Page 22 of Hard Lessons

“I just might, boss.”

The guard left. Luca couldn’t take the grin from his face even though his insides were swirling. It was a heady, drunk-like feeling. This time tomorrow he’d be heading north with Serena to their own private fucking party. One that would see his woman atoning for her crimes in ways she could never imagine.

* * *

“Paulo.”

“Luca. Thank fuck you called again.”

“Listen, I’m out early, tomorrow at noon.” Luca paused. “Why? What’s happened? Why are you glad I called again?”

“I heard her talking to some travel agent about a flight to America.”

“And?” Luca flattened his palm on the cool wall and stared at his feet.

“She’s heading across the Atlantic tomorrow. To New York.”

“She can’t.”

“She can if she has a ticket.”

“No!” he shouted then pulled in a breath in an attempt to keep his cool. The last thing he wanted was to draw attention this close to the end of his time. “What the hell?”

“Yeah, I heard her saying she was looking forward to a new start, in America. That she’d done her time in London.”

“Done her fucking time. I’m the one who’s done the goddamn time. And I—”

“Hey, don’t shoot the messenger.”

“Shit.” There was only one thing for it. “You’ve got the Scotland thing organized, right?”

“Yeah, luckily it’s hired from today, key is under the plant pot by the front door apparently. It’s all paid up for a month then reserved for another if you want it.”

“And what time is this flight?”

“She said afternoon.”

“Fuck, thank God you were tapping in and listening to that conversation.”

“I do it when I can, Luca, but to be honest most of her chats with friends are boring as hell.”

“Good. I don’t want her having an interesting life without me.”

“So what do you want me to do?”

“Pick her up, before she goes to the airport. Pretend you’re her cab.”

“How the fuck will I do that?”

“Listen into the apartment until she orders one. She doesn’t use an app for that, does she?”

“No, she’s old-fashioned, dials one up.”

“So listen in, then go collect her. She’s never met you. After that, swing by Wormwood Scrubs and get me with her in the back of the car.”

Paulo was quiet.

“What?”

---