Page 33 of Weaponized

He winks.

That’s when I feel it. Luca. I search the room, knowing he’s here, looking at me. What I find takes my breath away.

Luca is standing next to his brother and some other guy I don’t recognize in the corner of the room, not far from the ring. Both brothers are glaring over here with a fury that I’m not sure I’ve seen from them before. What the hell? He knew I was coming tonight. That look can’t be for me?

I catch his eye and smile but his cold expression remains. I blow him a kiss. His look doesn’t change. Huh.

I look at Matteo to find him glaring at Rowan. Is it because he’s not right next to me? Is he pissed off on Luca’s behalf? My brother is too busy comforting Elizabeth and watching the current match to notice. Finally, the bigger of the two fighters is knocked unconscious by the billionaire’s kid with a knee to the face. It’s over. Taryn is doing some weird happy dance. There are other cheers and boos.I get shoved a bit and I look up to see Luca step forward with a rabid snarl on his face. However, that’s when Matteo and his opponent are announced.

Luca snarls something to Matteo, who seems to bark a quick response. I don’t know if they are always this intense or if something is wrong.

Matteo’s opponent steps into the ring and dances around, pointing at Matteo and beating his own chest. The crowd loves it. Matteo just stands there, inside the cage, legs apart, arms down by his sides, looking furious. He glances up this way again, as if he is not even paying attention to the fact he’s about to be punched in the face.

The air horn blasts and Matteo is off like a bullet. He nearly takes the guy’s head off with the first punch and blood sprays across the ring. He then gives a blow to this guy’s body, followed by an uppercut to his jaw. Elizabeth gasps next to me. The guy goes down and that’s it. In three punches, the fight is over. Some guys from the opposite corner come to carry their friend out of the ring. The crowd increases its volume.

I expect Luca and Matteo to head back out the same way they came in, but that isn’t what happens. As soon as Matteo’s opponent hits the mat, Luca is pushing his way through the crowd to me. I’m getting juggled around as people move to see what’s happening. I assume this isn’t normal given how the crowd is reacting to this development. Liam pulls me and Taryn back, an arm around each of us. “Careful.”

Luca’s eyes are wild. He is swatting people out of his way like flies. He steps right in front of me, breathing hard. Liam drops his arm and takes a step back. Luca makes a noise that sounds like some sort of animal.He is literally vibrating with anger. Suddenly, I’m very clear on what’s happening. I had no idea my talking to Liam would elicit this reaction. It’s so extreme I’m having trouble comprehending that this is happening. How can he possibly bethisupset? I’ve seen Luca glare before, when guys look at me, but nothing has prepared me for this level of wrath.

People are staring and there are murmurs all around us. While I know we will have to discuss this later, it’s obvious Luca is in absolutely no headspace to have any type of rational conversation. In fact, I’m afraid someone is going to get hurt. Maybe killed. This is the Luca that was outlined in my father’s file.

I do the only thing I can think of. I step right between the two men, and Luca immediately tries to move me out of the way. I may go to hell for this, but I fake a little stagger as though he’s knocked me off balance. It garners the exact reaction I was hoping for.

My boyfriend loops his arm around me to keep me from falling. I take full advantage, pressing close to him and wrapping my arms around his neck. He’s searching my face, likely to see if he’s hurt me.

I pull his face down to mine and speak into his ear. “Baby, I know you’re upset right now, but I need you to talk to just me. No one else matters. Please. Just me.”

I’m praying Liam is getting lost right now. I don’t need him pummeled for simply making sure I didn’t get run over.

Luca grunts. He’s breathing heavily. He’s not making eye contact but looking behind me, hopefully watching Liam disappear.

“Luca.” My voice is firm. He is still distracted,twitching. “Luca.” I growl into his ear, and finally, his eyes meet mine.

“I am literally begging you. Please. Don’t do this. Let’s get out of here.Please, baby.”

He looks deep into my eyes. I’m not sure what he sees there, but he gives me a jerky nod. I wrap my arm around his waist. He still hasn’t spoken.

“Lead the way,” I tell him, clinging to him. I try to catch my friends’ eyes, so they can see I’m leaving. But Elizabeth appears to be arguing with Matteo while Rowan and Taryn are in deep discussion about something. I don’t see Liam anymore. Thank God. I guess I’ll be texting my friends later. They will know I’ve left with Luca. Everybody in the building saw him push his way to me.

I’m being pulled down steps and across the large room by my boyfriend, but it’s a blur because people are moving out of our way so fast. Luca is Moses parting a sea of bodies. As we approach the exit, I untangle myself from him and jump ahead to rush out the door. He comes chasing after me.

We face off in the parking lot. He is still breathing hard, as anger seems to radiate from his body. I honestly didn’t do anything to warrant this reaction, and that makes me begin to mirror his stance. “You need to get your shit together,” I tell him heatedly.

He takes a step back, eyes going wide. He clenches his fists.

“Are you going to hit me?” I ask him with venom in my voice, nodding to his hands.

His mouth drops open, and he glances at his fists. He seems disoriented for a moment. He unclenches. “I—I’d never hurt you. You think I’dstrikeyou?” He now sounds incredulous, as ifI’mthe one acting ridiculous.

I move so that I’m brushing against him. I am right in his face. I crane my neck up to meet his eyes. “Youlistento me, Luca. I would doanythingfor you. I want no onebutyou. But I won’t be glared at, shown yourfists, or treated like I did something wrong. You are better than this, and I deserve better than this.” I take a step back, arms crossed, scowling.

His whole body deflates and he tears his eyes off me to look around the parking lot. We are making a scene. Someone is actually recording us. “I need to get us out of here,” he croaks.

I nod and grab his hand. He flinches at the contact.

“Did you drive?”

He nods.

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