The Price (House of Sin #5) - Elisabeth Naughton Page 0,32
covers, found my leggings on the floor, and pulled them on. I despised his House for what they’d done to him. I detested how it had messed with his mind. And I blamed his parents for his suffering, for the way he was blaming himself for something that had been completely out of his control. But I wasn’t going to let him do this to himself, to me—to us. I wasn’t going to let him push me away. He needed me, dammit. He needed me even if he didn’t think he did. And I needed him. So damn much. If I lost him...
Just the thought made me stumble. I gripped the hallway wall for support, gasping against the pain suddenly stabbing into my heart.
No. I swallowed back the stupid tears. There had to be a way to get through to him. To prove that he wasn’t what he thought. To show him that I still loved him. That I always would.
Somehow I made it to my room where I brushed my teeth and fixed my hair as best I could. When I felt steadier, I headed downstairs, intent on finding Luc and talking to him about last night.
The kitchen was empty. I shivered beneath my sweatshirt as I wove through the living area, formal dining room, office, library and solarium, but still found nothing. My nerves jangled as I circled back to the kitchen but I told myself not to panic—at least not yet.
The property was big. It was possible he’d just stepped outside to get some air.
Grabbing the cordless phone from the kitchen counter, I jogged up to the third level where the upper balcony gave me a good view of the grounds, and dialed the security station at the main gate.
Dexter, a middle-aged man with dark hair graying at the temples whom I’d talked to a handful of times over the last week, answered on the first ring. “Yes, Mrs. Salvatici? What can I help you with?”
I wasn’t sure how he knew it was me, but I didn’t feel like asking. “Hi, Dexter. I was just curious if you saw Mr. Salvatici leave the property in a vehicle or on foot?”
“He did not exit through the main gate,” he answered in his clipped British accent. “I’m checking the grounds cameras now. Ah, there he is. He’s on the beach. South end of the property.”
“Beach?” Panic twisted inside me as I pushed the balcony doors open on the third level and shivered in the cool October air. It was a hell of a lot colder here than it had been in Italy. “He’s not swimming, is he?”
Please don’t be swimming... He’d freeze out there.
“No, madam. He’s wearing tennis shoes and gym shorts. Appears he was jogging. Will there be anything else, madam?”
Jogging? Luc hadn’t stepped foot out of his bedroom in over a week, and now he was running? “No.” I managed. “That will be all. Thank you, Dexter.”
“Anytime, madam.”
The line clicked off in my ear. Wrapping my arms around my waist, I moved farther out onto the balcony and scanned the grounds, searching the southern end of the property for any sign of Luc.
Just as Dexter had said, he was on the beach, wearing nothing but shorts and tennis shoes. But he wasn’t running. He was standing with his hands on his hips, breathing deeply, staring out at the waves rolling against the shore.
I watched him for several moments, part of me afraid he might walk right out into that water and disappear from my life for good. But he didn’t. He just ran his fingers through his hair, bent forward to rest his hands on his knees, and stared at the water as if it held the secrets of the universe.
Everything inside me screamed to go to him. To wrap my arms around him. To comfort him. He was clearly struggling with himself, with what had happened between us last night. But I sensed if I did, he’d only push me away again. And I wasn’t going to give him another reason to do that.
A gust of wind blew past my face, making me shiver once more. Storm clouds were rolling in, threatening rain. As much as I wanted to go on watching Luc, I was too cold. So I went back inside, closed the door, and headed for the kitchen, figuring food was a good place to start for both of us. He’d be hungry after he came back, and I needed energy if I was