Page 83 of Axel

But Ruby ismybusiness.

And her protection is my vow.

“Mr. Cummings.” Politely, Luca rises from his mammoth desk to greet me. “Pastor Rutledge.” He shakes Sire’s hand, too. “Please, come in.”

As the CEO of The Mercier Hotels, Luca’s office is impressive, but his rich Greek accent is inviting. He gestures for us to settle into the seating area, a circle of Grecian blue velvet chairs by the window in his office.

“My wife drove our daughter to school,” Luca shares. “She’ll be joining us momentarily.”

As Luca’s assistant asks for our drink requests, Scarlettappears. She’s obviously Ruby’s sister, equally stunning with her long, auburn hair and fierce blue eyes. The Jones sisters are a force, I can tell.

I’ll never stop feeling guilty, suspecting that I triggered Ruby’s seizure. That I evoked the fear she used to have of her predatory stepfather.

But I note the jagged scar through Scarlett’s eyebrow. The bruises on her knuckles like she’s been sparring. The way she lifts her chin like her little sister. The way she glares suspiciously at me, and I see it now—how the sisters protected each other.

Like Ruby, Scarlett doesn’t easily trust men, and I understand.

But it’s reassuring how she sits lovingly beside her husband, Luca, and tenderly accepts his kiss before she glares at me.

“Why isn’t Ruby here?” She demands to know, “That’s who we’re here for? Right? My sister works for you? Because I’m not talking about her behind her back.”

Zar laughs. “Damn, Red, way to come out swinging.”

“We’re here,” I answer, “because your sister is a wildfire who’d burn my world to ash if she knew I was meeting with you.”

“Ah, I see.” Luca rumbles a deep chuckle. “The professional has turned personal.” He nods. “No judgment. We’re just as guilty in this room.”

“Fine.” Scarlett softens. “This is personal. But why is Charleston’s celebrity pastor here, too?”

“I’m here to vouch for Mr. Cummings,” Sire answers smoothly. “We’ve been friends for years, and I can attest to his character in this matter.”

“What matter?” Scarlett presses, and I can see why a powerful man like Luca Mercier married her. She’s his equal. She’s his soulmate.

Luca and Scarlett make me feel like I’m looking in a mirror. Like Ruby is my soulmate, she’s as equally terrifying and tender as I can be.

I begin, “I understand that Ms. Jones is scheduled to go on vacation with her sisters.”

Scarlett arches her scarred brow. “….and?”

“And,” I fight my smile at her ferocity. It’s familiar. “And I need to discuss her security. Her protection.”

I catch how Luca squeezes Scarlett’s thigh before he glowers. “Exactlywhodoes my sister-in-law need protection from, Mr. Cummings?”

“My business has its risks.”

“But you’re a property lawyer.” Luca’s not buying it. “How risky can that be?” But he plays along.

“We have some nefarious clients, some disgruntled ones, too. And as a member of my staff, it puts Ms. Jones at risk.”

It’s not a lie.

Disturbed clients have targeted legal teams before. I even clocked how Bill Ratcliffe seethed at Ruby in the courtroom. Like the predator he is, he was silently threatening her, too, and it’s a matter of weeks before I kill that piece of shit.

“So you’re saying my sister is in danger? From what?” Scarlett’s equally callingbullshiton me. “A house sale that went wrong?”

“I also take pro bono cases,” I explain. “I represent disenfranchised tenants to survivors of sex trafficking and?—”

“And that’s where I come in.” Sire gets my back. He’s not lying about this, either. “My church is a safe harbor. We have a rescue mission and offer survivor support. Mr. Cummings and his staff seek legal justice for the survivors we help, which puts them at risk of retaliation. I assure you he’s a good man in a dangerous business.”

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