Page 10 of Anton

“No thanks. You’d better get back to your man. I’m sure he’ll be expecting you to comfort him in his hour of need,” I teased.

“Sweetheart, he’s a man. You know we can’t even endure a minor cold without acting like we’re on our deathbed. He’ll be milking this for all it’s worth,” he said with a smirk, but the glint in his eye told me he was more than happy to play nursemaid to his lover.

“Well, you can get him to make it up to you when he’s feeling better,” I replied with a wink.

“Oh, I intend to, sweetheart,” he said, winking back. “Catch you later. Remember, if you need anything, let me know. Enjoy opening your presents, birthday girl.”

I flashed him a smile. “I will, thanks. And thanks again for bringing my gifts over.” With that, he waved and stepped out the door.

Once he was gone, I slumped onto the couch, the remnants of last night’s birthday party still swirling in my head. I glanced at the pile of gifts sitting on the coffee table, their brightly wrapped colours a sharp contrast to my weary mood. The sun streamed through the window, casting a warm glow that felt too bright against my hangover. For a moment, I let myself just sit there, absorbing the thoughtfulness behind each gift, feeling unexpectedly blessed to have so many people in my life who cared.

But I wasn’t in the mood to open them. My body ached all over, my head throbbing like the base from one of last night’s party tracks. The thought of tearing open the wrapping paper seemed like an impossible task, too much effort for myexhausted mind and limbs. I sank deeper into the couch, the cushions swallowing me up as I closed my eyes. I told myself I’d open the gifts later, when I could actually take the time to appreciate them. For now, I just needed to rest.

My phone vibrated on the table. Groaning, I cracked an eye open and squinted at the screen. It was Claire.

“Hey,” I answered, rubbing my temples.

“How are you feeling?” Her voice was light, the hint of a smirk clear in her tone.

“Like I’ve been run over by a bus,” I replied, my voice raspy. “I need to go back to bed and sleep for a week until I feel marginally human again. What are you doing up this early? I would have thought you’d be nursing a hangover too,” I grumbled. She sounded far too awake and alive, considering how much she had to drink last night.

Claire chuckled softly, though it sounded strained. “Marcie, it’s early afternoon. And I’ll no doubt be feeling like shit later after the coffee and painkillers wear off. Right now, I’m at court.”

“What? Why? I thought one of your colleagues was going to handle anything that came up for you today?” I asked, my brows furrowing.

Her sigh was deep, resigned. “Not this. Marcie, Luca was arrested last night,” she said, her voice dropping into that professional tone she used when she was holding herself together, but the slight hitch betrayed her. I felt my stomach twist in response, and the room seemed to tilt.

“Arrested? What the hell for? Is he okay? What happened? Did Miki ask you to help?” My words tumbled out in a frantic rush.

“He’s been charged with the rape and murder of one of his ex-girlfriends,” Claire said matter-of-factly. But there was no disguising the unease in her voice.

“No way! Luca would never do anything like that,” I protested, my voice rising in indignation. He wasn’t that sort of man. Luca might be Bratva, and I knew he’d done bad things, but he was a good man despite that. I refused to believe otherwise.

“I know. Miki asked me to help, and well… you know I don’t want to get involved in their Bratva stuff, but this isn’t about that. And the second I heard the charges, I knew they were wrong,” Claire said, her voice steadying as she regained her composure. “So, I agreed. Their lawyer had a heart attack and is still recovering, so I told Miki I would stand in for now. Just until they get a new lawyer or when theirs is up to the task.”

Relief washed over me, my worry easing a bit. Luca would be okay with Claire fighting in his corner. I knew she’d do everything in her power to make sure of that. “God, Luca must be worried sick. All the guys will be. None of them have ever faced anything like this. I’m glad you’re going to help. He’ll be happy you are there for him,” I told her, my voice quieter now as I tried to steady myself.

Claire huffed in response, but there was a softness to it. “Yeah, he is. I think he thought I might have believed him capable of what they’re charging him with. He was worried about that, but I told him straight up—I know he wouldn’t ever do anything like that.” Her words were fierce, and I could sense the loyalty and belief behind them. “Luca, and the Rominovs, might be a lot of things, but they don’t hurt women. They’d rather cut off a limb than do that. So, I’m happy to help however I can. I hated seeing him locked up. He’ll be stuck in a holding cell until court on Monday, but he should get bail then.”

“That’s shit. But at least he’ll be out on Monday, and then he can work on his defence,” I said, trying to focus on the positives, though they felt few and far between.

“Yeah,” Claire said, her voice lowering. “She was found in his flat, but other than that, the lack of evidence is astounding. There are so many holes in the information they’ve given me, it’s like a bloody joke. And not a funny one.” She exhaled sharply, frustration seeping through her words. “Still, it’ll take time to go through everything. Hopefully, we can get it dismissed before it even gets to court. But it’s a real concern for him and the Rominovs. Someone has obviously set him up.”

My stomach churned at the thought of it. “Well, in their line of business, I suppose it’s inevitable they gain an enemy or two. I just hope they get it sorted out soon for Luca’s sake,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady, though my thoughts were racing. Who would want to bring down Luca like this? And why?

“Me too.” Claire’s voice softened, a rare vulnerability creeping in. The weight of it settled in the air between us, heavy and palpable. “It’s just… a mess. And I hate seeing him like this.”

I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me. Claire might have friend-zoned Luca, but even so, I knew she had deeper feelings for him than she let on. She wasn’t ready to admit them, but this had to be tearing her apart.

“It’s really awful. When you see Luca, tell him I believe in him and I’m rooting for him,” I told her, the sincerity in my voice clear.

“Yeah, he’ll be glad of the support,” she replied, stifling a yawn.

“God, you must be exhausted. Have you been there all night?” I asked, my voice softer now. The thought of Claire, so fierce and driven, pushing through her exhaustion for Luca made my chest tighten. She was strong, but everyone had their breaking point, I couldn’t imagine how she was holding it together after the night she’d had.

“Yeah,” Claire replied, a tired laugh slipping through her words. “But I should be able to get out of here in a few minutes.I’m just waiting for some paperwork. Miki is going to take me home, then I’m going to hide under my covers and feel sorry for myself for the rest of the day.” Her tone was lighter now, but I could still hear the fatigue in her voice. I imagined her slumped in a chair, one hand pressed against her forehead, trying to stay awake just long enough to finish what she had to do before collapsing into the rest she desperately needed.

“Anyway, what happened with you and soldier boy last night? He insisted on taking you home, and I’m assuming he didn’t just drop you off and leave. I have to admit, I was impressed how he carried you off bride-style, not even caring that you’d puked your guts out all over him.” Claire’s teasing tone was back.

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