My face drains of all color. He watches it happen, running a hand through his hair as his eyes thawabit.
“It’s what you didn’t tell me,” heamends.
Oh.
“The loan sharks,” I murmur, biting my innercheek.
“The fucking loan sharks,” he agrees, anger rattling his chest. “Was so concerned getting you to safety, I didn’t even put together why those guys looked familiar until about an hour ago, after you fell asleep. That’s when I remembered the picture from the park. The tansedan.”
My teeth clenchharder.
“Christ, Delilah, how could you not tell meaboutthis?”
“I didn’t want to take the focus off Phoebe’s wedding.” I swallow roughly. “I didn’t want to ruinthings.”
“It’s a fucking wedding! I think your life is a bit more vital than centerpieces andtulle!”
“Have youmetPhoebe?” I jokeweakly.
He is notamused.
“Okay, I realize it may’ve been… unwise… to keep this asecret.”
“Unwise?” he practicallyroars.
“I made a judgment call, okay?” My pulse is pounding. “Maybe not a perfectone,but—”
“Perfect? No. Not a word I’d use.” He steps closer to me. “You don’t get to conceal the fact thatloan sharks are after your shithead brother and, as a byproduct, have placed you on their radar as well.Not from me, not when it concerns your safety. And you certainly don’t get to make cutesy little jokes after I find out about it, and expect me tolaugh.”
“For the record, I knew you wouldn’tlaugh.”
His glareintensifies.
I cross my arms over my chest. “You know, this brooding, brutish act is knocking some serious hotness points off your overall score. Maybe we should go back inside, talk things through. Possibly get back in that shower of yours because, honestly, it’s very hard to worry about anything under thatwaterfall—”
“Fucking Christ, Delilah!” Luca swears colorfully. “Not everything is agoddamnjoke!”
“I wasn’t joking.” I sigh. “I know you’re pissed, but I really don’t understand why you’re at DEFCON 1 right now. I mean, DEFCON 5, maybe I could understand. Even DEFCON 3. But to jump straight to the highestlevel—”
“You want to know why I’m so pissed?” He takes a stride closer, voice vibrating with anger. “You knew, from the moment we saw those guys at the park the other day, that they were after you. Yet you still didn’t tell me.” His eyes flash. “If I’d known, I would’ve been prepared. I could’ve prevented you from getting hurt. But you’re so fucking determined to push me away, to do everything on your goddamned own, you nearly got yourself killedtonight.”
“I—”
He cuts me off. “I spoke with Nate. Had him run that license plate through the Knox Investigations database. Got an ID on the guys who attacked you. Justin Scarpetta and Tyrell Grafton — they work for one shadiest loan sharks on the entire West Coast. Worst kind of criminals you can find. Rap sheets longer than my arm, the both of them. Assault, battery, attempted rape, vandalism, extortion. The listgoeson.”
Iblanch.
His jaw clenches. “You still think yourjudgment callwas right? Still think it was a good choice not to tell me? Because, babe, if I hadn’t been there tonight to stop them… there’s a very good chance you wouldn’t be alive right now. Worse, there’s a chance you’dwishyou weren’t alive, after the things they’d dotoyou.”
Tears begin to gather behindmyeyes.
He leans down, so his face is a few inches from mine. “So, you see why I might be a little pissed when you act like being attacked is nothing but a blip on your radar, something to laugh about now that it’s over, some fun little anecdote you whip out at cocktail parties.” He’s breathing hard. “That’s not my idea offun. Your safety is not a fucking joke. Nottome.”
“Luca, I didn’t…” My voicebreaks. “I’m…”
When he sees how scared I am, some of the anger clears from his face. I hold his stare, trying desperately not topanic.
“I— I’m sorry,” I finallyforceout.