Page 29 of Luca

“Either sounds possible, babe. But my money is on the latter. Has she ever given you reason to doubt her before?”

“No, never.” Her eyes filled with unshed tears as the truth sunk deep.

“She was a close friend of my mum’s; I’ve known her all my life,” she said. Then her face took on a look of horror.

“Do you think that means my mum could have been corrupt too?” she asked, her voice thick with anxiety. I recalled the stories Claire had shared about her mother, a dedicated officer with the London Metropolitan Police Force, whose life had ended abruptly when her car skidded off the road during a storm last January. I could see the shadows of doubt creeping into Claire’s eyes, a fear that threatened to unravel the memories she held dear.

“No, babe. I’m certain she wasn’t. This woman may be corrupt, or she could have been coerced; we really don’t know all the details yet. But your mum’s integrity isn’t in question here.”

She nodded, but her lips trembled and she quickly swiped at a single tear.

God, I wanted to hug her. I fisted my hands, furious at this Traynor woman and how with a few short words she’d rocked the very foundations of Claire’s belief in her whole world.

Claire bit her lip as I continued. “Your mum brought you up to fully believe in the justice system and those who enforce it. I doubt she would have instilled such a strong belief in you if she hadn’t believed that herself. Don’t let any of this tarnish your mum’s memory.”

My words seemed to calm her, and she smiled in relief.

However, I wasn’t calm. I maintained the outward appearance of it, but inside, my guts were twisting. I needed to make sure my Little Miss Sexy Ass was protected. Claire could be in real danger. So could Bradley and his family. Who knew what the MP had planned? I needed to make sure they all remained safe.

“Claire, your safety is the most important thing. Bradley’s too. I want out of here, but not at the expense of any of you getting hurt. Call Miki and tell him what happened, and do whatever he says for you to stay safe,” I told her firmly.

“I can’t do my job properly if I’m being followed about all the time,” she said angrily.

The cute frown and pursed lips made me long to kiss her. God, how I ached to kiss her. As soon as I got out of there, that was one of the first things I vowed I would do. I shook my head and forced my thoughts back to her safety.

“Miki will ensure your security is discreet, but I won’t budge on this, Claire. You need to be protected. I won’t risk anything happening to you. I couldn’t live with that,” I told her truthfully.

She gulped and looked me in the eye before quickly dropping hers.

“These people are dangerous, Claire. Promise me you’ll be careful. Let Miki handle your security. Do what he says—no arguments.”

“Okay,” she said softly, with a weary slump of her shoulders.

“Time’s up,” the prison officer said, and Claire reluctantly packed her notebook away. She turned to me, her eyes shimmering with worry. “Be careful, Luca. I couldn’t bear for anything to happen to you either.”

“I will, babe. Don’t worry about me. Just make sure you do what I said. Talk to Miki and follow his instructions, and I’ll see you soon.”

As she left the room, my heart raced with a mixture of hope and dread. Claire was everything I never knew I needed, and the thought of losing her sent a shiver down my spine. I wouldn’t let that happen—whatever it took, I’d protect her.

CHAPTER 17

CLAIRE

THAT SAME DAY – THE THREATS ARE REAL

“Time’s up,” the prison officer said, and I reluctantly packed up. Tears threatened to spill as I faced the harsh reality of leaving Luca trapped in this cold, dangerous place. The thought of something happening to him again made my stomach churn.

“Be careful, Luca. I couldn’t bear for anything to happen to you either,” I told him, and I meant every word. The man had got under my skin and there was no denying the fact that my heart wanted him even if my mind was still reluctant to agree.

“I will, babe. Don’t worry about me. Just make sure you do what I told you. Talk to Miki and follow his instructions, and I’ll see you soon,” he replied as I left the room.

When I first saw the state of his bruised face, I was desperate to go to him and hold him tight. The watchful eyes of the prison guards monitoring the cameras were all that held me in check.

The past hour with Luca had been a whirlwind of emotions. After my conversation with Elizabeth, I grappled with her veiled threats, struggling to maintain control. Each bruise on my sexy Russian’s face deepened my turmoil.

We suspected the MP might try something since Luca hadn’t been granted bail, but I had hoped the guy wasn’t behind that,and it was down to the judges caving under the media pressure. Knowing that wasn’t the case frightened me.

Rage coursed through me. How dare anyone lay a hand on Luca?! Elizabeth’s implications only added to the danger. The thought that the MP had not only framed Luca but was manipulating the very system I believed in to secure his conviction sickened me.

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