The Rock Star Neighbour(14)

She didn't see any photographers there. Lucy didn't even know how they  would have known that she was Tommy's niece. As she read through the  article she saw that they had known they were staying at Tommy's motel  and there was a picture of her and Nick standing arm in arm talking to  Xanther. Lucy shook her head and felt bile rise in her throat. She  didn't need this, she didn't want this. Xanther didn't deserve this. She  hadn't told him who her family was. Lucy chewed her lip in worry.

"Excuse me are you going to buy that?" the man behind the counter asked.

Lucy looked up and nodded her head as she put it on the counter to pay  for her fuel. The man looked down at the paper and pointed to her.

"Hey that's you" he said. "You're a Russo hey? What's it like being in the mob?"

Lucy looked at him blankly shaking her head before frowning. Her brain couldn't comprehend what was going on.

"Yeah it's fine" she said absently as she handed over some cash for her fuel and left getting back in the car.

With shaking hands Lucy dialled her mum's number. She was relieved that Melinda answered on the first ring.

"Mum?" Lucy cried as tears welled up and fell down her cheeks.

"Oh sweetheart, I've heard, Tommy rang me" she said "Are you alright?"

"It's worse mum. It's in the newspaper. I've just seen it. They know who I am" Lucy cried.

"Oh Luc, oh no" Melinda said sadly "we will get through it. Come home I'll be waiting for you alright?"

Lucy agreed and hung up the phone. She drove back to her house in daze.  As she got to Xanther's driveway, Lucy quickly swerved in at the last  minute. She saw a car she didn't recognise in the driveway. Lucy shook  her head and put her car in reverse and as she was about to pull out,  she saw Xanther come outside and wave at her. Lucy killed the engine and  got out slowly. His face was pale and he wore a frown, he nodded as he  looked into the passenger seat and saw the newspaper that she had  bought.                       
       
           



       

"I'm sorry Lucy that I left. My manager rang me and told me that the media rang her asking for information" Xanther said.

Lucy frowned and shook her head suddenly feeling a surge of anger.

"Why couldn't you tell me? Why couldn't you warn me? I mean I know  you're the big star and all but did you see what they said about me?"  Lucy asked suddenly pulling the paper from the car and waving it about  his head.

Xanther dropped his head and looked down at his boots.

"Yeah I did" he said quietly "is it true? Is Tommy the mob boss?"

Lucy shrugged her shoulder before nodding. She turned and looked away as she blinked her tears away.

"Shit. Why didn't you tell me?" Xanther asked.

Lucy shrugged again shook her head.

"How would I do that?" she said with exhaustion in her voice "I've spent  my whole life trying to get away from it. Hiding it. It's not something  that you just tell people"

Xanther nodded his head and stepped toward her reaching out for Lucy and pulling her into his chest.

"I'm sorry I left Lucy. I panicked. I heard about what they were going to print and I didn't want to pull you into it." he said.

Lucy looked up at Xanther and shook her head.

"I'm already in it. I'd rather walk through the fire with you by my side rather than alone" she said sadly.

Xanther sucked in a breath and pulled her against him tightly.

"God damn it I'm sorry baby I really am. I don't want to lose you. I  don't want the shit that this lifestyle brings come between us" he said.

Lucy looked up at Xanther and smiled.

"So don't let it" she said.

Xanther leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips as he leaned down  and grasped her backside. They both jumped when they heard someone  clearing their voice behind them. When Lucy turned she saw Melinda  standing with her arms folded across her chest. Xanther looked down at  Lucy and stepped in front of her. Lucy put her hand on his arm.

"Xanther, this is my mum Melinda, mum this is Xanther" Lucy said.

Xanther instantly relaxed and reached out his hand to Melinda.

"So you're the rock star that breaks my daughter's heart and has her  Uncle Tommy wanting to whack someone" Melinda said with a frown, but  Lucy could recognise the glint of humour in her eyes.

Xanther paled as he looked quickly between Lucy and Melinda.

"He's not going to have anyone whacked. Mum, stop it" Lucy warned as Melinda's lips curled at the edges in a smirk.

Xanther sighed a breath of relief putting his hand on his chest.

"Damn, niece of a damned mafia boss" Xanther muttered.

Lucy and Melinda both turned to him and raised their eyebrow. He shot his hands up in surrender.

"Sorry, sorry I won't mention it" Xanther said again paling.

Lucy and Melinda looked at each other and smiled before looking back at Xanther and smiling sweetly at him.

"Right what are we going to do about this newspaper article?" Melinda said.

Xanther nodded and ran his hand through his hair as he handed Melinda the paper. She shook her head and clucked her tongue.

"Oh dear this is a mess. Tommy isn't going to be happy" Melinda said with a shake of her head.

"With me?" Xanther asked, his face paling slightly again.

Melinda looked up at Xanther and shook her head.

"No with" she said looking down at the paper "with this Martin Robertson reporter"

Lucy looked up and shook her head; she hadn't even thought to look at who wrote the article.

"For fucks sake" Lucy spat

"Luciana, language" Melinda growled.

"Sorry, but that was one of the reporters hanging about here" Lucy groaned.

Xanther groaned and ran his hand through his hair.

"I've got my manager working on a statement to release, the question is  do you want me to admit that we are together or not?" Xanther asked  Lucy.

Lucy looked at her mum.

"It's up to you sweetheart. Do you want to be in a relationship with  Xanther? If not that's fine, you can walk away, our family has faced far  worse than this" Melinda said waving the paper slightly.                       
       
           



       

Lucy nodded her head. The one thing about being a well-known crime  family they had faired their share of bad publicity over the years and  Lucy knew that it would all blow over. Lucy just wasn't sure that she  wanted to walk away from Xanther. She didn't know him very well, she  hadn't known him for very long, but he did things to her that made her  heart flutter, he made her feel beautiful with just one look and she  wasn't sure she was ready to get off the ride yet.

"I'm not going anywhere yet. Unless you want me to" Lucy said to Xanther.

He smiled and pulled her into his chest, kissing her gently until Melinda cleared her throat again.

"I'll give Simone a call and organise for her to make sure that the  statement says that we are together and then I think I better tell you  some things" Xanther said with a nod.

Lucy nodded and watched as he went back inside his house. Melinda took Lucy's hand and looked into her eyes.

"Are you sure you want to go through this?" Melinda asked with concern.

Lucy nodded her head.

"I can't explain it Mum, but I feel something, for the first time I feel  truly happy. And when I found out that he had left this afternoon it  really broke my heart." Lucy explained.

Melinda nodded and pulled her daughter into her arms.

"Then jump on it and ride it through sweetheart" Melinda said with a smile.

Lucy smiled at her mum and nodded.

"I'm going to head home, give me a ring later tonight and let me know the outcome alright?" Melinda said.

Lucy smiled again giving her mum another hug before she left.





Chapter Seventeen

Lucy turned and went inside the house looking for Xanther who was standing in the kitchen on the phone.

"Yes I do love her Simone and yes I am sure and yes I want this" Xanther barked down the phone.

There was silence again and he ran his hand through his hair as Lucy realised that he didn't know she was there.

"Yes it's more than just sex. I've never felt this way before" he explained.

Lucy felt like she should walk back away but something couldn't help but  hold her there, it was as if she wanted to make sure while he didn't  know she was there that he did actually want her.

"I haven't been this happy since before Georgie got sick." he said  "Simone, I think I finally found the woman who can make me right again"

Lucy blinked back her tears as she quickly turned and left the house,  running her hands through her hair. Her heart was racing. She couldn't  believe that he felt that way about her. It was moving so fast she  thought.

"Lucy I meant what I said" Xanther called to her.

Lucy stopped in her tracks and turned to see Xanther looking at her with his curled smile.

"I didn't mean to listen in, I'm sorry" Lucy said dropping her head.