I didn’t know why Big Muscle Man was worried for my wellbeing. He looked as though he could crush someone as soon as look at him or her.
Pretty soon, I had two pairs of arms holding both ends of me as they practically dragged me back into the house. All of this was a purposeful tactic so that I could delay them from going back inside. I needed Thomas to make sure they all came back out where he went in.
As I was being dragged back, I quickly glanced in that direction to see if I could see any movement. I thought I saw the door open slightly, and that was enough for me to know that he was coming back out. I went willingly after that.
The minute we walked through the door, all hell broke loose. Luca was standing like a bull about to charge, and that time his glare was frightening.
“Who the fuck did this to her?” His voice was rumbling like thunder.
“She tried to run, and then she was rude to Tony,” Michel tried, but ultimately failed to explain his actions.
With one swift lunge, Luca floored him with a single punch. “Don’t you ever touch her again. Do you hear me? I don’t want anyone—and I mean anyone—to touch a hair on her head. You got that?” They all nodded their heads timidly before Luca turned his glare towards the heap on the floor. “Get him out of my sight.” Michel was swiftly brought to his feet and led out the front door.
“Are you okay?” Luca cupped my face in his hands and inspected my lip. “Let go of her!” he commanded.
The two men holding onto my arms immediately dropped their hands.
“Tony, go and get some ice. I’m taking Clara to her room, which is…”
“Top floor.” I couldn’t believe how compliant I was being. It was probably from the shock of it all.
Luca bent down, whisked me up into his arms, and carried me up to the top floor. I snuggled into his shoulder and breathed in the heavenly scent from his neck. My God, he smelt good.
Outside my door, he looked down at me. “Clara, I need your code.”
“What?” I asked a little dazed still.
“The code for your door.”
I chuckled a little. “As if I’m telling you!”
“This is not the time for games. You need looking after.”
I looked into his eyes and couldn’t believe what I was seeing. “Anyone would think you actually cared for me.”
Luca sighed. “I do care. Despite what you think. Now please tell me the code. I want to take care of you.”
With his sincere smile now in place, I melted. The numbers just flew out of my mouth before my brain engaged. “Two, four, two, one.”
“Good girl.”
“Why do you keep saying that?” I snapped.
Luca punched the code in and swung the door open. “Saying what?”
“Good girl. You talk to me like I’m a five-year-old.”
“Sometimes, you act like one.”
Quickly, my senses started to come back, and I could instantly feel the anger rising again. “You’re an arsehole.”
“My point exactly.”
I folded my arms in front of my chest and sighed heavily. All that did was reward me with another mischievous “See? I do know everything.” smile.
“Are you okay?” he asked again as knocks began sounding on the door.
“I’m fine.”
Luca answered the door to admit Tony, who came in with some ice and a friendly smile on his face.
“I apologise for Michel’s behaviour, Miss Murphy.” He handed Luca the ice.
“And why the fuck didn’t you do anything about it?” Luca was obviously still mad.
“Don’t shout at him; he was nice.” I couldn’t believe I was sticking up for him.
Tony smiled, and I smiled back—even though it was painful to do so.
“You think he’s nice?”
I saw how pissed off Luca looked, but that only made me more stubborn. “Yes, I do.”
Luca looked across to Tony, and then at me, and then back to Tony again. “Get out!”
Tony nodded. “Yes, boss.”
I smiled timidly again as Tony walked out the door. “Why did you have to be so rude to him?”
“You thought he was nice.”
I chuckled. “Erm… I think we established that a minute ago.”
“It looks as though he thinks you’re nice, too.” Luca grabbed a towel and placed the ice inside.
“So what if he does? I think a lot of people are nice.”
“I don’t like it.”
“What?” I was dumbfounded.
He looked up from the ice and stared at me. “I don’t like it.”
I gasped. “Luca, you only met me yesterday.”
He knelt down in front of me, causing my breathing to pick up that little bit. He placed the towel at my lip, and I winced slightly.