Mafia Claimed (Severin Family Book 3) Page 7

  The only thing the asshole took from his conversation with Sadie was the fact Grace might be interested in seeing him again. For sex. Grace rolled her eyes and for once texted him back.

  Grace: Not interested. I’ve moved on. You should do the same. Goodbye Steve. Don’t ever text me again.

  Message sent. Good. It felt like a heavy weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Like she was on top of the world. Now that only left one other problem, the larger one.

  Since their horrible fight nearly two weeks ago, Sadie and she hadn’t spoken much. Just half-hearted hellos and goodbyes in the living room. She debated how she’d broach the subject of her deciding to move in with Lucas. Would Sadie go off again?

  The last thing Grace wanted was to part with Sadie on bad terms. She was still her best friend, after all.

  “Can I join you?” asked a voice.

  She blinked. Grace didn’t hear Sadie coming out of her room and since their fight, she’d trained herself to hear every noise just to escape another potential fight with Sadie.

  “Sure,” she answered.

  Sadie took a seat on the couch next to the armchair. She set her mug of coffee down. She wasn’t in her date clothes, but in her pajamas, for a change.

  “We haven’t been talking much,” Sadie began, staring long and hard at the key on the coffee table. “Is that what I think it is?”

  Might as well get the truth out in the open. “Lucas invited me to move in with him. I think it’s a good idea and besides, I should move out. Give you back your apartment.”

  Sadie looked surprised, then a resigned expression crossed her face. “Is this about our fight? You don’t have to move out. I want to apologize.”

  This was new. Grace wasn’t sure where this was going, so she let Sadie say her piece first.

  “I was scared,” Sadie admitted. “For you, for me. Me because you were spending so much time with him. I got jealous. Thought you no longer needed me, and I like being needed. It’s a selfish reason, I know but that’s the truth.”

  “Oh, Sadie.” She got out of the armchair to join her on the couch. Screw it. Grace hugged her best friend. “You’ll always have me. You’re like the sister I never had, that cooler older sister who’d protect me from anything and anyone, but I’m good now. I’m a lot tougher than you think. Lucas taught me that. To be myself.”

  “I was wrong about him. I can see you changing every day, becoming this new person. It’s a good thing I can see he’s good for you. I’m just scared of how fast everything is moving.” Sadie picked up the key and looked at it for a while before setting it down. “You’re absolutely sure?”

  “I am. I spend a lot of time at his place, anyway.”

  “That’s true.” Sadie hugged her back. “I’m happy for you. I hated fighting with you and not being able to talk to you like we used to.”

  “Me too. I’m glad we made up,” Grace said.

  “Okay,” Sadie said, brushing away what suspiciously looked like tears in her eyes. She hesitated. “Did Steve contact you? I told him off but I’m not sure he listened.”

  “He did, but I told him I wasn’t interested and said goodbye.”

  “Good for you. I wouldn’t have managed to stay polite if I were in your shoes and your best friend went behind your back.”

  “That’s all in the past,” she said. “I should get to work. Let’s talk more later.”

  “Agreed.” Sadie got to her feet and saw her to the door. “Have a good day at work, Grace.”

  “Thanks.”

  ****

  “Make sure all the tablecloths don’t have any holes or stains in them,” Elena said to the staff. “All the tableware and glasses should be in place. Remember, tonight’s important. Anyone calling to reserve a table for tonight, tell them we’re close.”

  It wasn’t expressly said, but Grace and everyone else knew there was an important gathering between the Severin Familia members tonight. By now, she knew most of them by name and face. Gino, who kept reminding her to call him Uncle Gino, was always cheerful and friendly around her. Even better, Grace had become friends with Sky.

  “Got all that? Okay, back to work. We need to prepare for the lunch service,” Elena said.

  Lunch was crunch time. The restaurant got super busy. Grace didn’t even manage to reply to Lucas’s text that morning. By the time two in the afternoon rolled around, Grace was beat. She and Shelly, another waitress, grabbed plates of carbonara and sat at an empty table for lunch.

  She took a forkful of pasta with plenty of bacon bits on top and opened her mouth. Grace nearly swooned. The staff here got their pick of lunch and Paolo’s offered an extensive menu. The chefs also always changed five items on the menu on a monthly basis.

  “I never get sick of the food here,” she told Shelly.

  Shelly laughed. “I know what you mean. Since I’ve started working here three months ago, I’ve already gained weight.”

  “Well, don’t worry. You still look gorgeous.” Grace finally took out her phone. Elena didn’t like her staff getting distracted and only let them use their phones during break times.

  “You got that smile on your face.” Shelly teased. “Your man texted you something naughty?”

  Grace nudged the other waitress. “No, even better. He’s picking me up after work.”

  “That’s so sweet. I wish I had a Lucas,” Shelly said.

  “I’m sure you’ll find a man to call your own someday,” she told Shelly.

  Work resumed after lunch. They had many preparations to make before the big event that evening. Since they were short on the kitchen staff, Grace volunteered to chop some vegetables.

  Time flew by quickly. Grace eyed her section of the restaurant, at the pristine tables and matching plates and cutlery with approval. Paolo’s was quiet at this time of the day. Few patrons came by for a late lunch or early supper, but it was seldom crowded. Grace heard the door opening and remembered Gina, the girl who was supposed to be in charge of seeing customers in, was on a five-minute break.

  Grace headed to the front of the restaurant to check if it was a customer or one of their delivery guys. Elena kept reminding them to use the back door, in the kitchen, not the front.

  “Good afternoon, can I get you a table?” she asked, looking down for a second to realize one of her sneaker laces was undone. Damn it. She kept forgetting to tie them. Sooner or later, she’d trip if she didn’t fix them right away. Maybe after tending to this customer.

  “No, but you can help me.”

  That greasy-sounding voice seemed familiar. Grace finally looked up, heart in her throat as Donny Castello flashed her an ugly smile. Prison hadn’t done him any favors. He looked paler, thinner, but she couldn’t easily forget those bloodshot eyes. He wore an army coat two, three sizes too big for him, a dirty black beanie, and a shirt with a marijuana leaf on the front. He seemed to favor standing on one leg, then Grace remembered Lucas shot him in the knee. If she looked closer, she thought she could see blood on his black pants. Maybe he hadn’t taken care of that leg properly.

  Alarm bells rang in her head.

  She took a hesitant step back. Her heartbeat spiked. Should she shout for help? Only Shelly and Grace were on the floor. The rest of the staff were in the kitchen helping out or taking a break. There weren’t many regulars, no Severin members either because they were all turning up for the gathering tonight.

  One wrong move might set Donny off and she had a first-hand experience of how dangerous this man could be.

  “You’re Lucas’s bitch,” Donny said, gaze solely trained on her. “I’ve been watching you for days.”

  Her stomach churned at those words. Donny wasn’t dumb. He probably picked this dead time for a reason to confront her, but why her? She’d only met him once.

  “Donny, that’s your name, right?” she asked, playing dumb.

  Last time, she froze up when Donny came running at Lucas, gun in hand. This time, Lucas wouldn’t be here to protect her, to use h
is big body to shield her. She was on her own. Even if he had a leg injury, he was still very dangerous.

  Donny flashed her a nasty smile. Before she could blink, he pulled out a small revolver tucked inside his bulky army jacket. The gun was small, like a lady’s handgun, but Grace bet it could do plenty of damage just fine. He pointed it right between her eyes.

  Grace completely froze up, just like before. What was wrong with her? Her father would’ve been appalled and Lucas, disappointed. She wished she’d taken up Lucas’s offer to teach her self-defense lessons on the weekends. Grace claimed she didn’t need them but now she could see the appeal. She wished she moved fast enough, was brave enough to kick Donny in the balls, before fleeing.

  She forced herself to speak. “Put the gun down. There’s no need to hurt anyone,” she whispered. She held out both her hands in defeat. Maybe Grace could talk him into surrendering, or at the very least, help him see reason. “Donny, do you know where you are? If they find out you’re here, you’re dead.”

  Donny made a face. He clearly knew they meant the Severin Family. “Fucking bitch. Of course, I do. I don’t care. Herman kicked me out. I’m no longer part of the Castello Family and it’s all thanks to you and that fucking bastard, Lucas.”

  Desperation reflected back at her in Donny’s eyes. Sweat dripped down her back. No use trying to get this man to stand down. Donny looked like a cornered animal and those were the most dangerous kinds of men, her father once said. Those who had nothing to lose acted in reckless, unpredictable ways.

  “Your boyfriend killed my brother. It’s only fair I kill the one he loves. Isn’t that fitting?” Donny moved his hand to the trigger.

  Grace’s world narrowed its scope. She seemed to hear the rapid beat of her heart, someone, a woman shouting behind her and the creak of the front door. Someone was entering the restaurant. Grace snapped back to reality. She couldn’t go down like this, not when she had plenty of things going for her, a future with a man who owned her, body, heart and soul.

  “Duck, Grace!” yelled a woman’s voice behind her. Elena.

  Grace dropped to the floor, looking up in time to see Donny lowering his hand, changing his aim, but the man who entered, Lucas, was a lot faster. Her man moved at a speed seemingly impossible for someone his size. Donny didn’t even see Lucas coming.

  In seconds, Lucas tackled Donny to the ground, disarming him. Donny’s little toy gun slid across the floor, toward her. Lucas didn’t need to tell her. Grace picked it up with trembling fingers, about to point it toward Donny, but Elena placed a hand on her shoulder.

  “It’s over. Give that gun to me,” Elena told her in a gentle voice that was unlike her.

  Hands still shaking, she surrendered the gun. When she sought out Lucas, she found him on the floor with Donny, one muscled arm wrapped around Donny’s throat. Donny made struggling, grunting noises. His entire face started to turn red, bloodshot eyes rolling in the back of his head. It seemed to go on for an eternity. Donny tried to kick and punch at Lucas. Her breath caught but Lucas managed to hold him in place.

  Finally, Donny ceased to move. It was done.

  Grace had a hard time processing reality. None of this could’ve really happened and yet she could still feel the weight of that murder weapon in her hands. The scary part wasn’t the fact she could’ve lost her life. Grace wouldn’t shoot a stranger dead without hesitation to save the man she loved.

  She was afraid to ask but someone had to do it. “Is he dead?”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Grace repeated her question. Lucas heard her the first time, but the rage that had infused him when he spotted Donny pointing that gun at Grace had just started to clear. Fuck it all. It was inconceivable this happened. Paolo’s was supposed the Familia’s stronghold, a safe haven, but Donny had the guts to just stroll in here like he owned the damn place.

  Sheer dumb luck made him come to Paolo’s early. Wanting to avoid a confrontation with other Severin Family members later—those he didn’t get along with since his early retirement, he came here to discuss something with Marco. Marco might not be in yet, but he could see his woman. Watch her work.

  He’d finally finished his masterpiece. Lucas wanted to tell her the good news, break open a bottle later. See what she thought of it. Hell, there was still dried paint on his hands.

  He clenched and unclenched his fists, still staring at the dead fucker. Lucas overheard Donny telling Grace that his Family disowned him just when he was nearing the door. Killing the miserable bastard wouldn’t ignite a war between his own Familia and the Castello Family. That was one good thing that came out of this.

  Lucas wished he only prolonged Donny’s death a little longer—but he remembered Grace was there.

  “He won’t ever hurt you again,” he forced himself to answer. The red mist that covered his mind started to dissipate. When he’d overheard Donny behind the door, he saw nothing else but red-hot anger.

  Lucas continued, “He won’t have the chance.

  “Lucas, Grace asked you a question earlier,” came Elena’s pointed voice. “Answer her.”

  Lucas finally looked at his woman. Grace seemed shaken as Elena helped her to her feet. Shock tore through him. Once again, she’d caught a glimpse of the monster still lurking inside of him. Grace knew about Leo, the night Lucas helped dispose of a body. Lucas didn’t hide secrets from her, but this?

  Grace didn’t need the reminder that for all his claims, Lucas still couldn’t let go of his old self. Not completely. Grace told him he shouldn’t be so hard on himself. That moving on took time. Would she change her mind now?

  He wished he could turn back time so he could arrive here early to finish Donny quickly and efficiently. Too bad the past couldn’t be rewritten. He had to settle for the aftermath of the present, just like everyone else.

  Lucas held out a hand to her, a test. He expected her to cringe from his touch. Other women would. They’d turn tail and run but not his Grace. Grace had never been afraid of the light and dark parts of him. Maybe that was the tough side of her. She was the daughter of a cop, after all. Tough resided in her family genetics.

  Grace went to him, hugged him fiercely. He pulled her into an embrace and stroked her hair. For the next couple of seconds, Lucas simply breathed in the familiar scent of her. The soap she used that morning and the light perfume she wore. Lilacs and vanilla. That was what she smelled like, what home smelled like.

  “Everything’s going to be all right. I’m sorry you had to go through something like this.”

  She lifted her face to look at him. “The only thing that matters is the fact we’re both alive and kicking”—she bit on her lower lip—“but Lucas, what you did was dangerous. Donny was armed.”

  Lucas shook his head. A junkie wasn’t much of a threat to him, although he could never dismiss the glaring fact that Donny had come very close to ending Grace’s life.

  “It’s all over now. I’ll get someone to get rid of the body.”

  “I’ll take care of this mess,” Elena offered. “Lucas, you should take Grace home.”

  Lucas gave his aunt a grateful nod. Relief filled him. Grace didn’t need to stick around while others discussed the best way to get rid of the evidence. He watched Elena lock the front door of the restaurant and turn over the closed sign. Lucas wouldn’t be surprised if the rest of the staff had already ushered out all the remaining diners and paid them to keep quiet.

  “I’ll just get my things,” Grace said.

  Not wanting her to be alone, Lucas followed her to the employees’ locker room. Grace took her bag from her locker. He grabbed her shoulders and gave them a squeeze before crushing her mouth with his. She held on to his biceps, kissing him back fiercely.

  When he pulled away, clarity seemed to return to her eyes.

  “Grace? I mean it. Nothing like that will ever happen. I’ll ask Elena to move you to a less busy branch.” Guilt still punched through him. He should’ve insisted they put her in another restauran
t, but he thought Grace being here meant she was always protected.

  “There’s no need for that,” she answered quickly. “I’m fine now.”

  “But you nearly got hurt, or worse.” Lucas clenched his jaw. Why was she fine with all of this? She should be pissed at him. Not forgive him. “This shouldn’t have happened in the first place. You should’ve never seen me at my worst.”

  Finally, the truth came out. Lucas was capable of so much more, but she didn’t need to hear that. He was past all that, he reminded himself. Killing didn’t need to be an addiction, a drug. If he hadn’t acted fast enough, it would be Grace’s body lying on the ground, not Donny.

  “Hey,” she said, reaching for his hand. The warmth of her fingers finally quieted the seething rage burning inside of him. “None of this is your fault, do you hear me? You told me yourself. You’re a work in progress. Don’t let this one incident get you down. You’re doing so good.”

  “Donny came after you to hurt me,” Lucas told her, point-blank. “Grace, I’ll kill for you, time and time again.”

  Lucas was past the point of ever letting her go. She was an angel who deserved better, an ordinary man not weighed down by his past. Instead, she drew the short straw and got him. They got each other, he reminded himself.

  She touched his cheek and he closed his eyes. This time, it was he who leaned into her hand. Lucas wanted, no needed her too much. He always planned on keeping her but doubts still crept to the surface of his mind.

  “I can read you like a book. Don’t doubt this, doubt us. We’re fine. We’ll get over this,” she said.

  Lucas opened his eyes. “You’re really something, Grace. Any other woman would run at the sight of violence, at seeing me like that.”

  “This time, I’ll let it go because you were only protecting me. I know it won’t happen again.”

  It took him a few seconds to realize she was teasing him. Hope pushed away all the self-hate and loathing beginning to take root in his heart. Grace was his anchor. Always had been. She still believed a man like him could be saved, even if the rest of the world didn’t. That counted for something. For everything.