Dreadnought (Nemesis #1)(42)
“P-Please tell me who it is.” She felt herself dragging her feet, trying to slow Lucca down.
“You got about thirty seconds to get her the fuck out of here,” Drago announced.
Lucca swooped her up, cradling her to his chest as he easily scaled the steps two at a time.
She found herself wrapping her arms around his neck and slamming her eyes shut by how quickly he ran up the stairs with her, afraid he might drop her. He never even came to close to it, though. His build and strength effortlessly got him to the top of the stairs. It was the first time she realized how strong and fit he actually was, feeling it in the arms that held her.
Chloe thought he would set her down when he reached the second floor, but he didn’t. He continued to hold her as he headed to her room. It all kind of seemed like a blur, until he kicked her door open …
Drago opened the door the second Amo stepped up to it. He was surprised, not expecting Drago to be on the other side.
Amo tried his best to look past the only other man who was bigger than him in the family. Drago only beat him because of his age, spending years upon years at the gym, making his muscles have muscles.
“I need to speak with Lucca,” he said when Drago didn’t move to let him in.
“He’s not he—”
A loud thud rang out that sounded like a door being thrown open.
“Yes, he is.” Amo shouldered past the big man.
Inside, his eyes followed up the staircase to the hallway the noise had come from. Adrenaline started pumping throughout his body. He could practically smell the tension in the room, his fear of being right coming true.
“Go wait in his office,” Drago said, closing the door.
“By all means, lead the way.” Amo motioned for him to go first.
Looking at him for a split second, Drago looked him up and down before walking toward the living room to take him to the office.
Amo slowly stepped toward the stairs as he watched Drago’s back progress farther and farther away from him. When he knew he could get enough of a head start, he dashed up the stairs with everything he had.
I’m here, Chloe!
“Lucca, please tell me who it is,” she begged as he carried her into the room.
“Drago didn’t say, and it doesn’t matter.” He placed her carefully on the bed then lightly grabbed her by the neck, forcing her to look directly into his eyes. “You’re my only concern, Chloe. No one can know you’re here.”
The hand he had placed around her throat was an act of possession, an act that should have terrified her, yet it didn’t. And his words had been said with such force that she knew her life depended on it.
That was the only thing that terrified her—the reason she had to be in hiding.
Understanding, she nervously nodded.
A look crossed his features when he released her, one she had never seen on him before. It was a look of … pain, so raw and real that it took her breath away.
Suddenly, they heard a commotion coming up the stairs, followed by an even bigger one.
“Stay here,” he whispered before shutting the door behind him.
“Where the fuck is she!” a familiar voice boomed through the walls.
Her hair stood up as she jumped off the bed. Amo!
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Lucca hissed at him from the other side of the door.
“Chloe!” Amo yelled even louder. “I know she’s here, you fucker.”
She moved to the door, hearing Lucca’s voice become deadly as he said, “What did you just fucking call me?”
She slowly reached out to the doorknob. He’ll kill him. Lucca will kill Amo if I don’t do something.
Amo’s voice was now on the other side of the door, clearly standing in front of Lucca. “You heard m—”
Chloe threw open the door, knowing if she let him finish that sentence, she would be hearing the death of Amo next.
Amo, who had gone toe-to-toe with Lucca, had a moment of complete and utter shock upon seeing the girl he had confessed his love to before his eyes slowly moved back to Lucca, pure rage seeping through his features.
He took a step toward him. “You motherfu—”
Lucca placed a strong hand on his chest, stopping him from coming any closer. “You need to get yourself under control.” His voice still carried the same deadly tone.
Drago, who had followed behind Amo and had been letting Lucca handle him, stepped forward, getting in arm’s distance of Amo.
Amo looked between the two men closing in on him, then to Chloe, who was staring in horror, squeezing her fists. He could see that Drago and Lucca wanted him calm for Chloe’s sake. If she hadn’t been here, though, he knew he would most likely be knocked the hell out by now.
“Are you okay? Has he hurt you?” He spoke directly to her, looking past Lucca.
Lucca swiftly moved, having reached his limit, and slammed Amo up against the wall on the other side of the hall. He held him by his throat, digging his arm into Amo’s neck. “You know more than anyone that I would never fucking hurt her,” Lucca told him in a deadly tone.
Chloe’s short nails tried their best to dig deeper than they already were into her palms, scared out of her mind that instead of hearing Amo’s death, she would now witness it with her own eyes.
Do something! That new voice she had only heard a couple of times rang through her head, giving her enough strength to muster up some words.