Damn, I’m tired.
I sink into the office chair and watch him gulp down his food. My shoulders tense as I wait for Luc to appear in the doorway. Thankfully he leaves us alone.
“Your daddy is a bit of a psycho. Don’t worry, I’ll get us out of here.” My voice barely rises over a whisper.
When he finishes the bottle, I stand up and drape him over my shoulder, lightly tapping his back. I pace the room, studying the dusty books on the shelves. I turn around and Luc’s standing next to me.
I just manage to bite back a scream.
“Jesus.”
My heart pounds somewhere in my throat as he crosses his arms, watching me with a curious expression on his face.
“Sorry.”
A chiming sound rings downstairs, and Luc uncrosses his arms, glass hardening over his features again.
“Follow me.”
Clutching Étienne to my chest, I descend the stairs after Luc.
“Luc, c’est moi. Open!”
A man’s muffled voice booms through the old-fashioned wooden door. Luc peers through the vertical windows beside the door and then takes my hand, leading me to the sparsely furnished living room. I sink into a leather couch, rubbing Étienne’s back almost as though it’s for my own comfort. Rough hands grab my bare shoulders and warmth shoots up my spine when his eyes cut into mine.
“Stay here.”
Sit. Stay. He really is talking to me like a fucking dog.
“What’s wrong?”
“He’s here.”
Luc straightens and runs a hand through his hair before he walks toward the door.
Maybe it’s the tension in his voice, but I can’t help but clutch my baby to my chest. The door swings open and a man in a slim black suit walks into the foyer. Luc embraces him, kissing him on both cheeks.
“Hi, John.”
I stand up without realizing, my heart pounding against Étienne’s chest. John, the boss of the Cravotta Family? The one who probably has men on the streets, looking for me to end my life?
They still haven’t looked in my direction.
“How are you?” Without waiting for the response, he continues. “Did you find her?”
Luc shoves his hands deep in his pockets and turns my way. “Yeah, I found her.”
Johnny follows his gaze and sees me. His face twists in a scowl, and then he notices the baby at my chest. “What the fuck?”
“Exactly my reaction.”
I back away instinctively as he storms into the living room, his fists clenched at his sides. Luc follows close behind him, his face extremely tense. Johnny stares at the baby in my arms, his features hardening.
Don’t look at me like that, asshole.
“I have a son.” His voice blackens. “She didn’t want me to know.”
“How can you be sure he’s yours?”
“He’s mine.”
“She could have been fucking around for all you know. The bitch testified against you.”
Luc’s jaw makes a tic. “He’s my boy. Just look at him.”
He does, glancing from our baby’s face to Luc. Deep down I feel a ripple of anger.
“I never fucked around.” Asshole.
Luc’s eyes flick to me, warning me to be quiet.
“And why the fuck is she wearing a collar?”
Oh God. I forgot about the stupid thing. My face heats up as a grin tightens Luc’s face. He shrugs.
“I’m teaching her lessons in obedience.”
Johnny holds up a hand, stemming further elaboration. “Whatever.”
“What I do behind closed doors is my business.”
Jesus Christ.
The only sound in the room is Étienne’s fussing. The raised voices are upsetting him. A stab of anxiety hits me as Johnny addresses Luc, seething.
“We need to talk. Now.”
“I’ll put him to bed.”
The look that John throws makes me flinch. I’ve never seen such open hostility. His lip curls as I walk past him, cringing. I expect knives in my back—a few solid punches—but he lets me walk away unscathed. I run to the nursery and quickly lull Étienne to sleep, hearing their raised voices through the vent in the corner.
“She ratted us all out, and you bring her back here? What were you thinking?”
“I was thinking of my son. You have one, don’t you?”
“Don’t you fucking pull that shit on me! You know what needs to be done!”
“Circumstances have changed.”
“How? Tell me how the fuck have they changed?”
“I’m a father. That changes everything.”
It’s like hearing a sparring match. I can almost imagine both of them standing within inches of each other’s faces, screaming.
“What the fuck do you think is going to happen when the RCMP realizes you kidnapped one of their witnesses?”