Page 46 of Sins of the Father
“Take it,” Luc said evenly.
“We want the wallet too,” the man with the gun added.
Luc removed his watch and wallet and tossed them at their feet. The man blinked, surprised by the lack of resistance, then greedily grabbed them. Bills spilled out.
“Over a thousand in cash,” the knife-wielder whistled, eyes flicking to Mia. “Give us what you have.”
“I-I don’t have any money,” she stammered.
His gaze lingered on the delicate chain around her neck. “That looks nice. Hand it over.”
Mia’s fingers flew protectively to the pendant. “Please… it belonged to my mother. I cannot give it.”
The man twirled the knife, metal glinting under the streetlight. “Don’t care. Take it off.”
Luc stepped forward. “Walk away now, and you leave with your lives.”
The men chuckled uneasily. One glanced at the other. The knife-wielder sneered. “He’s bluffing.”
Luc tilted his head, a faint, chilling smile tugging at his mouth.
The man with the knife swaggered forward, confidence dripping from every step. Then the man lunged. Luc moved—a blur of motion, too fast, too precise. One moment, the knife was raised; the next, Luc’s hand shot out, seizing the man’s wrist. Bone cracked as he twisted sharply, the blade clattering to the ground. Before the attacker could even cry out, Luc drove his elbow into his ribs, yanked him close, and in a single, brutal sweep, slashed the knife across his throat.
The sound that followed was a wet, choking gurgle. Blood sprayed in a dark arc, glistening under the parking lot lights before the man collapsed, twitching, at Mia’s feet.
Her breath hitched. She hadn’t even noticed when Luc drew his knife.
The second man froze, eyes wide, then fired. The shot ripped through the night. Luc jerked, the impact tearing through his arm—but he didn’t falter. Luc moved like a storm, precise, deadly, unstoppable.
He pivoted, closing the distance, ripping the gun from the attacker’s grasp. His other hand clamped around the man’s neck. A sharp snap echoed. The second man went limp, collapsing to the asphalt.
Mia’s chest heaved. Her hands trembled. She hadn’t even seen the dagger until it was too late. When the street finally fell silent, all she could feel was him—warm, alive, lethal, and impossibly hers. Luc stood over them, chest rising steadily, his shirt dark where blood seeped from his arm. The gun dangled loosely from his fingers. His eyes—cold, unreadable—swept the parking lot before landing on Mia.
“Luc…” she whispered, voice trembling. “You’re hurt.”
“It’s nothing.” His tone was flat, calm, and more frightening than his violence.
For a heartbeat, the world was silent except for her ragged breathing and the distant hum of city traffic.
“Luc, we need to get you to the hosp—”
“No hospitals,” he cut her off. “My surgeon will see to it at home.”
He reached for her hand, steady despite the blood streaking his fingers. “Come.”
She let him guide her to the car, the metallic scent of blood mixing with gunpowder and asphalt. Inside, she sat frozen as he started the engine, one hand gripping the wheel, the other pressed against his chest.
“Call Tonio,” Luc ordered.
The AI connected immediately. His brother’s voice came through, steady and alert. Luc relayed the events with cold precision, instructing Tonio to have the scene cleared before police arrived—or to ensure any response was handled by their own men.
He ended the call and drove with the same unshakable composure as if nothing had happened. Mia’s chest tightened. He had killed two men as easily as breathing, and now he maneuvered through the streets with the same calm, calculated rhythm.
And yet… she felt it. The dark, bewildering certainty that inside his violent, merciless world, she had never felt safer.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Luc sat on the edge of the bed, elbows braced on his knees, watching Mia sleep. Moonlight silvered her skin and softened the delicate planes of her face. She looked peaceful.
