Jordyn didn't even want to think about moving farther away from Lucian than she already was. "I can't, Dante."
"You can or I will make you. Go, Jordyn."
"But-"
"My brother may enjoy you stubborn and combative, but I don't. And, to be fair, I'm not head over heels in love with you like he is. Lucian doesn't think clearly when you're involved. I will only ask one more time for you to give him some space. Right now, even if he doesn't think so, he needs it. Frankly, we all need to have a discussion that you really shouldn't be privy to, either."
Defeated, Jordyn nodded solemnly. "Tell him I'm going to nap in his office, or something. Try to, anyway."
"Thank you," Dante said as Jordyn turned to leave.
She scoffed, loud and rude, refusing to grace him with a response to his comment. What in the hell was there to be thankful for?
Well … Lucian was alive. There was that.
Despite the anxiety eating away at her heart, once Jordyn was alone in Lucian's office with the door closer, she felt just a tiny bit better. Enough to breathe, to think, and to cry. And she did, lying back on the leather couch with her hands fisted against her mouth, she sobbed. Cried until her chest hurt and her face was soaked with tears.
The bullet missed going through Lucian's back to hit his heart by a little less than a foot.
How was she supposed to deal with that?
It was no longer Jordyn in danger with Lucian being her protector. At least when it had been like that, it was easier to manage the fear. Now, she felt useless. There was nothing she could do to help him.
Was that how it was going to be?
Every time they left the safety of the condo, they needed to look over their shoulders for a gunman waiting for his mark?
Eventually, the emotions catching up to Jordyn overwhelmed her into exhaustion, and for a short time, she slept.
Sometime later, Jordyn was woken by shouts echoing through the condo. The discussion alone was loud and shocking enough to keep Jordyn quiet.
"I said no! That's the end of it," Lucian yelled.
"Son, listen to me," Antony said, pleadingly. "It would only be for a little while. Long enough to afford me some time to work through what all this means and try to figure it out."
"We got nothing from Fraser," Gio added to the conversation. "The idiot willing took money from someone he doesn't know and can't identify, plus was going to get a double payday off the money you brought for the Lexus. The guy who paid him didn't give reasons as to the hit, just said it wouldn't come back on the dealership. We have nothing to go on, Lucian. Not even a hint as to who this is. Hell, it could be one of us and you wouldn't even know. Dad's right, slipping out of state for a while and cutting off the outside world might be the best choice for now."
Lucian barked out a bitter laugh. "Go to hell. I'm not hiding from whoever this is like they've turned me scared. That might be fine and great for you, but it doesn't work for me."
"Lucian," Antony warned sharply. "He's only trying to help."
"My answer is no."
"And you don't get the final say," his father retorted just as fast. "The facts we know are clear. Very few people knew you were going to pick out your car today. That does narrow down our list."
"To them and every person they told," Lucian growled. "It doesn't narrow it down that damned much. I have work to do here. I can't afford the time to up and leave it. Besides that, I have to consider Jordyn, too."
"Jordyn will be fine to stay with your mother and me, or even here, if she's more comfortable," Antony said.
"Like fuck!"
"Lucian Johnathan-"
"No," Lucian said, interrupting his father. "And don't give me the full name spiel. I'm too old for it. Do not ask me to leave the state and hide, and then in the same sentence, ask me to leave her behind. Why, Dad, so whoever is trying to off me can go after the next best thing to draw me out? Is that what you're trying to do here? You wouldn't risk Cecelia like that, so don't expect me do put Jordyn in that position, either."
"I'm not. She'd be watched, and I would have a guard on her like your mother has."
"But you are," Lucian argued. "That's exactly what you're asking me to do and I won't. End of discussion."
"Hey, you could always ask Jordyn," Gio started to say.
"I said no more. The answer is no. Stop pushing it."
Antony sighed heavily. "Lucian … You're my son. My one job is to keep you safe, no matter what. I'm not giving you a choice here."
"Please." Lucian's voice came from right outside the closed office door. It sounded painful, making Jordyn hurt that much more. "Don't make me do this."
"You have until the morning to decide where you want to be for the next couple of weeks," Antony responded in a tone that said his decision was final. "If you fight me on this, I will force your hand and take you out of state without your consent. I'm sorry."
"But, Jordyn-"
"Until morning," Antony repeated. "I'll bring your mother over before you leave. She wouldn't forgive me, otherwise."
"Just get out," Lucian all but hissed. "Go."
"Inside, you know I'm not doing this to hurt you, son, only to help. We will figure out who it is doing this."
"If you want to help, stop wasting time with who is trying to kill me, and figure out why. I guarantee the why will lead you straight to who."
Jordyn waited until it seemed quiet outside the office before she got up from the couch and went to open the door. Instead of finding Lucian standing on the outside, she found him with his back pressed to the opposite wall and crouched low to the floor with his head in his hands. She was on her knees in a flash, pulling his clenching fists from his face.
The pain in Lucian's hazel eyes was unbearable as he stared at Jordyn. "I won't go."
"It's okay. It'll be fine. Maybe they're right."
Lucian laughed bitterly, shaking his head. "No, I seriously doubt it."
Dante was right, Jordyn realized. Lucian didn't think clearly when she was involved.
"Come on, Lucian … please try to look at this objectively. If they can't find you, they can't hurt you. Jesus, you almost died today. Don't you understand that?"
"And you? What about you, Jordyn?"
"This isn't about me, now."
"But it could be. If leaving pisses whoever this is off enough, you could be the one they turn to in order to get me out of hiding."
"I highly doubt that will happen. But, if we're putting that on the table as a possibility, what if I was willing to take that chance?" Jordyn asked softly.
"Stop it," Lucian muttered. "This isn't the time for heroics."
"Hello, pot. Meet the kettle."
"Jordyn."
"Well!"
The silent stare down between the two lasted longer than Jordyn liked. Breaking away from his gaze, she could help but notice the new injury he sported on his upper right arm. The slice was at least three inches long and anything but clean. It was more like a jagged chunk was ripped out of his arm and just the look of the stitches made her wince.
"Does it hurt?"
"No," Lucian answered gruffly.
Jordyn scrunched up her nose. "Are you sure?"
"Yes. I smoked a joint and chased a couple of morphine pills with whiskey. I feel nothing. It's fantastic."
Great, Jordyn thought with an internal sigh.
"I'm fine, promise," Lucian said when she didn't speak.
"Too close for comfort, Lucian."
"Sometimes that's how it works, sweetheart."
"It's not okay when you see this as normal. And I don't think you're supposed to drink and smoke up while taking pain meds, either."
Lucian shrugged indifferently. "Never hurt me before."
"You're way too flippant about all of this," she pointed out again, annoyed.
"Stop worrying over me."
Jordyn sniffed, rolling her eyes. "Right, because that's how this works, Lucian."
"I know Antony's right, sweetheart, but that doesn't make it easier."
"I don't expect it to be," she replied in a whisper. "I'm still going to be here, though."
"Jordyn?"
She tipped her chin up to meet Lucian's eyes once more. "Yeah?"
"You know I love you, right?"
"Of course."
"Good," Lucian murmured heavily. "Because tonight, I want to fuck you like I don't."
"What?"
Why did that sound so damned good when she knew he was injured, stoned, and half heartbroken about being forced to hide out?
"If I have to leave tomorrow, I won't be able to touch you for who knows how long. I want you to feel me for days, bella. In you, on you … my fist in your hair, fingers digging into your sides leaving marks, my teeth on your skin … everywhere."
Air caught in Jordyn's throat, keeping her words at bay. Heat pooled in her stomach, flooding straight to her clenching sex. She was sure wetness was already starting to dampen the sleep shorts she pulled on earlier in her haste to get out of the clothes Lucian's blood had stained.