“Honestly.” He rolls his eyes. “Put a death sentence over her head and she doesn’t bat an eye. Compare her to a fish and the world will end.”
Frowning, I look past him to where Dom is leaning against the wall, his eyes scanning up and down. “Luc, I need to go. So can you just get on with it?”
He sighs, flicking a piece of invisible lint from the cuff of his shirt. “You have the use of the Morelli men for security, if you need them. None of them will try to complete the kiss. Tell your enforcer to link in with Nico and he’ll co-ordinate.”
Luc’s enforcer. The words take a second to sink in, and I’m… blindsided. “Why would you do that?”
It’s a generous offer. Incredibly so. It cuts down my list of possible opponents by a quarter. And with the additional men… I might have a chance of making it, at least until the end of the year when I walk through the gates for the last time.
I’m trying not to think about the fact that I might be living under the threat of il foryears. And if not, it’s because I’m already six feet under.
My stomach fizzes when I look back at Luc. There’s a small smile on his face. “You don’t know?”
Frowning, I tilt my head. “Did we sign an alliance when I wasn’t looking?”
He smirks. “No alliance. But the offer is genuine. I have my own reasons for wanting you to stay alive, little crow.”
When I hesitate, he goes to leave. “Wait. Luc… thank you.”
He doesn’t turn around. “No need to thank me, Caterina Corvo.”
Dom slides past him, heading back towards me as I blink, rooted to the spot. “Cat? What happened?”
When I tell him, I’m not sure who looks more surprised.
Dom’s face twists.
“Damn fucker was right,” he mutters, and I jerk my head up.
“What?”
He shakes his head and checks his watch. “We need lunch. Come on.”
He hasn’t answered my question, but I leave it, too busy turning over the generous offer in my head. Searching for a trap.
There has to be something.
Chapter eighteen Caterina
Iknew it was coming.
It was inevitable, really.
But even so, it still takes me by surprise.
The dining hall is full when we get there. Dom pauses, and I sweep past him, ignoring his grunted displeasure. I’m as well-prepared as I’m ever going to be, knives and guns in place, this time strapped over a pretty lace scarlet bodysuit that pushes my breastsupandout.
I may have taken the tiniest bit of pleasure in Dom’s face when I walked out wearing it.
Right before he tried to march me back into the bedroom to ‘get fucking dressed, right now’.
Needless to say, I’m wearing the damn suit. So I’m a little smug as I yank the doors open and walk in. My heels are black tonight, matching the sleek leather pencil skirt. Not the most practical items, but these have a different purpose.
I pass the Asante table first, my Crows spreading out behind me. Men look up… and then down. The number of slack jaws on display is satisfyingly decent.
The Morellis, next. Nico catches my eye, nodding once. He and Dom have already spoken, and it appears that Luciano’s offer is genuine, whatever his reasons. There are no angry looks, everyone glancing up and then quickly back to their business.
The V’Arezzos are a mixed bag. I get a few looks, some lascivious, some hate-filled. One particularly nasally little weasel coughs out an insult, puffing his chest up as he searches among his friends for approval.
