked the applicator back into his pocket. “I thought this would end when your uncle died.”

So had Spencer. “It was a misunderstanding.”

“Did someone misunderstand your face for a punching bag?” Tanner took the applicator back out and handed it over. “Keep it. Just don’t apply too much.”

“Thanks.” Spencer pocketed it. “I owe you.”

Tanner might not be the person Spencer liked to work with because the guy was so brash, but in truth, Tanner was a decent friend. He’d helped Spencer cover up the bruising many times when Lyle would unleash himself.

“Is it a new boyfriend?” Tanner asked. “Please don’t tell me it was your crush.”

“No.” Spencer shook his head. “I swear it was a misunderstanding.”

Tanner didn’t look convinced but dropped the subject, but not before saying, “If you want, I can give you a number to—”

“No, it’s okay.” There wasn’t any prevention number Spencer could call that would get him out of this mess. Even if he went to the cops, which he wasn’t dumb enough to do, what would he say? A stranger broke into his place and there was no way to describe him because he hadn’t seen the man’s face?

They walked out of the bathroom and behind the bar. Spencer was tying his apron on when he glanced up and saw Luka sitting on his favorite stool. Only this time Luka was staring right at Spencer, his eyes heavy-lidded as if he were pissed off.

Luka stayed the entire shift, and it was only when Spencer was ready to clock out that he noticed the empty bar stool. Luka had never stayed an entire shift before, but honestly, Spencer felt safer when the guy was there.

He still didn’t know why.

When he walked out of the bar, Luka was leaning against a Jeep. The nice kind with the word Rubicon on the side. It was dark gray and shiny under the streetlight. Spencer slowed, wondering if he should say anything or keep walking.

“Got a minute?” Luka asked.

After roughly swallowing, Spencer walked over and looked at the ground. He knew his eye looked like shit, and he was embarrassed that Luka had seen him this way. “Yeah?”

When Luka didn’t say anything, Spencer glanced up.

“What happened?” Luka jutted his chin to indicate Spencer’s eye. Like the guy had to clarify what he was talking about.

“Just a misunderstanding.”

“Want to try the truth?” Luka said. “I can smell the lie all over you.”

Spencer had no idea what that meant.

“You got trouble on your heels?”

As much as Spencer liked the guy, he didn’t want to get Luka involved. The men who wanted the money weren’t people to trifle with, and Luka would be in way over his head if Spencer asked for help.

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