“Luna, stop!” he protested. “You’ve got this all wrong!”
“Who the fuck do you think you’re talking to?” I snarled. “You’re keepingtwosets of books and skimming a fuckton off the top because you think you can take advantage of this himbo simpleton. Well, you cannot.”
Panting hard, I waited for my next opening as Ignatius yanked at the doorknob.
“I love your energy,” Luke said. “It’s unmatched, Luna.”
“Now, let me do this myself,” I snapped back at him.
“Of course,” he said. “I’m here for moral support only.”
I hit Ignatius again, then again, very satisfying painful blows on his back and side.
“Where’s the money?” I snarled. “What did you do with it?”
Ignatius finally abandoned the door, and this time my swing missed. The disgusting criminal lurched forward like he was going to grab the stick from me, stumbling heavily in my direction. But he had barely taken a few halting lunges forward when Luke’s arm shot out, his hand wrapping around Ignatius’ throat.
There was something truly terrifying about the calm and pleasant voice Luke used as his fingers tightened around Ignatius’ neck.
“Steal my money if you like, but threatening Luna, now you’ve pissed me off.”
The other man tried unsuccessfully to claw his hands away, but Luke was too strong. Ignatius was literally turning purple before my eyes as Luke yanked him up by the throat and then slammed his head back on the wall.
Those goddamn pregnancy hormones were flooding through me and for a terrifying moment bloodlust rushed through my body and I wanted Luke tokillIgnatius.
Then my sense returned and I darted at Luke, pulling at his T-shirt. I felt the hard lines of muscle underneath my hand, the flat taut stomach, lined with a record ofmylife.
“Stop!” I said sharply. “You can’t kill him, too many people around!”
I had no idea why I said something so practical, but either way he stopped immediately.
Ignatius staggered away, rubbing his throat and gasping.
“Where’s the money?” I asked. “Give it back and maybe we won’t call the police.”
“I spent it,” he said.
“Then I guess maybe Luke should kill you.”
“Be careful, Luna,” Ignatius said. “This guy’s a fucking psychopath.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, to stall for time.
“Ask him,” Ignatius said, rubbing his throat. “Ask him about that time at the group home. If you try to fuck with me, maybe I’ll share some of what I’ve found out.”
Then he finally rattled the door open and shot off outside.
“Should I go after him?” Luke asked.
“No,” I said. Because suddenly, things began to fall into place, and I saw what maybe should have been obvious all along.
“Luke,” I said, “You killed my brother, didn’t you?”
CHAPTER 17
Luke
Iwasn’t sure about letting Ignatius go. It wasn’t that I cared about the money, but I didn’t like how he had made a move toward Luna. Would he have hurt her?