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Tyrone wrapped an arm around Lucia’s shoulders and led her to the dance floor. Turning, he dropped his hands to her hips as she clasped her hands behind his neck. Swaying back and forth to the slow jazz rhythm, Lucia was trying to talk herself into relaxing when she heard a familiar voice.

  “Pleasure to meet you, but I’m looking for Lucia Griffin.” Lucia froze in her partner’s arms, instantly recognizing the deep timbre and hard-edged tone.

  “And who might you be?” Lucia heard Ronnie flirt.

  “I am Draken. Draken Shatan. I’m Lucia’s fiancé.”

  Chapter 24

  Lucia heard Ronnie choke on her champagne, and without turning to look or to hear Ronnie’s response, Lucia mumbled to Tyrone, “Excuse me Tyrone, I’ve got something I need to take care of.”

  Tyrone reached out and grabbed Lucia’s arm, pulling her back into him, “Hey baby, not so fast. Our dance isn’t over.”

  Annoyed, Lucia writhed in Tyrone’s grasp and bit out in a hushed tone, “Let me go, I’ve got to get out of here.”

  Nuzzling her neck, Tyrone tightened his arms around her waist, “Oh, I’ll get you out of here alright.”

  Still squirming in his arms, Lucia knew their display was drawing attention and she desperately needed to end the spectacle as quickly and quietly as possible. “Fine. Let’s go.”

  She grabbed Tyrone’s hand and pulled him toward the sliding glass doors that led to the patio. “Alright baby! Slow down, you don’t have to rush it.”

  Lucia rolled her eyes, annoyed at his presumption, but too rushed to defend herself. In the glass reflection of the patio door, she saw Draken’s eyes scan over the party and pass over her before he did a double take and his eyes came to rest on her back.

  Damn scars! She dipped her head as she slid under Tyrone’s outstretched arm that held the patio door open.

  Once on the patio, Lucia turned to close the glass door behind her. Through the glass, her eyes locked on Draken’s as he crossed the room toward her. As she stood transfixed Tyrone came to stand behind her and again wrapped his arms around her waist as he nuzzled her ear, “You ready baby?”

  Lucia watched Draken’s eyes shift from their deep blue to a steely gray as they left hers to narrow on Tyrone.

  Tearing her eyes away without hesitation, she grabbed Tyrone’s hand and crossed Ronnie’s patio, opening the gate on the other side that led to the front sidewalk. She closed the gate behind them and stopped on the sidewalk contemplating her next move. She knew if she fled down the street Draken would be on her in no time and dressed as she was, she’d stick out like a sore thumb even if she could find a crowd.

  Impatiently, Tyrone twirled a lock of her short hair around his finger, “Did you forget where we’re going?”

  My apartment! Lucia decided she’d lock herself in and wouldn’t answer the door at any cost. She slapped Tyrone’s hand away, and crossed in front of Ronnie’s apartment with Tyrone close on her heels. Her belly dropped when she saw Draken’s familiar sleek black sedan parked in front of the duplex. A tall burly man dressed in a suit leaned against the car and eyed her as she approached. Lucia dropped her eyes and crossed in front of the driver who continued to eye her suspiciously. When she made it to her front door, she knelt to retrieve her spare key from under the doormat. Standing, she stiffened as the man she’d assumed was Draken’s driver asked, “Lucia?”

  Tyrone, who’d joined Lucia on her step turned to the man, “Who wants to know?”

  She fumbled to get her key into the lock, “Shhh Tyrone, be quiet!”

  Tyrone turned an annoyed gaze to Lucia.

  “Excuse me,” the driver’s was now closer, “Are you Lucia Griffin?”

  As the key slid into the lock, she turned the knob and her head at the same time. Tyrone turned back to glare at the driver as Lucia smiled and answered hurriedly as she grabbed Tyrone’s arm, “Me? No! Lucia lives next door.” She pointed to the adjoining apartment and as the driver’s eyes followed the direction she pointed, she fled into her apartment, pulling Tyrone with her before she slammed the door shut.

  In her apartment, she locked the door and threw on the chain lock for good measure, though she knew from experience that neither would keep Draken from getting in if that’s what he wanted. She leaned against the door, her heart racing as she heard mumbled voices outside her door.

  Tyrone leaned into her petite frame in the dark, crushing her against the door as his wet lips found hers, his hands eagerly roving her body.

  Lucia pushed at his hands and turned her face from his, as she whispered angrily, “Tyrone! Stop!”

  Tyrone’s assault was unrelenting. His hands slid down her chest, around her waist, and up her back as he fumbled in the darkness for her zipper.

  Lucia shoved him harder, and he chuckled, “Oh baby, I like it rough.”

  “Stop it!”

  Tyrone bent and was running a hand up her thigh when a knock at the front door made him freeze.

  “Lucia?”

  It was Draken. Lucia leaned back against the door holding her breath, one hand holding her skirt down and the other shoving at Tyrone.

  “Who’s that?” Tyrone asked as he stood to lean around Lucia and peer out the peephole. Draken knocked again. “LUCIA! I know you’re in there now open up damn it!”

  Think girl think! Backdoor! Lucia shoved away from Tyrone and made her way blindly through her dark apartment, she stifled a cry as she banged her knee off her coffee table. Damn it! This is ridiculous; I’m not leaving my own house. She was hopping on one leg rubbing her throbbing knee as she bounced over to the nearest lamp and flipped it on.

  She dropped onto the sofa to inspect her knee as Tyrone turned to her, blinking in the new light. “What’s going on? Do you want me to get rid of this guy?

  Yeah, I’d love to see you try! Lucia merely shook her head as she inspected her knee. No blood thank God. The last thing she needed was to ruin Ronnie’s expensive gown.

  Another round of pounding bombarded her front door as Tyrone turned to it, “Let me get rid of this guy.”

  She knew Draken would have seen the lamp light up her apartment from her front window, and she knew he’d probably heard Tyrone talking. No sense in pretending I’m not here now.

  “GO AWAY,” she yelled angrily to the front door.

  The pounding ceased. “We need to talk.”

  Lucia stood and crossed to stand in front of her door wringing her hands, “We don’t have anything to say to each other.”

  Tyrone stood back from the door and watched the scene.

  “Lucia, I’m trying to be polite here but I’m losing my patience.”

  “Is that your boyfriend?” Tyrone’s temper was beginning to flare.

  Lucia’s heart nearly stopped as she heard the back door to her apartment click open, she spun with rounded eyes and was relieved to see Ronnie creeping through her back door.

  The taller woman tiptoed quickly across the apartment to grab Lucia’s hand as she whispered, “You okay?”

  Lucia tilted her head and gave Ronnie a pleading look. Ronnie pressed something cold and hard into Lucia’s hand and kissed her cheek, “You go, I’ll stall!”

  Looking down, Lucia found Ronnie’s car keys settled in her palm.

  “It’s parked in the garage.”

  She hugged Ronnie before she yelled at Draken, “If you even think about busting down my door I swear to you I’ll call the authorities.”

  As she exited the back door she heard Draken respond, “If you don’t let me in, I will let myself in. You’ve got ten seconds to make up your mind.”

  She fled the back door as she heard Tyrone yell, “Just try it man, and you’ll regret your decision.” Tyrone turned his head in time to catch one last glimpse of Lucia as she raced out the back door without him.

  Rushing down the sidewalk out to the back garage, Lucia found Ronnie’s car and was flying down the street in seconds flat without so much as a backwards glance.

  Chapter 25

 
Pulling Ronnie’s car to a stop in front of Maria’s Italian restaurant Lucia couldn’t help but feel deflated that Draken had finally found her. She was certain she’d left no trail but he’d found her nonetheless. Exiting the vehicle she locked the doors and stepped up onto the curb when her thoughts were interrupted.

  “Ma’am! Would you mind helping me out?” A behemoth of a man stood next to a black Escalade parked behind her.

  She eyed him warily, “W-what do you need?”

  Before she was given a response, she was grabbed from behind, a hand clamped over her mouth. She kicked and struggled but her fighting was futile. As she was thrown into the back seat of the Escalade, she heard the man who had asked her for help speak into a cell phone, “We’ve got her Mr. Shatan. Yes. Yes. Right away sir.”

  Son of a…

  Lucia stewed in the back seat, arms crossed broodingly over her chest. As the Escalade whizzed past shops, she didn’t notice the direction they were headed. When the vehicle pulled to a stop in front of her duplex, she was confused. Certain the henchman had been ordered to drag her to Shatan Manor, she was just about to ask what was happening when one of the burly men exited the vehicle and opened the rear passenger door.

  She frowned up at the man as she exited the vehicle ignoring his proffered hand. She marched up the two steps to her apartment and threw the door open, startled to find Draken and Ronnie sitting on the couch deep in conversation.

  Ronnie bounded up from the couch and stopped Lucia at the door, clutching her hand as she whispered, “Oh Luce, he’s such a great guy. You’ve just gotta give him another chance.” Without waiting for Lucia’s response Ronnie kissed her on the cheek and raced out the still open front door, “I’ll leave you two to catch up. G’night. Oh! And nice meeting you Draken!”

  Lucia was in shock, Just who in the hell’s side is she on anyway?

  Draken rose casually from the couch and sauntered across the room to stand in front of her. She scowled up at him while thinking he looked better than she remembered. It frustrated her that his mere proximity sent her belly into flutters. Dropping her gaze, she stepped around him and crossed to her small kitchen. She grabbed a wine glass from her cupboard and retrieved a half-full bottle of white merlot from her fridge.

  “No glass for me?” Draken smirked.

  Lucia poured herself a drink and scowled at him over the rim of her glass before setting it down and licking her lips, “If you want wine I’ll bet there’s plenty at your place.”

  Without missing a beat, his mouth twisted into a wry smile, “Well you certainly cut to the chase. Grab your things and we’ll go.”

  Heat flushed her cheeks. “That’s not what I meant.” She set down her glass and placed her hands on the kitchen island, thrumming her brightly polished fingertips. “What do you want Draken?”

  He leaned against the kitchen wall and let his eyes slide up and down her petite yet curvy frame, “God you’re beautiful.”

  Her cheeks warmed again, “What. Do. You. Want?”

  He crossed the small kitchen in two steps and raised a hand to run it smoothly down her short bob, “I would never have allowed you to cut it, but I must admit it’s an exquisite change.”

  Uncomfortable, she pulled from his reach and exited the kitchen, taking her wine with her. She crossed to the front door and pulled it open, Never would have allowed it? The nerve! “If you don’t mind, I’ve had a long night and I really should be getting to bed.”

  He smiled as he crossed the room and sat back down on the sofa, while she glared at him from the door. She tried to ignore how great he looked in his crisp black suit, his powerful frame dwarfing her small living room.

  “Upset that I ruined your date?”

  “It wasn’t a date.”

  A flash of anger crossed his face, “I see. Well, usually a gentleman at least takes a lady to dinner before he gets,” his eyes slid down her body, “dessert.”

  She inhaled sharply at his insinuation. “It wasn’t that either.” She pointed out the door, but Draken simply shook his head.

  “You’ll have to pardon me if I don’t believe that a barely clothed siren and her much younger man fumbling around together in the dark were merely…talking?”

  “Much younger?” Lucia eyed him incredulously.

  A smirk crooked his lips, “So you admit you’re barely clothed.”

  Her mouth fell open as she shook her head then let her eyes fall down to eye the front of her dress. She tried to pull the low cut bodice higher, but as Ronnie had informed her at the party, she knew she looked like ten pounds of sugar poured into a five pound sack.

  “If you don’t like what you see, don’t look. Better yet, you’re free to leave.” She returned to her dimly lit kitchen in an attempt to hide in its faint light as she scooted behind the bar to refill her already full glass. She desperately needed to put some distance and obstacles between herself and Draken. God, I don’t know if I want to kill him or kiss him!

  Draken sauntered up to the other side of the bar, “Oh, I didn’t say I didn’t like what I see. I like it.” His eyes ran over her body, “Very much! I just don’t know that every other man needs to see what is meant for my eyes alone.”

  Lucia steamed as she glared at him over the rim of her wine glass, refusing to be baited.

  “Do you have any idea how difficult it was to find you? I’ve scoured this city for weeks. Luckily I’m a persistent man, and I get what I want.”

  Licking her lips, she couldn’t help but notice how his eyes lingered on her mouth, “Fine! You lost me, you found me, now what do you want?”

  He leaned forward until his face was inches from hers, his expression turning serious, “I want you to come home.”

  Lucia’s brows shot up. “You must be joking.” She fanned a hand toward the living room. “I am home and doing fine on my own I might add.” She set her glass on the bar and took a step back.

  “You don’t honestly consider waiting tables doing fine do you?”

  Oh, that’s it! She was around the bar in an instant glaring up at him with her hands planted on her hips, “Look, Mr. High and Mighty, we little people need to make a living too. We can’t all own million dollar corporations. Some of us actually have to earn our money.”

  He grabbed her roughly by her arms and pulled her hard into him as he towered over her. “Listen to me Princess; I’ve earned every damn dollar I’ve got. Nothing has ever been handed to me. You of all people should know that I have and take what I want by my own volition. Now enough of the games get your things we’re going.”

  She tried to pull from his grasp, her heart racing frantically, “I’m not going with you.”

  “Yes you are, now for the last time get your things. This...” he paused to eye their surroundings dejectedly, “place is beneath you.”

  She shook her head, her mouth falling open. “I have no idea why in a million years you’d think that I’d ever come with you.” She saw the muscle at the side of his jaw clench before he released her.

  “For starters, if you want Maria to keep her restaurant I suggest you do as I ask?”

  Shocked, she recoiled as if she’d been struck. She saw a moment of some strange emotion pass over his features before he masked it with his steely resolve. “W-what did you say?”

  “I purchased the lot on which Maria’s restaurant sits. I bought the entire block actually. Did you know the restaurant has been in her family for over seventy-five years, and in the same location? Remarkable really.”

  “What are you doing?” The words came out on a strangled whisper. She knew exactly what he was doing. He was blackmailing her into getting what he wanted.

  “It’s called leverage, now get your things.”

  Her brow furrowed as she walked woodenly from the kitchen to plop down dumbfound onto the sofa shaking her head in disbelief, “Why? You don’t need me. I don’t understand why you’re doing this to me. You know I wasn’t working with Warren. You have no cause to treat me this way.”


  Draken paced to the front door then turned to face her, “I don’t like the way we left things.”

  “So apologize and leave.”

  He smirked, “Me apologizing isn’t what’s required either. I cost you your home and your job, and I’m going to rectify that.”

  “Well, I-I don’t need you to. I have a new place to live and a new job, so now that you’ve found me you can send me my things and we’ll call it even.”

  “Not good enough.”

  “Draken…please! I’m just getting over you and…”

  “Getting over me?” His expression darkened dangerously. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  She could feel embarrassment stain her cheeks, “N-nothing. That’s not wh-what I meant. What I meant is that I’m just getting over what you did to me, how you used me to get to Warren.”

  Draken ran a frustrated hand through his hair and as he looked down she could see his jaw working as he considered her words.

  “Get your things.” He ordered after several silent moments.

  She stood and clasped her hands together speaking calmly, “I won’t come.”

  “Knowing it will cost Maria her restaurant?”

  She bit her bottom lip dropping her eyes for a moment before raising them to challenge him, “I’m calling your bluff. I know you Draken, and I know you wouldn’t take Maria’s restaurant from her just to hurt me.”

  He crossed the room and at his approach, Lucia backed into the wall. Raising his hand, he laid it gently on her cheek as he lowered his forehead to hers. “I’m not trying to hurt you.” The words were whispered as he trailed his hand down her cheek, throat, and arm, finally raising her hand to his lips.

  She tried to pull away, but he grabbed her retreating shoulders and pulled her back into him. Bending his head he kissed the scarred flesh of her throat and whispered against her skin, “I’ve missed you. I want you back.”

  Lucia moaned and tilted her head, granting him easier access, her eyes fluttering closed. His arms wrapped around Lucia’s satiny waist as he inhaled her scent. She turned in his arms and pushed his chest and Draken reluctantly allowed her to force space between them.