The fucking audacity.
I cleared my throat loudly, the sound cutting through the stillness like a blade. Luca startled awake, his eyes snapping open as he shot upright in the chair. The sheer terror in his expression satisfied me in a way I didn’t care to admit.
“Get your woman out of here before I kill her.”
Luca was on his feet and at the side of the bed in an instant. Celeste stirred, trying to make sense of the chaos. The moment realization hit, she erupted.
“Luca, put me down,” she yelled, thrashing in his arms as he scooped her up. “You don’t have to listen to him!”
“Celeste,” Luca ground out through clenched teeth, “this is his house. We have to go.”
Her glare could have melted stone. “This is ridiculous. I’m going to talk to Vincenzo about this. Vivian shouldn’t be here! This is insane!”
“Out,” I snapped.
Vivian stirred at the sound, her tear-streaked face turning toward me. She sat up, her eyes glassy but filled with a quiet desperation.
“Please don’t make them leave,” she whispered, her voice breaking.
Before I could respond, the door creaked, and Jareth stepped in, his presence immediately filling the space. He leaned casually against the doorframe, his golden-brown eyes glinting with amusement as he took in the chaos.
“Well, isn’t this cozy?” he drawled. “I didn’t know we were having a slumber party.”
I turned my glare on him, barely containing the volcanic temper simmering beneath the surface. “Not now, Jareth.”
He raised his hands in mock surrender, his grin never faltering. “Sure, sure. Just enjoying the show.”
Luca started toward the door, Celeste still cursing and thrashing in his arms. He made it halfway past me before I stepped into his path, blocking his way.
“You better go back the way you came,” I said, my voice low and venomous. “Sneaking into my house in the middle of the night like the coward you are? Unacceptable.”
Luca’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t argue. He turned sharply, heading for the window. He helped Celeste climb through first, her glare promising retaliation. Luca followed without glancing back, his shoulder tensed.
The room fell silent, save for Vivian’s quiet sobs. I turned to her, my gaze cold and unrelenting. “You’re lucky I didn’t kill them both.”
Her head snapped up, and fire lit in her eyes. “Lucky?” she spat. “If you’re going to keep me here like a prisoner, the least you could do is let me have my friends or my equipment.”
When I didn’t respond, she continued, “I’ve been working on a project, something very important to me, and I can’t just let my entire life die along with my independence in this fucking hellhole you call a home!”
I stared at her, her defiance momentarily throwing me off balance. She was bold—foolishly so—but I couldn’t ignore thespark. My mind worked, weighing her words against my need for control.
Before I could respond, Jareth spoke, his tone light but laced with a pointed edge. “She’s got a point, boss. A woman’s gotta have her tools. You wouldn’t take away my daggers, would you?”
Vivian stared at him with visceral disgust. “Who thefuckare you?”
He chuckled and gave a mock bow. “I’m Jareth. At your service, madam.”
“Do you ever stop talking?” I ground out.
“Not when I have something profound to say,” he said, his grin widening.
“Go to my office. I need to update you on some things,” I said.
“Of course,” Jareth said, pushing off the doorframe.
The silence hung heavy between Vivian and me after he departed. Finally, I spoke. “I’ll think about it.” The fire in her eyes flickered but wasn’t entirely extinguished. “In the meantime, get dressed. We have a wedding to plan.”
Her expression faltered, a mix of disbelief and resentment flashing across her face. “Wedding planning?”
