One of the lines from Morello's email hits me hard once again.
And I expect her to be released once you get what you paid for.
What if Giovanni was desperate? And what if Adeline's father isn't aware of our dealings? Maybe this was all done without his knowledge. I do not believe that Salvatore would let his daughter be sold…especially the daughter who he clearly keeps under lock and key.
All signs are pointing to one fact --- Giovanni sold his fiancée to me, and he wants her back soon…before her father finds out she was ever missing.
CHAPTER 21
LUCIEN
JACKSON WALKS INTO my office the next morning with a puzzled look on his face. He's dressed in a light blue long-sleeve shirt and dark jeans, looking bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and all that crap --- the exact opposite of me.
"You look like shit," he tells me, never one to pull any punches. "Did you sleep at all last night?"
I shake my head solemnly. After I learned the truth about my little captive, I couldn't shut my brain off long enough to even get a wink of sleep.
And as if not sleeping wasn't enough punishment, I ambled into the state-of-the-art gym on the first floor and ran for hours on the treadmill, my feet pounding away until my mind and body were devoid of anything but pain and exertion.
Jax shifts from one foot to the other nervously. I'm sure he has a lot of questions on his mind, but he's not going to ask them. He knows better. Instead, he says, "You didn't say anything about getting the plane ready today."
I simply shrug, not really wanting to talk about the inner conflict I'm having about sending Adeline away.
"Well, you slept with her last night, so ---."
I narrow my eyes at him. "How do you know we slept together?" I demand.
"Luc, relax. My bedroom is right down the hall. I could hear…everything," he says with a knowing smirk.
The fact that my cousin was privy to hearing Adeline's pleasure-filled cries angers me beyond belief. I stand, my hands curling into fists. "From your room…or from right outside the door?" I ask him calmly even though I'm anything but calm right now.
It wouldn't be the first time Jax has overstepped his boundaries and been a voyeur.
It's kind of his thing.
He stares down at the floor, and I immediately know the answer. Swiping a hand down my face, I shake my head and say, "I would tell you that you have a serious problem, but we both know who the more fucked-up man in the room is." I flash him a sardonic smile. "Your…fetishis nothing compared to what I'm dealing with up here," I say while tapping on my temple.
He chuckles and glances up at me again. "Sorry, Luc. It's just…she's so…oh, wow, her voice…damn, how many times did you make her come last night? I personally lost track of ---."
His words fuel the fire enough to cause an explosion of anger within me. Before he can even finish talking, I have him pushed up against the wall, my forearm pressed against his throat. "You're overstepping again, Jax," I hiss at him through gritted teeth.
His fingers pry at the long sleeve of my shirt as he chokes out, "Okay! Okay! I'm sorry!"
I release him, and he bends over, sucking in air and coughing.
"Jesus. You never cared before."
And he's right. I never did. It's not like this is the first time I've caught Jax listening in on me with one of my girls.
But Adeline isn't just a number to me. She's special.
"She's different, though, isn't she?" Jax asks as if he had just been reading my damn thoughts. "You're possessive over her. More than you've ever been before. Hell, maybe for the first time ever."
I simply shrug at his comment, neither affirming nor denying. Frankly, it's none of his damn business.
"So tell me why you're not sending her packing then. They always leave the morning after, Luc.Always."
I close my eyes for a second and pinch the bridge of my nose. I didn't want to share this information with anyone, let alone Jax, but I know he won't let up until I do. "She's not safe."
