Step Bride: A Bad Boy Mob Roman(59)
I nodded. “I know.”
He kissed me softly. I kissed him back, wrapping my arms around him.
Camille cleared her throat. We broke apart.
“What about Franklin?” Camille asked.
“Don’t worry about him. Just follow me,” Lucas said.
“But he’s in danger, isn’t he?”
I glared at Camille. “Stop. Just listen to Lucas.”
She nodded, frowning.
“Okay. We’re heading out now. Stay close to me. Don’t run. Got it?”
“Got it,” I said.
“Come on.”
I grabbed the suitcase and followed him, Camille right on my heels.
We moved out into the hall and started heading in what I assumed was the direction of the garage. I was instantly lost after only a few turns.
We didn’t see anyone, or at least we didn’t see an unusual number of people. The whole place was quiet, which wasn’t a surprise since it was so late at night. But it felt eerie, strange, and unnerving. We were running for our lives through an enormous mansion, but that mansion was empty. The only sounds were our footsteps and the wheels of the suitcase rolling behind me.
We went down a series of short halls that finally opened up into the kitchen. Lucas stopped and turned toward us.
“Garage is coming up,” he said. “Things might get hairy up there. Just stay behind me, okay?”
“Got it,” I said.
We began walking again, but I could tell that Camille wasn’t following. I stopped and turned toward her.
“Come on,” I said. “We have to move.”
She frowned at me. “Sorry, kiddo,” she said, “but I have to help Franklin.”
“Camille,” Lucas growled, “it’s too late for him. We have to go.”
“Wait for me,” she said before turning and running back down the hall.
“Wait!” I said, but before I could go after her, Lucas grabbed me.
“Stop,” he growled. “Stop struggling.”
“Let me go. I have to get her!”
“Natalie, listen to me,” he said fiercely. “She made her choice, over and over again. She doesn’t care about you. Why do you care about her?”
“She’s my mom. She’s all I have left.”
“I know,” he said. “I’m sorry. But she chose this. You have to let her go.”
I knew he was right. I knew I couldn’t keep paying for her mistakes, couldn’t keep letting her bad choices affect me.
So I relaxed. Lucas let me go. “Ready?” he asked.
“Ready.”
We began walking again through the kitchen. The staff ignored us entirely and obviously didn’t care. Lucas even nodded to a few people, and they smiled back.
Soon we turned a corner and moved out into the garage. It was packed with cars, rows and rows of cars. Lucas led me toward the back, closest to the doors.
Standing there were two armed guards. Lucas held his hand up and stopped me. They were looking in our direction, probably because they had heard my suitcase, but hadn’t seen us yet.
“I’ll take care of them,” he said.
I nodded, terrified, as he stepped out into the light.
“Evening, guys,” he said.
“Boss,” the one guy answered.
“I need a car tonight.”
He nodded. “Where you going? Arturo said we’re to monitor all cars that leave here.”
“I got a package to deliver.”
“Where to?”
He narrowed his eyes. “Not your business. Now get me the keys.”
“Sorry, Lucas,” the other guy said. “Did your father approve this?”
“I approved this,” Lucas growled.
“Sorry,” the guy said again. “Orders are orders.”
Lucas moved so fast I barely followed. His fist shot out, catching the first guy in his throat. He doubled over. The second man stepped back, reaching for his gun. Lucas quickly grabbed the gun, forcing the guy back. He kicked the guy in the groin and smashed him in the face with his forehead. He toppled down.
The first guy came at Lucas. They tumbled down, but Lucas quickly twisted his body, landing on top. He smashed his fists into the guard’s face until the man stopped moving.
Lucas quickly got up and checked the other man, disarming him.
“Natalie,” he called out, “come on.”
I moved out toward him, fear lancing through me.
“It’s okay,” he said. “Come on.”
Lucas grabbed a pair of keys from the second guard’s pockets and hit the unlock button. The big SUV two cars over blinked; it was the same SUV Franklin usually drove.
“Probably here to make sure he didn’t run,” Lucas said.
“Are they okay?” I asked him.
He shrugged. “They’ll live. Get in.”