At moments like this, I wonder if my father trusted the man who pulled the trigger that killed him and my mother. Did he notice or recognize the person who took their lives as they were walking back home after their weekly dinner date?

Lucas says I can trust him, but what makes him different than any of the others? Everything. That’s precisely what’s making me question this judgment of mine. Lucas is nothing like any other. At all.

Maybe I’m safe. Maybe I’m not. I’m struggling to believe trust will ever be the defining factor in life and death, though. Lucas wants to be the one to keep me safe, and once upon a time, my father and Lucas’s brother felt the same. Now they’re both gone. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the common denominator in that equation.

I can’t let myself feel again, but I’m not sure I can stop it either. I want to trust him, though the risk is too high. I’m starting to wonder if this grip he seems to have on me is more than just the glimmers of his brother I see resonating within him. I’m captivated and fall deeper into the dark pools of his eyes by the second, but instead of sucking the last bit of life out of me, it’s doing the opposite. I feel more alive than I have in a long time. My heart pounds beneath my chest with a feeling I’d thought was dead forever. Yet how can I crave something that scares the shit out of me?

I pull away from his hold and step back, putting a much stronger guard up this time. After a long pause, during which I work to regain my composure, I force a smile to my lips. “I think it’s time to do some exterminating, bestia,” I say with a grin, hoping my slipping confidence isn’t evident.

From his reaction, he seems to be amused. “Bestia, you say?” The teasing laughter that made my heart sigh earlier is back in his eyes. “I can work with that, sunshine, but I bet most beasts aren’t nearly as efficient with overqualified skills as I am. Let’s go check that last essential need off your list,” he tells me, and then we turn and walk toward the doors to Lucas’s nightclub.

* * *

Two hours in and, true to his word, he’s introduced me many of his friends. I’m actually having a great time. Lucas hasn’t strayed far from me all night, but even when he’s not directly by my side, I still feel his eyes on me.

He introduced me to many different people, but only two that he seems to be closest with—his cousin, Gianna, and his friend, Christian, who’s also his club manager. I never really imagined that outside New York people would know who I am, but I suppose in this world, it’s normal for the families to keep tabs and know what they can about the other families too.

It’s odd to be here, though. I feel like I’m balancing on a tightrope between my old life and my new one. I suppose it’s a gradual transition. These people I’ve met tonight aren’t too different from the ones I know from home. Only here, the questioning stares aren’t because I’m Elianna Nicchi, the last living namesake of the Nicchi family. No, they’re staring because I’m Elianna Nicchi here with the bad boy beast, Lucas Ruffinelli. The attention doesn’t really bother me. I’m used to it, and for the most part, even out of my element, I’m not uncomfortable.

I’m city girl at heart and was born street smart. I see everything happening around me even when people don’t know I’m looking, which is precisely how I spotted the creep across the bar who’s been watching me a little too closely. I know I’m not imagining it because every time I casually look around or look up to talk to someone in his direction, he immediately looks away, not wanting to be noticed. Poor guy—too bad I’ve already mentally ingrained images of him to memory. Before the night is up, I’ll have his photo too, as a backup.

I’ve ignored the creepy watcher for the past twenty minutes, but it’s starting to piss me off a little. Or it could be more probable that four ginger ale and bourbons later, I’m just a little bit braver and feistier.

Lucas and Christian are both on the other side of the bar looking at the screen on one of their phones. From where I’m standing, I can see Lucas’s profile, and for a second, he doesn’t look happy. He nods at Christian and then looks over, his eyes immediately coming to mine. Just as I’d suspected, he knew exactly where I was. Without taking his eyes off me, he says something quickly to Christian before heading my way.

Before Lucas makes it around the bar and to me, Gianna pops up in front of me, blocking my line of sight from the bad boy beast who was making my eyes go all starry. Shit. I should cut myself off. What the hell am I thinking?

“Come on, Eli, let’s hit the dance floor,” she says loudly over the thumping of the music, lifting her arms over her head as she sways her hips seductively. I laugh. I might actually like this girl. She’s really sweet and seems genuine, but I’m not sure the bad boy beast would agree from the scornful glare he pins on her when he finally makes it through the crowds to where I’m standing.

“Gianna Fiore, don’t make me cut you off and kick you out of the club,” he growls with the muscles of his jaw flickering. “If Elianna wants to dance with you, you can take her upstairs,” he orders.

My mouth twitches with amusement. “Want to discuss it, bestia? I do enjoy dancing. You wouldn’t really keep me from hitting the dance floor and having some fun with Gianna, would you?” I ask with a smirk, taunting him with flirtatious determination.

“Elianna,” he warns, his tone thick and unsteady. The bad boy beast has no chance of hiding he’s annoyed, frustrated, and probably a little pissed too. Stepping so close to me I might as well be in his arms, he causes my breath to hitch from the energy between us. He looks down at me contemplatively as if trying to plan his attack. I’m frozen motionless in place as a sigh catches in my throat. Focused on his unrelenting stare down, I swallow, which earns me a grin before he wraps his arms around my back and pulls me closer to him. I’m not sure if this is for show or real, but it feels good. Tipping his head forward, his forehead meets mine, and our eyes connect. “Principessa, there’s no fucking way I’m letting you go out there to be man handled, but if you insist on going out there and shaking that gorgeous ass of yours, you’ll do it with every man in this club believing you’ve been claimed. So, do your worst, sunshine. Just know in advance, I have sharp knives at the ready, and since I can’t have what I want most right now, I have plenty of energy to burn.” The serious tone in his voice affects me deeply, and a brief shiver ripples through me. I can’t deny the spark of excitement at the prospect I could be what he wants most right now, but how can the threat of dismembering anyone who touches me turn me on? He could be exaggerating, but I don’t think that’s the case at all.

“I think I’ll stay here a second more before I abandon you to find some trouble, bestia.”

He growls again, pulling me tighter to his chest, and I try to convince myself I’m acting when I rest my cheek on his chest. Others surround Lucas and me, and it feels so natural to be hanging out and laughing with friends, but it doesn’t last too long before Lucas is once again interrupted.

A large scary looking man walks over to Lucas, speaking in hushed tones for only the bad boy beast to hear. Lucas doesn’t let me go from his side, but I watch his brows straighten and his jaw flex. Something is up. I can read the signs from years of experience. Lucas nods then shares a look I don’t understand with Christian. Turning to me, he places his lips on my forehead.

“Principessa, I need to go take care of something. I’ll be back in a few minutes. No trouble for you until I return, sunshine. When I get back, I’ll take you to the dance floor myself and show you how us overqualified beasts can move,” he jokes, offering me a forced smile that doesn’t meet his eyes. I’m not sure why this is different, but it is. I don’t want him to go. What if the problem is a big one and puts him in harm’s way?

“Wait, Lucas. Take me with you, please,” I plead. He looks at me quizzically, but then shakes his head stiffly. With his right arm sweeping around, resting his palm on the other side of my head while his thumb discreetly finds the pulse on my neck.

He tips his head so that his lips are just over my ear before speaking. “Elianna, care to explain the sudden spike in your heart rate?” he asks. I give a barely noticeable shake of my head.

“Are you scared, sunshine?” I pause. Am I? I don’t really know, but I decide to go with no even though it’s probably a lie.

He reluctantly pulls back, holding me at arm’s length to look me. His eyes catch mine and hold them tight, assessing me as if he’s some sort of human lie detector. I’m not sure I’m hiding the possibility of my lie well. The serious look on his face pulls at my heartstrings, and I know that right now, he really does care. There’s no way this could be just for show.

He tugs me closer, wrapping one arm around my back and using the other to hold my cheek over his heart. Holding me tight, he speaks to Christian over my head. “Watch her closely. I’ll be back up as soon as I can.”

He takes a deep breath and squeezes me in his arms one last time before releasing me. After taking one final glance at my expression, he steps away and exiting the group.

As he passes Christian, he speaks firmly. “Interrupt me immediately if Elianna needs me. Got it?” His tone is authoritative and angry, not at all like it was when he was whispering to me.

Trust him.