Page 13 of Midnight Revelations

I organised another few details on my phone, emailing my secretary to clear my schedule for the next few days as I had a personal matter to attend to. My gaze snapped up when Lucrezia slipped into the room, her hand on the middle of the door as if that small gesture alone was enough to keep the wrath of Lucas Black behind a piece of wood.

“Problem?” I asked, setting my phone down beside me.

“Papa is furious,” she hissed in a low whisper. “He wanted me to go with him but I said I had a coffee date with a girl I was at school with. Apparently, Ivan told him I wasn’t free to meet him for coffee.”

I knew the little fucker wasn’t deterred last night. Considering that I was the one sleeping in her bed, I didn’t blame him.

Lucrezia’s expression was serious when she tried to silently activate the lock on the door. I crept across the room, my hands landing on her hips to tug her back into me. “What are you doing?”

Her eyes were huge when she spun around to face me. “Keeping you safe?”

My eyebrow cocked up. “You realise that a well-aimed kick will force that door open.”

She chewed the inside of her mouth. “Do you think I should put a chair under the handle?”

I laughed, lifted her around the waist, and carried her back to bed, settling myself in behind her as I curved my body around hers. “You are far too innocent for my world,” I said.

“You’ve corrupted me, now you have to keep me.” She tugged my arm around her waist like a blanket.

I wanted to corrupt her a whole lot more.

“Lucrezia!” Lucas boomed from the apartment.

She stiffened in my arms and groaned. “Stay here.” She pointed her finger at me from the side of the bed, an adorable little scowl on her face. I gave her my best smartass grin and her eyes narrowed in silent warning.

She was cute when she was riled up.

I watched her try to slip out of the room through the narrowest opening of the door that she could achieve. When she was gone, I put my black shirt and trousers on from last night, rolling my tie and putting it in the pocket of my jacket. At least my suit covered all occasions, Lucrezia would be labelled with the walk of shame emerging in last’s night dress this morning.

My phone pinged on the bed and I swiped it open.

Jordan:Started to decrypt files. This is worse than we thought. Where are you?

I rolled my eyes. Why did they all expect me to have nothing else happening in my life? Because I spent the past few years jumping every time someone needed something.

Me:Away for a few days on business for Dad. Tell you about it when I get back.

He would never ask and I would never have to create an elaborate web of lies.

Jordan:Seriously? We need you back here right now.

Me:I’ll try and sort things early.

There was no way I was cutting this trip short. I didn’t give a fuck about Malcolm or whatever was on those files. The only thing that mattered was the woman who was driving me slowly and deliciously insane.

My phone pinged again and I glared at it in accusation.

Xavier:J said you’re busy. What’s up?

Me:Dad business. I told him I’d be back in a few days.

Xavier:I can’t go far because of Cas, we need you home.

My back molars started to grind together.

Me:This isn’t up for debate. I’ll be back in a few days.

The silence was ominous and I wouldn’t put it past them to try and activate my tracker, which was why I currently had a jammer in my pocket. I was off the grid right now and they wouldn’t be able to find me unless I wanted to let them know my location.

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