The NSC Boxset: Heart of Stone (187 page)

“And all yours” I finished.

He growled softly before he devoured me again, this time so passionately but so adoringly and my heart literally stuttered at his intensity and devotion.

“May I cut in?” a man said beside us and I frowned at his rudeness.

Lucas laughed loudly then pulled the man in for a hug, “Logan” Lucas declared happily.

Logan coughed and shifted his eyes to me and Lucas smiled widely “Logan, this is my girlfriend, Re . . . Layla Summers. Red, this is my brother, Logan Hunt.”

Logan held his hand out and tipped his head slightly. I placed my hand in his super large one and he pulled it to his lips and placed a soft kiss on my knuckles as his eyes held me.

“Oi, none of this seductive crap, she’s mine” Lucas grumbled light-heartedly.

Logan released my hand and smirked at his brother. “Can I help being so charismatic that all the ladies fall for my charm, bro?”

Lucas laughed loudly before Logan grabbed my hands and pulled them round the back of him and deposited them on his arse.

My eyebrows lifted at the same time as my hands and I rested them on his back instead as he started to sway to the music.

“Behave” Lucas warned before he left us to it.

Logan pulled my hands up to his neck so we were now comfortable as we danced. He watched me silently for a while and I could see the question in his eyes.

I had thought Lucas was a solid man but his brother beat him hands down, he was rigid everywhere with muscles that showed no resistance what so ever. His fiery blue eyes, the same as Lucas’s, showed that they were related but where Lucas’s nose was quite small, Logan’s was steeper and wider.

Logan was roughly the same height as Lucas, give or take a few centimetres, and his hair was a shade lighter.

“So, little lady, Lucas seems smitten. You feel the same?” he probed and I knew immediately I was in for the second inquisition.

“I do, very much” I answered honestly.

He nodded as he spun me round a little and I was now face to face with a smirking Sara, her eyes watching Logan’s arse and I rolled my eyes at her dramatic tongue hang.

“How did you meet?” he asked now and I stiffened. I tried to hide my reaction to his question but he sensed it and narrowed his eyes on me.

“Well, I . . .”

He sensed my hesitation and lifted an eyebrow “Something I shouldn’t have asked?”

“No, uhh, Lucas comes into the club where I work” I told him evasively, hoping he would leave it now.

“Oh, you work in a club? Waitress or barmaid?”

God damn!

“Neither,” Sod this! I shouldn’t be ashamed of what I did. I was proud of my dancing. I considered myself a good dancer, if not a great dancer and I should not be embarrassed. “I’m a pole dancer.”

Both of his eyebrows lifted now and a small smile lifted his lips “Well, nice.”

“So, what do you do, Logan?”

My turn.

“I own a few health clubs and bars.”

I nodded, impressed with his answer. “How long have you been with Lucas then?” He asked as he carried on his own interrogation again.

“About three months now.”

I gave Sara a pained look, begging for her meddling characteristic to kick in and she didn’t let me down.

“May I pinch the end of this dance?” she asked Logan and I stepped back immediately, offering him to her.

Logan tipped his head again and I smiled at his politeness. Their parents had obviously done a fine job of raising their boy’s.

“I’ll find you later, little lady. Don’t think I have finished with my cross-examination.”

I laughed slightly but nodded before I went to find Lucas.

Chapter 44

Lucas

“LUCAS, DARLING, I haven’t seen you for nearly eight weeks. You really need to get your family priorities sorted out.” My Mother started and I just grinned at her as my Dad rolled his eyes at her chastisement.

Even her nagging couldn’t pull my good mood from under me tonight.

Although I had just hit thirty, I had the most stunning, bright and remarkable woman in love with me, almost as much as I loved her.

I had decided tonight, I was never letting Red get away again and I grinned when she slid up beside me.

“Hey, baby” I whispered as I planted a kiss against her head and snaked my arm around her waist.

I knew Red was nervous to meet my family but tonight had been the perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.

“Mom, Dad, I’d like you to meet my girlfriend, Layla Summers. Red, this is my Mother, Teresa Hunt and my Father, Bernie Hunt.”

My Dad’s eyes lifted at the word ‘Girlfriend’ and he seemed impressed for a moment. My Mother? Well, I couldn’t quite read her as she eyed Red warily.

“Pleased to meet you both” she grinned widely at them both as she held out her hand.

My Dad gave her the usual once over, his eyes skimming over every inch of her, before he smirked at me and took her hand in his. “It’s a pleasure, Miss Summers. Anybody who can tie my son down deserves my upmost respect.” He told her with a huge grin and I bit into my lower lip at his openness.

“Well, I don’t know about tying him down, Sir,” she laughed “but, if you have any rope, I would be willing to give it a go.”

My Father barked out a laugh and turned his gaze to me with a lift of an eyebrow “I like her.”

“I’m really glad, Dad.”

Red then turned to my Mother, the worst of the two evils to win over, and tipped her head as she held out her hand, “Mrs Hunt, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. Lucas has told me so much about you.”

My Mothers eyes skimmed over Red and I knew what she was thinking. Her cold eyes settled on Red’s as she took her hand and my stomach clenched in apprehension. “It’s a shame I can’t say the same, Miss Summers. But, tell me, where did the two of you meet?”

Oh Shit.

Without batting an eyelid, Red smiled sweetly “Lucas frequents the club where I dance.”

Oh bigger shit.

“Oh, you work in a club?” My Mothers sneer was not lost on me and I was secretly planning how to get Red out of here to save her embarrassment.

I knew she would be ashamed to tell my folk’s what she did, it didn’t bother me, I was in awe of how she danced like she did; her lithe little body held my attention every time she took to the pole and I was always impressed with her moves, some of them looked downright dangerous, but Red always performed them with effortlessness and expertise.

“I do, Mrs Hunt, yes.” Red smiled. I noticed the slight twitch of her thumb against her finger but she was so far holding her own and I knew I had to let these women find their middle ground.

“What type of dancing do you do? I’ve been thinking of taking up Salsa to try and keep myself in shape but your dancing seems to keep you nice and trim.”

Even bigger shit.

“I’m a pole dancer, Mrs Hunt.”

There was my girl. Open, honest and fearless.

My Mothers eyes widened and my Dad struggled to hide his smirk and I just stood and took a deep breath.

“Really?” My Mother said as she eyed Red’s body, “Is it difficult to learn?”

What the hell?

Red shook her head, “No, not at all. There are tutors who teach you right from the basics upwards, but if you don’t mind me saying, I think you would be great at it. You already have a figure to kill for and that helps, but the pole will keep everything tight and supple.”

God, I loved this girl.

“You want to pole dance?” My Father asked my Mom and I swallowed at his excitement.

“Well, I think it would be fun Bern, don’t you?”

“Good God, yes, definitely.”

“Okay folk’s, you are my parents, stop right there.” I warned.

Red turned to me and laughed before she looked back at my Mom. “If you’d like, I could give you a few simple lessons to start, just to see if it’s something you think you would like.”

My Mother’s face lit up like a beacon and she beamed at Red. “Oh, darling, that would be fantastic. I’d feel a little more comfortable doing it with someone I know.”

God bless you Red.

“You will have to give me a couple of weeks Mrs Hunt, I recently had an accident and I’m not supposed to dance for a few weeks yet, but if it is okay with you, I’ll get your number from Lucas and give you a ring.”

My Mother nodded happily, “That’s fine, darling. I hope it wasn’t a bad accident.”

This time Red did stiffen but she smiled at my Mom. “Just a car accident, everything’s fine, I just need a few more weeks’ physio and then I’ll be right as rain.”

Thank you Red. I didn’t think my Mother would appreciate me being involved with the mafia and guns.

I nearly fell on my arse when my Mother leaned forward and planted a tender kiss on her cheek.

Red smiled sweetly just as the crowd started chanting my name and I turned to look at the expectant crowd.

“Okay” I shouted as I took Red’s hand and made my way to the stage.

Logan approached with a huge cake as everyone sang happy birthday and I got a hoot of cheers as I extinguished each one with a deep puff then I turned to my well-wishers.

“Firstly, I’d like to thank you all for coming, even if it’s a terrible feeling for you all to relish that I’m growing old.”

I paused until the laughter broke down.

“And secondly, I’d like to introduce my girlfriend to those of you that don’t know her. Everyone meet Layla Summers.”

Everyone gave Red a hello and I grinned as she went blood red, but then she went even redder when I dropped to one knee in front of her.

The room was flooded with gasps, Red’s being the loudest, and I looked up at her as my heart paused.

“Red, baby, the last three months, even if eventful, have been the most amazing three months of my life. Why? Cos’ they’ve been full of you, baby and I wanna make the rest of my life just as good, and I know if you are in it then . . . then . . .”

Suddenly I couldn’t breathe as I saw her.

She stepped out from behind Brad and my heart stopped when I saw who was stood next to her, holding her hand.

Holy-Fucking-Shit.

I could feel Red’s confusion; it seemed to flitter around me, like a mist, along with her hurt when she turned to see who I was staring at.

“Lucas?” she whispered and I looked back up at her but I couldn’t seem to form any words.

Red swallowed heavily and released my hand. “Go to her, Lucas.” She said quietly before she descended the steps from the stage and disappeared through the crowd.

I didn’t even call her back, my shock and disbelief rendering me numb and immobile.

She took a few steps towards the stage and then smiled that pretty smile she always had, “Hello, Lucas” Alana said softly but I couldn’t remove my gaze from the two year old boy beside her, the boy with the dark blonde hair and the deep blue eyes, my eyes.

Chapter 45

Layla

I KNEW IT had been too good to be true. Every time something good was happening with my life, something came along and took it from me; ripped it from me, usually, this time being no exception.

I knew the woman was Lucas’s ex from the way he had stared at her, the woman he had been so in love with before I came along. And I also knew the little boy was Lucas’s, he was the image of Lucas and it was impossible not to see the similarities.

I shovelled everything into my case and dialled Sara.

“Where are you, Lay?” she said as soon as she answered.

“In my room, I’m leaving.”

“I’ll be right up.” she told me and my heart swelled at her protective manner. We had moved on from what had happened and Sara had finally accepted and come to terms with her pregnancy.

I scooped all my toiletries and cosmetics from the bathroom and piled them in with my clothes just as Sara walked in.

“Babe . . .” she whispered as she came up to me and pulled me against her.

I would not cry. I was refusing to, knowing if they came they wouldn’t stop.

“I’m okay, I just wanna get out of here” I told her.

She nodded and zipped my case up for me before she pulled it off my bed and dragged it behind us, knowing I couldn’t lift anything heavy yet, as we locked the room and left.

We were both silent as we descended the floors in the elevator but my mind was far was quiet.

It was screaming, crying, raging, anguished, confused, distressed and agonized all at the same time and I could feel my headache slamming into me rapidly.

My throat closed in and my knees buckled when we exited the lift and my gaze settled on Lucas and Alana.

They were sat together on a long sofa in the foyer.

Her palm was on his cheek and his own hand covered hers and I could see the love and devotion in Alana’s eyes. I couldn’t see Lucas’s as his back was to me but I couldn’t drag my eyes away from his hand over hers.

I was struggling to breathe but I forced air into my lungs and took a step closer to the exit with determination and self pride.

“What the . . .” Sara hissed from beside me and I grabbed her arm before she made her way over to them.

“No Sare, please . . .” I begged. I couldn’t handle a confrontation now, I just wanted to get the hell out of there and die under my duvet.

She sighed as she gave me an agonized look but then nodded and led me through the foyer, both of us hell bent on looking straight ahead.

I didn’t think he had seen me until I heard him shout my name as we made our way through the huge glass main doors.

I didn’t turn, I just kept on moving forward, one step after another until we hit the pavement and Sara passed my case to a taxi driver who then heaved it into the boot of his cab.

“Red . . .” Lucas shouted and I grit my teeth as I turned to him.

“What? Where are you going?” he looked confused and I fought the urge to laugh.

“You can’t have us both, Lucas. I saw the way you looked at her.”

He had the decency to look shamed and I knew then that Alana still held his heart, whether she held all of it or a piece of it, I wasn’t sure, but she still held something of him.

And I knew, to fight against a woman who had his child, would be damn near impossible.

I swallowed before I climbed in the taxi and told the driver to drive, refusing my eyes to look at Lucas, stood by the roadside watching as I left him.