I rubbed my temples and thought of how I could choose my next words carefully. Something bad could most assuredly happen to me, and there was the other reason why I thought Claudius was the better person to stay with her.
She sat up and quickly pulled the sheet to her chest, shoulders tensed and mouth rigid. “That’s why…”
No way could she have sensed my fears.
I sat up too. “Why what?”
“You think something bad could happen to you, so that’s why you want Claudius to take care of me.” There was a rise in her tone as she spoke and she gave me an incredulous stare.
Fuck, seems like she was right there inside my head. “Amelia, you don’t know Victor like I do. If he comes here with God knows who to take you, Claudius is the only person I know who can stop that from happening.”
“It’s like you’re just giving up.” Now her stare became distant – empty – and her chin trembled.
“I’m not. I just can’t allow anything bad to happen to you. Not like Henry.”
The minute I said Henry’s name, she stopped mid-breath of her next words. Henry had been my best friend. Him and Maurice, we were it. Claudius was always there for me, and he was a brother in every sense. But those guys were like family too. Victor took Henry, his wife, their kids; Jack and my sweet goddaughter, Susanna, and killed them. He’d created a sick game no one would ever win and fucked with our emotions.
Fucked with my emotions. I’d thought I’d saved those kids, but I’d watched them draw their last breath as the poison Victor had fed them robbed them of life.
I would never forget it as long as I lived. I only dealt with it because I thought I’d exacted vengeance when I was of the mistaken belief that I’d killed Victor.
But the fucker came right back from the dead. That was five years ago. As to where that bastard had been all this time, I didn’t know. He’d just emerged when this war began. That again signaled the kind of power Tag had.
I didn’t want to admit this, but it was above me. And I was tainted because I was thinking with my heart.
“Luc.” She winced.
“No, don’t argue with me, Amelia. I’m leaving, and you’re staying here, where capable people can take care of you.”
I didn’t want to spoil what we had last night and all that we’d shared.
“I’m not helpless. I’m not this helpless person you make me out to be.”
I slid off the bed and reached for my pants and boxers. “Amelia, these aren’t the guys you’re used to in LA These people aren’t like Jefferson or Holloway. You aren’t helpless, but this is above you.”
That was it all I had left to say. She frowned at me in a huff, but she would have to be upset with me because this was the best way.
Better for us both.
Chapter 5
Amelia
* * *
I wanted to be furious. I wanted to feel angry at Luc for his decision, but in my heart, I knew he was doing what he thought was best for me.
He was making some sort of sacrifice that he felt would benefit me in some way. It didn’t help, though, that the man I loved had basically left me in what he deemed to be capable hands and thrown himself out to the lions to hunt the people who were hunting us.
He’d left about two hours ago. I went to check on Dad first and found he was still asleep. Then I went downstairs to get the shock of my life when I saw who was waiting for me. It felt like I’d just walked onto the set of something likeThe Terminator.
Claudius and four guys who looked just as hard and vicious as him practically guarded the premises.
Two at the front entrance, two at the back, and I was told the other entrances were sealed off. The guys all had crosses tattooed on their cheeks or their necks. Claudius had a cross on his cheek. It seemed to mean something now that I saw them all together. More than just a cool tattoo.
I knew they were all here to protect me, but damn, it reminded me of before. Just like I had been reminded last night. Strange men in the house. Tough guys, but these guys looked tougher. Like ex- military with the huge muscles and badass attitude.
The butler, whose name I couldn’t remember, was questioned before entry, and the tallest guy was now questioning Millicent.
