For once, I behaved and wrapped the robe around me. The toast and eggs were calling to me anyway. Once seated at the table, I started tucking in with relish.
“Now, tell me why you disobeyed me yesterday?”
My mouth hung open. “Why I diso—”
Luca stopped me with his hand. “Don’t start. Just answer the question.
“How can you say that? You’ve been keeping me prisoner here, and then you left without a word—nothing. I was angry with you for leaving me, and I was angry with you for not explaining to me where you were or what you were doing.”
Luca smiled. “At last we’re getting somewhere.” I shook my head in frustration. He was still determined to get a rise out of me. “You can deny what you feel for me as much as you want, but you can’t deny it to yourself. You cared about where I was.”
“I was angry that you left me here. You seem to keep forgetting that you’re holding me prisoner here.”
Luca smiled. “Who says that you’re a prisoner?”
I frowned. Did I just hear him correctly?
“Excuse me?”
“You can come and go as you please, within reason of course.”
I laughed. “Are you shitting me?”
“I shit you not. Has anyone here said you can’t go where you want to? All you have to do is ask.”
I shook my head. “That’s the thing. I’m a grown woman. I shouldn’t have to ask your permission.”
“It would seem after last night’s little stunt that you do.”
Bashing my fork down forcefully on the table, I glared at him. “You bastard. How dare you?! I was having a perfectly good night until you came along. I was with my girls, and we were having fun. I wasn’t causing a scene, or being outrageous. It was you who came into the club like a raging bull. It was you who charged his way in and made a beeline for Daniel. It was you who hauled me over your shoulder and dragged me out.”
At the mention of Daniel’s name, Luca growled. “Don’t fucking mention that snake again.”
“Why not?”
Luca banged the table. “Because he’s a fucking rapist!” I stared in disbelief. Did I just hear him correctly? “Yes, that’s right. If you had taken time to notice, then you would have realised that Daniel and Brett are sleazy scumbags. When Daniel bought that drink for you last night he spiked it with Rohypnol. He would have used it to sedate you and then sneak you out to force himself upon you. Once he was finished with you, then I should imagine it would have been Brett’s turn.” The look of murder on his face as he told me was evident.
“I—I—” I didn’t know what to say. I was too lost for words. I wasn’t normally, but this sudden, unexpected news had floored me.
Luca’s face softened a little at my obvious distress. Grabbing my hand, he gently stroked my palm. “I know this is a shock, but no matter what you think of me, my intentions with you are honourable. I was trying to protect you last night. I couldn’t tell you this at the time because you were so full of pent up rage that it would have been pointless.”
Suddenly, I was able to find my voice again. “How do you know this about them?”
“They came on my radar recently when a club owner complained to me about these two assholes calling themselves ‘Daniel’ and ‘Brett.’ Apparently, they’ve spiked a handful of girl’s drinks and then forced themselves upon them. The poor girls haven’t gone to the police for fear that no one would believe them. I was asked to look into it and deal with the problem.”
I stared at him for a moment. “How have you dealt with the problem?”
“I hadn’t had time to until one of my men called me last night and told me they were there in my club.”
“Your club?”
He nodded. “Yes. My club. They had dared to taint my club with their filth. I wasn’t going to have that. I asked the man to describe you to me so that I knew where to find you when I came. When he did, I got suspicious. I demanded that he find out exactly who you were and after a bit of digging they said your name was Clara Murphy.”
I thought for a moment about how that could be, but then I remembered I had to show my I.D. when I asked for drinks.
“How did the barman even remember my name?”
Luca looked angry. “Why do you think? You really think you can look like you do and that nobody will notice?”
“Why does that thought seem to anger you?”
Luca growled. “Because you are mine!”
I should have been angry with his stern statement, but all it did was hit me straight between my legs. I really wished he didn’t affect me like that.