Page 95 of Lucian

“I wasn’t.”

“I hate how this works sometimes between you and me,” Jordyn told him as his hand cupped her jaw. “I get a phone call, some car shows up, I’m told I have to leave, and that’s it. I’m left to wonder and worry until I see your face, and even that really doesn’t help by the end of it.”

“Better to get you to a safe place than waste time with information.”

Jordyn stared him down, frustration rising. “It’s not for me!”

“I’m sorry, but that’s how it works.”

“What do we do now?” Jordyn asked, waving at nothing.

“About the threat on me, we wait until next time.”

Something awful lodged in her throat. “Wait for the next time?”

Lucian didn’t bother to avert his gaze from hers as he replied, “Wait and hope the next time, it’s not so vague, and someone messes up. There will be next time, and it limits down the people every time.”

“I don’t like that,” Jordyn mumbled. “Just play dumb and wait to be killed.”

“No one’s killing me. Quit it.”

Jordyn sighed, knowing she wasn’t going to get anywhere with him on this. “Thank you.”

Lucian’s dark brow rose. “For what?”

“Keeping your promise and giving me safety. Taking me out of something I couldn’t escape myself. Being you, I guess.”

“Only for you, bella mia.” Then, Lucian grinned, his teasing manner back in a flash. “Besides, something good came from this.”

“Oh?” Jordyn snorted and rolled her eyes. “I doubt that.”

“Sure. I get to go car shopping next week. What man doesn’t want a reason to buy a new car? You can help me pick.”

Jesus Christ.

“That’s awful,” she told him seriously. “It’s not even funny. Frankly, it’s pretty damn close to being worthy of you sleeping somewhere else besides with me tonight.”

“Car shopping is serious business, Jordyn. I would never joke about it.” Lucian stood, leaning down to kiss her forehead. “Speaking of tonight, you don’t mind staying here, do you? It’s late, and I’m not in the mood to have a car drive us back to Manhattan. Antony already called about the Mercedes in storage for me to use until I get another vehicle, but that won’t be here until morning.”

“His Mercedes? How many cars does he have?”

Lucian shrugged, looking uncomfortable. “I collect guns, he collects cars. Besides, it’s the only vehicle in his fleet with bulletproof glass.”

Great, Jordyn thought. Because he needs that, now.

“I want to go to sleep,” she said instead of voicing her thoughts. “This day needs to end already.”

Lucian chuckled. “Okay, we can do that. Big day tomorrow, after all.”

Damn it. Jordyn barely hid her groan. In the excitement over the day, she’d completely forgotten the party tomorrow evening. Dante and Lucian both happened to have birthdays within days of one another. Lucian would be turning twenty-eight in a week, and Dante was turning twenty-seven that coming Wednesday. Apparently the men often shared one party together as they were just a year apart in age and had the same interest when it came to a proper celebration.

Up until earlier, she’d been looking forward to the party. It would be the first time they all went out together and had fun just to have fun. Jordyn wasn’t sure this was the right time for a party after what happened.

“Are you sure it’s the best time for this?”

“Gio’s gift to us was the VIP section of his club for Saturday. He’s got it booked up for the next six months. Other than that, Marcellos don’t hide, Jordyn. We’re not fearful men.”

“Maybe that’s the problem, Lucian. You have no fear.”