Say Yes To The Fake Date (How To Win At Love #3)

21. Luciana

21

LUCIANA

“Look Ray. We’re talking in circles here. We’re not going to agree, so I think it’s for the best if you leave now.”

I stand up, hoping that he’s going to listen and leave, but he doesn’t. He just laughs and leans back into the couch. “I’m not leaving, Luciana. I’m not leaving until we figure this out.”

I clap my hands together in front of me and hold them together. “Well, that’s not going to happen. Let’s leave it to the attorneys.”

He glares at me. “Who do you have looking into my financials?”

I wave my hands in front of me. “No one.”

He leans up and slams his hand on the coffee table. “Don’t you fuckin’ lie to me. ”

I take a step back and walk around the chair, putting it between us. My mom comes in the room. “Lucy.”

I hold my hand up. “Mom, it’s okay. I’m okay.”

She stands in the doorway of the kitchen and glares at Ray. I thought the way she looked at Dom was with hate, but this is something different. I turn to Ray, who’s staring fiercely at me. “Listen, we’re not going to decide on this today. Why don’t we set up an appointment tomorrow with our attorneys and we’ll get it all worked out then.”

He shakes his head and stands up to his full height. “That’s not going to work for me, Luciana.” He takes a step toward me. “Tell me who is looking into my financials.”

I hold my hands out in front of me. “I honestly don’t know.”

“Bullshit!” he screams.

The vein in his neck is popping, and his face is scrunched in anger. My body starts to tremble in fear, but I force myself to stand my ground. “Ray, you need to calm down. I’m not going to talk to you with you acting like this.”

He sucks in a breath and walks toward me. His smile gets bigger the closer he gets. It’s like he enjoys seeing the fear on my face. “You’re going to talk to me, Luciana. You’re going to call off whoever—”

“I’m telling you, I don’t have anyone looking into your financials.”

He grabs on to my wrists. “You’re a lying bitch.”

He pulls me toward him just as the front door slams open and Dom walks in. He takes up the whole doorway and lets out a growl that sounds like a crazed animal. He takes one look at Ray holding on to me and he’s across the room in an instant. He grabs Ray by the neck and arm and drags him out of the house.

I follow behind them and watch as Dom drags Ray down the front steps and into the yard. He then starts to punch him in the face over and over. Ray is no match for Dom. My mom is standing behind me. “I called the police when I called Dominic.”

I run down the stairs. “Dom, stop. You have to stop.”

He’s breathing hard but shows no signs of stopping.

There’s blood everywhere, and if I didn’t see it for myself, I would think Dom was bleeding too because he’s covered in blood.

I grab on to him, and he lets go of Ray. He picks me up by the waist and walks me back up the stairs. “Lucky, I need you to stay up here.”

I’m crying now. “Dom, you have to stop. You’re going to kill him.”

“He deserves to die. He doesn’t have the right to touch you, baby.”

“And if you go to jail, I lose you again.”

Ray struggles to his feet. “You fuckin’ bitch—”

He doesn’t get the rest of it out because Dom dives off the porch and tackles him to the ground. They’re rolling around the yard when the sirens sound as they turn on the road. Three cars pull in, and they’re all out, breaking up in the fight. I’m frozen in spot as my mom walks down the driveway. “Not him… he was protecting my daughter.”

The sheriff looks at Dom. “If I let you go—”

Dom interrupts him. “I’m going to kill him.”

The sheriff puts Dom's hands behind his back and cuffs him. “Then you’re going to the station and we’ll work it all out there.”

I walk beside them, and Dom won’t look at me. “I’m sorry, Dom. I’m so sorry.”

He glances at me for a brief minute, but it’s not the warm look I’m used to. His eyes are cold. “I’m not sorry,” he says .

The sheriff puts him into the squad car as another police officer puts Ray into another car. “Sheriff, please. Dom was defending me. He did nothing wrong.”

He sticks his thumb toward the other car. “Did you see that guy? He’s going to the hospital he’s been beat so bad.”

I move in front of the cop. “What does that mean?”

“Luciana!” Dom hollers from the back of the car.

I ignore him because I know he’s worried about me. He doesn’t want me involved, and it’s my fault he’s in this mess. The sheriff takes pity on me and leans down. “Look, I know Dom, and I know he’s a good guy, but I have to take him in. He needs an attorney.”

“Okay. Okay.”

I back up as the sheriff gets in, and I stand next to the car, watching Dom in the back seat. He doesn’t look at me. He’s looking straight ahead, and I’m sure he’s wishing that I never came back into his life.

“Dom!” I holler out, wanting him to look at me.

I say his name over and over even after the car has turned the corner.

“Honey, you have to stop. You’re going to make yourself sick.”

I turn into my mom’s arms, and for the first time in what seems like forever, I let her comfort me. “Mom, what am I going to do? I can’t let him go to jail for this.”

She reaches up and wipes the tears from my eyes with her thumbs. “You’re going to pull yourself together, and we’re going to figure this out.”

I suck in a breath. The neighbors are all outside, but my mom ignores them all as she hurries me into the house. She helps me to the couch. “I need to go to the police station.”

She shakes her head and sits down on the coffee table in front of me. She puts her hands on my legs. “No, we need to think. We’re not going to be any help there. Call your attorney.”

I nod my head and then jump off the couch and find my purse. I dump out the contents and then grab my phone and dial my attorney. It rings and rings. “Answer. Please answer.”

When he doesn’t answer, I hang it up and then dial again, but he still doesn’t answer.

I squeeze my phone in my hand as I try to figure out what to do. “Walker.”

My mom’s eyebrows raise. “Your boss? ”

I silently pray, Please don’t fire me for this . I dial Walker’s number and put the phone to my ear. As soon as he answers, I start to explain. “I’m sorry to call you, Walker, but Ray—my business partner—showed up here, and he started yelling and grabbed me—”

“Where are you at?”

Shit, breathe, Lucy . “No, I’m fine. Dominic showed up and beat up Ray, and he’s been arrested.”

I start to cry again. “I’m sorry to call you, but I didn’t know what to do, and…”

Walker tries to calm me. “You did the right thing. I’ll take care of it.”

“The sheriff took him to the police station. I can meet you there.”

“No, stay where you’re at. I’ll bring Dom to you.”

I start to argue with him. “But—”

I can hear the car door slamming. “Dom wouldn’t want you involved.”

“He’s in jail because of me.”

The sound of the engine starting fills the line. “This is not your fault. I know this is easy for me to say, but don’t worry, I got this. I’ll have him out in a few hours.”

I let out a sigh of relief. ‘Okay, thank you, Walker.”

“You’re welcome. Dominic is one of the good guys. I’m happy to help.”

I hang up the phone. “Walker says he’ll have him out in a few hours.” I stand up. “I should go to the police station.”

My mom stands up to. “What did Walker say?”

I sit back down. “He said that I needed to stay here, that Dom wouldn’t want me involved.” I laugh out loud. “What a joke, right? I’m supposed to just hide here while he’s in jail because of me.”

“Honey, this is not your fault. This is all Ray.” She brushes my hair away from my face. “I’m sorry, Lucy. I’m sorry for doubting Dominic. That man loves you.”

I let my head fall between my shoulders. “And right now he’s trying to figure out why.”

“He’s not. That man loves you, Lucy, and nothing is going to change that. Now we’re going to sit here, and we’re going to wait for Walker to bring him home.”