L'amore: The Luminara Series (54 page)

He sighs before answering. I can tell he’s stressed, but he’s being irrational. “I am sorry. Shit … I truly am sorry. I do not want to control you and make you feel like that. That is not my intention at all. I just believe it is in your best interest to stay off work. You are still recovering from an injury, and I would prefer it if Peter or Marco drives you anywhere you need to go so I have peace of mind knowing you are safe if I cannot be there to protect you myself.” Jesus, I’ve never heard him so wound up. He sounds a thousand times more frantic and stressed than yesterday.

“Lucca, I love that you want to protect me, I do, but I need to live my life as normally as possible. I’m not going to break in two, and you can’t keep me wrapped in cotton wool.” I stress the last few words

“I just need you to trust me and do as I ask. I want you to go home with Marco. He is waiting outside.” He’s ruffling my feathers with this petulant dictating.

“No, I have to finish my work. Hazel is here, so I’ll have her drive me home when I’m finished.” I’m firm.

“Damn it, Lexi, just do what I am fucking asking. I need you to go home. I need to keep you safe. Stop objecting and just get in Marco’s fucking car.”

What? He never swears directly at me, even when he is being persistent, petulant, or bossy. I hear him swear all the time, but not like this. It’s out of character for him to speak to me this way. I definitely think something is wrong. He’s not himself.

“Stop shouting at me. You’re scaring me. What’s wrong? Something isn’t right. Why are you being like this? Lucca, this is me, what I do. If you want to marry me, you need to accept who I am and stop trying to control me. Is this how you were with Fran? Did she do everything you ordered?” I’m sharp and expect to have pushed his buttons; instead, I’ve wounded him with my questions.

He sounds breathless on the other line and very strange. “Fuck no. I love you exactly the way you are and would not want to change you for the world, Lexi. Fran and I did not have a relationship like we have. I have told you that. I did not control her nor had any want to. She is not you. You are everything, Lexi, and
mine
.”

“So it’s just me you want to order about because I’m a pushover!” Feeling hot, I yell, face fuming and fold my arms over my chest.

“I am sorry, I do not want to scare you or push you. That is the last thing I want to do. There is nothing wrong. I would just feel better if I know where you are. Please, baby. I just want to protect you.”

For goodness sake, next he’ll be tracking my mobile phone, or better yet have someone follow me. “You know I’m here. Isn’t that good enough?”

“No, not when I cannot be there with you. Fuck, just do it, Lexi.”

He’s losing his mind, going all crazy on me. If this is what he’s like when he works away, I’ll definitely be going with him next time rather than put up with this nonsense. That’s if I even excuse his poor behaviour and we get past this. I never experienced any of this irrational behaviour in Tuscany, and ever since we got back, all we’ve done is fight, argue, and cry. Life is proving difficult right now and having a relationship is a lot harder than I could ever imagine.

“I have just had a difficult morning that is all, nothing for you to worry about. Please, Lexi … Do you trust me?” He softens his tone.

“Yes, of course I do, but you’re scaring me.”

Groaning he adds, “Mamma wanted to Skype you, something about wedding chat.” He’s lying.

“Lucca, that’s a lame excuse to get me home. I can call her anytime.” I chew the inside of my cheek and fidget with a paperclip on the desk.

“Okay, you are right. Yes, it is.” He sighs.

“Can you be honest with me then? Why do I need to leave here so desperately? Give me a good, valid reason and I’ll go, but not until you explain yourself because you sound absurd.” I doubt there will be any rational explanation that will make me leave my work today.

“Okay, I am only thinking about you.”

“Lucca, spill.” After I’ve bent the paperclip through frustration, I pick another and started twisting it.

“Kimberley is in the club, and I would rather you not run into her.”

“Is she in the gym? I haven’t seen her,” I ask.

“No, she is in the conference suite with Suzanne and some of my staff working on the projections for the Edinburgh launch. I have been on a conference call with them this morning from Sardinia.”

“What?” I screech. “Why is she still working for you? Why would you not tell me this?” Is he out of his mind? I thought after her episode at the weekend he would have well and truly fired her ass.

“Calm down. I knew you would react like this, so that is why I did not tell you.”

“Answer my question, Lucca!” I snap and flick the paperclip right across the desk.

“I cannot fire her. She is in the union and has a representative, so she has sought legal advice. She also has consulted with HR claiming unfair dismissal, and I have no valid grounds to dismiss her other than personal grievance. I need to wait until she fucks up from a business perspective. It does not look good for the company or my image, and there will be disastrous consequences if I do. I have set up her transfer to the Edinburgh club in the meantime, but it is a lengthy process.” He sounds exasperated. “I have been working through the night with Omari and my reps to resolve this, but unfortunately, I need to keep her in a position just now, not through choice but because I have to.”

My heart is breaking for him now as I know this is out of his hands and it would explain why he’s stressed and why he wants me out the club, away from her, even if he was demanding and out of order the way he spoke.

“What are the consequences?” I ask.

“Well, apart from bad publicity and a probable unpleasant threatening lawsuit, there is something else. She has something over me which I do not want to burden you with.”

“Please, tell me.”

He sighs and I hear him groan deep in his throat. “Fuck … she has a video of sexual content in her possession and is threatening to release it if I dismiss her.”

“Are you kidding me?” Jumping up in a panic, I place my hand on my chest, feeling my knees tremble, and stare at the door, expecting to be confronted with her. I need to sit back down because I’m worried my legs will give way.

No fucking way! I can’t take much more of this crap.

“No, I wish I were.” He clears his throat.

“That little twisted bitch. She’s poison. I’m disgusted, but not surprised. I assume you’re in the video?” I’m hoping he says no, but his outburst speaks volumes now, and I understand why he would want to protect me.

History!

Fucking history
coming back to bite us on the ass again. I know he can’t change his past, but it’s grating on me now. First Leila in my bed and now this. What else will she try and do to get back at us?

“Yes, I am. I am sorry, baby. It was a long time ago. It is her and me here in the club after hours one night. I had the security tape destroyed, and I do not know how she managed to retain a copy, but you understand I cannot allow it to be released. I cannot have you hurt and disrespected like that, and it would crush my business reputation.” His voice is soft and filled with sincerity.

“Is this about money? I can’t believe she is blackmailing you.” I press my thumb on my temple adding pressure, feeling a throbbing headache coming on as my breathing increases.

“Omari suggested a financial settlement, but she is not interested. She wants to keep her job. I do not think it is about the money. I think it is about you and me.”

Angry.

Hurt.

Shocked.

“Oh God, I feel sick.” I fist my stomach, inhaling slowly and deeply, suddenly feeling nauseous. Another reaction to panic.

“Lexi, are you okay? I need to come home. Fuck my appointments. I cannot fucking stand this.” He’s going out of his mind with panic, sounding pained and agitated.

“No, don’t come home. Finish your business trip. I’m fine. I trust you, and I know you’ll do everything in your power to make this go away.” Make
her
go away. I pick up several paperclips and crush them tightly in my hand until my palm hurts. Then I fire them across the desk because I’m angry she is getting to me again.

Closing my eyes, I say a silent prayer than he can make this disappear. We don’t need this stress. Then I look at the red marks on my palm and clench my jaw.

“I will make sure that I do everything I can to rectify this and protect you. I do not want you to worry. I have a great legal team backing me, but I need you to stay away from her. She is up to something. I am having her monitored in and out of work, but I do not want you out on your own while I am away. Suzanne is aware and is overseeing as much as she can, but I have hired help to track every last move she makes. Lexi, you need to keep this to yourself for now.”

“Of course. Lucca, I’m sorry to put you through this. She hates me so much that she is willing to jeopardise your reputation to make a point, or stab you in the back, and it’s unfair.”

“No, do not apologise or worry about me. I am untouchable. The girl is clearly messed up. It is you she is trying to hurt, and it is fucking killing me she is treating you like this and still interfering. I wish I was there to comfort you.”

Messed up? I am messed up. She is more like an unhinged, crazy psycho.

“Will you go home with Marco? I will call you later after my meeting with the planning team here.” He doesn’t even need to convince me.

“Yes, I don’t want to be anywhere near her when you’re not with me. Lucca, I love you.”

“Please be cautious and keep your phone on. I love you, dolcezza.”

With these last words, my mind starts to run away from me. I just need to get out here. I grab my bag and switch on my phone, noticing dozens of texts and missed calls. I make a quick call to Mark and tell him something has come up and I need to go urgently. Then I text Jane and tell her I’ll have her and Kenny over for dinner very soon.

I don’t want to go back upstairs and risk bumping into Kimberley, so I quickly exit the gym and slide in the back of Marco’s car. I ask Marco to stop by Mr. Carlin’s so I can check in on him.

As well as Lucca, Cameron has left a series of voicemails. Ringing his number, I sing, “What’s on fire?” I know why Lucca has been trying to get me, but why is he going stir frantic crazy on me?

“Where the hell have you been?” he shouts.

“Hello, Cameron. It’s nice to hear from you as well.” I purse my lips in a thin line and press my thumb to my temple again with the pounding ache in my head.

“Lexi, I’ve been trying to call. Have you spoken with Lucca yet?”

“Yes, why are you so uptight? What’s your excuse?”

“What did he tell you?”

“All about that meddling little bitch Kimberley. She has some bloody nerve. Does Anna know?”

“Know what?”

It occurs to me Cameron doesn’t know what I’m talking about, and maybe I need to keep that information undisclosed due to legal prerequisites.

“Never mind. What are you going on about?”

“Forget it. Is Marco with you?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Tell Marco to call me when he stops the car.”

“Why?”

“Oh for fuck’s sake, Lexi, just fucking do it and stop asking questions.” I’ve had enough of this. First Lucca and now him. He making me more infuriated than I already am.

“Don’t you take that tone with me, and I won’t until you tell me why.”

“You’re sucking the life out of me, and so bloody stubborn. Fine. It’s a favour I need to ask him regarding Anna.”

“Well, why didn’t you just say so?” I mumble.

He sighs. “Just get him to call me.” He hangs up.

How weird. He’s a mystery sometimes and clearly has himself in another love twist dilemma. Well, I knew this would happen eventually. He can sort this mess out himself.

I spend two hours with Mr. Carlin. Marco says he has calls to catch up on so he will wait outside. I don’t know why he doesn’t just go then come back for me. I call Rachel and have a heart-to-heart with her and agree that we will stay friends, even if she and Cameron are not dating. I have always had a good relationship with her, and it would be a shame to lose it.

Making another cup of coffee for myself and tea for Mr. Carlin, I call Anna to enquire if she knows anything, but she’s oblivious. Probably better that way, so I invite her over tomorrow night instead. She declines because she’s arranged to meet Cameron.

Returning to the car, I hear Marco on the phone. “Yes, she is here … No … Yes … not yet … of course … absolutely we are on our way … si … si.”

“Was that Lucca?”

“Yes.”

I don’t bother to ask what they are talking about—probably business. “Marco, could you drive me to Glasgow before I go home? I wanted to go to my hairdresser for a trim since I have a free afternoon.” I haven’t had my hair cut since long before I travelled to Tuscany, and I have a terrible headache. I always think when I get my hair trimmed I feel better and lighter.

“I am sorry, Lexi, but Lucca has asked me to take you straight home.” I slump in my seat, annoyed I’m being imprisoned, and call him to give him a piece of my mind.

He answers on the first ring. “Hey, baby, everything okay?” he asks with trepidation.

“Yes, but I’d like to go to the hairdresser.”

“I have asked Marco to take you home.”

“I’m aware of that, but you can’t keep me locked up in the house. It’s only the hairdresser. You’re being unreasonable, and Kimberley is at the club so we won’t bump into each other.”

I’m so goddamn angry. Not only is Kimberley upsetting me by deliberately trying to backstab me, now she has taken away my freedom? I feel like a prisoner and that doesn’t sit well. I spent far too many years as one, and I don’t appreciate being locked up now.

“I will have your hairdresser come by tomorrow night, just trust me.” He sighs in exasperation. I bunch the ends of my long tousled hair in my fingers, noticing how dry the ends have become recently with the sun exposure and extra growth. It definitely needs a tidy. I frown and sigh.

“Are you angry with me?” he asks.