Mending the Rift (15 page)

Smith gestured for one of his men to cover for him, before he roughly pulled Kyle’s sleeve up. His eyes shone wetly as he ripped Kyle’s sleeve in thin pieces and wrapped them around Kyle’s arm.

In a rough voice, Smith said, “It’s a clean shot.”

“Great, makes me feel so much better.”

Smith smeared blood all over Kyle’s face when he gripped his chin, forcing Kyle to look at him. “We’ll get out of here, alive, and then you’ll damn well listen to my explanations and accept them.”

Smith pushed Kyle farther into the back, mindful of his injured arm, and Ty did the same with Luca. Both Smith and Ty shielded Kyle and him with their own bodies. Would they do the same if Luca wasn’t a breeder? Of course they wouldn’t, but neither would Luca be in that horrible position. He had no idea about Kyle’s importance or value, but for some reason he was glad the other man was around. Despite their obvious physical differences, Kyle reminded him of Marcus.

“Stop daydreaming,” Ty hissed into his ear. The gunfire ceased, making it easier to listen to everything around him. Luca’s brows furrowed when he became aware of a scraping sound at their backs. Ty asked, “What?”

“Do you hear that?”

“There’s a shootout going on, of course I’m hearing that.”

Luca shook his head. He tilted his ear to the left side, intent on making out the noise from earlier. There it was again! A light scrape, which he’d heard once before, during a training session with Marcus.

Luca’s eyes widened and he leaped forward, shouting, “Get down!”

A second later, the wall behind them blew up, shooting pieces of wood, steel, and brick all over the place. The blast wave threw Luca to the floor, and something hit the back of his head. Through the haze of falling debris, men silently entered the room. One of the men rushed to his side and carefully turned him on his side. Luca licked his lips, preparing himself to speak, when the man lifted his helmet visor.

Luca would recognize these eyes anywhere. Before unconsciousness claimed him, he whispered, “Marcus.”

“THIS IS
your new bodyguard, Marcus Gray,” Luca’s father said when Luca entered his large oval office overlooking the Rhine.

Luca heaved a sigh. A new bodyguard. Awesome. What was wrong with Keith? Keith had been his bodyguard since he was little, and he knew their family, was practically part of the Walker family, so why did Luca need another bodyguard?

Of course he knew the reason, and all his siblings had at least two to three personal bodyguards, but the last ones had been…. Luca shook his head to clear it. He hadn’t gotten on well with them. Either those guys didn’t know they could talk instead of grunt or scowl, or they were so overbearing Luca couldn’t resist any chance to make their life miserable.

Keith, who’d accompanied him to his father’s office, pushed him forward. His father cleared his throat, catching Luca’s attention. He slid his gaze over to him and swallowed upon the look leveled at him. His father was in his “I’m not amused” state already, and if he didn’t want to catch heat over his impolite behavior, he better rein in his temper. Squaring his shoulders, Luca stepped forward, a fake smile pasted on his lips.

Marcus Gray met him halfway, a bemused expression on his face. He took Luca’s offered hand and clasped it in his two big palms. A shiver surged through Luca, taking him off guard. Wide-eyed, he stared up into light gray eyes the color of gathering storm clouds, discovering a twinkle in them.

Ignoring the heat rising in his face, Luca croaked, “Hello, Mr. Gray.”

“Call me, Marcus, please.”

“Marcus,” Luca breathed, allowing the name to roll off his tongue.

Marcus let go of Luca’s hand but rested a palm on Luca’s shoulder, squeezing lightly, and steered him toward the door. He nodded toward his father, who peered at them with keen interest, and led Luca out of the office. “How about you show me around, and we’ll get to know each other?”

“Shouldn’t you have received the tour already? By the way, you’re my bodyguard. We don’t need to get to know each other,” Luca said, lifting his nose high. He had to show the man the ropes right away and—

Marcus raised his eyebrows and took Luca’s chin in a firm grasp. “A kitten with claws, I see. Let me get something straight right away. While I guard you, you will obey. For me to be able to ensure your safety, we’ll have to get to know each other. You can fight me, if you believe it’s necessary for your reputation or whatever, but in the end you’ll do as I say.”

Luca gaped at him, while he did his best to ignore the tingling of his belly. He was so not turned on by Marcus… that man. Who did he think he was anyway? Speaking to him like that was… was… at least not something Luca was used to.

“You’re my employee, and if you’re not doing what I want, I’ll fire you.”

Marcus’s lips curved upward. “Your father… no, your dad said you’d say that. I’m employed by your parents, and they’ll decide whether I’ll stay or not. You better get used to me, and hey, I’m really not that bad, I promise.”

“I’m going to get you into trouble.”

“Because you like to run away?” Marcus’s smile reached his eyes, accentuating the twinkle even more. “I’m really good at finding my charges.”

And he was. Marcus always found him, always. Not that Luca tried very hard the better he knew Marcus, but still, why did it take Marcus so long to find him this time? Wait, wasn’t he missing something? He’d seen Marcus, hadn’t he? He’d worn a helmet, and there had been smoke, shouts, and he’d been hurting….

LUCA SWALLOWED
but ended up coughing. A large, warm hand clasped his left hand, and on instinct, Luca squeezed. A chuckle reverberated from his left side. He turned his head, groaning when his body seemed to move of its own accord, bringing a bout of staggering nausea with it.

“Careful, kitten. You’ve been badly concussed and out of it for a while.” Marcus. That was Marcus’s voice.

Luca’s lower lip trembled in utter relief. He was safe. He had to be. Marcus’s hands cupped his cheeks, and a moment later, Marcus pressed a tender kiss on his forehead. Luca pried his eyes open, aghast when his vision was blurred at first. After wiping away the wetness lurking in his eyes, Marcus’s face came into clear view. Sharp lines creased Marcus’s handsome face, and he was wearing a stubble several days old.

“Marcus,” Luca whispered.

“Yes, it’s me.” Marcus’s voice broke. He peppered Luca’s face with small kisses, his fingers idly stroking along Luca’s brows. “I’m so sorry we didn’t find you earlier. So, so sorry.”

“We’re back home, right?” Luca asked, tensing up when it occurred to him they might still be in Southern Union territory.

“Yes, we are. You’ve been put in isolation for about a week. The doctors kept you sedated to make sure you and the baby are all right. You… you looked as if they’d used you as a pin cushion.” Marcus’s eyes darkened, and his voice turned into the clipped, angry tone Luca associated with Marcus at the end of his tether.

“I’ve been out of it for a week? That means I’m at what? Week eighteen now? God, I hate all that happened in the last five weeks. What about our baby, is he okay?” Luca rattled off.

“You know it’s a boy?” Marcus asked softly.

Luca lifted a shaky hand to interlace his fingers with Marcus’s. “Yes, I know. That’s what they said during my captivity. I’m sorry. That revelation should’ve been a special moment for us.”

“We’ll have many special moments with our boy, Luca. I’ve barely slept the last five weeks, worrying myself sick about you and wondering whether you’re even alive. The doctors assured me you and the baby are fine, that you’ve obviously been poisoned at some point in the past but fought it off. I only want you to be safe, okay?” Marcus’s voice cracked several times throughout his speech, and his hands trembled, which was so unlike Marcus that goose bumps rose on Luca’s skin.

Luca attempted to sit up, but Marcus gently hoisted him up until he rested against his chest. Luca leaned against the solid body and soaked up his warmth. Marcus painted circles on his bare back with his fingertips, sending glowing sparks through him.

“I was scared, Marcus.”

“I know. I know, and I’m sorry.”

“Dad! What about my dad? Before they flew me out, there were soldiers, and one of the guys had a nasty interest in Dad. I remember soldiers pulling the guy off him, but still. Is he okay?” Luca pushed off Marcus’s chest, needing to see his expression as he braced himself for the worst.

“Nicholas is fine. Physically at least. And the man you talked about… he’d been one of his bodyguards when Nicholas was a teenager, and obviously he’d been very taken with your dad, which had been cause enough to terminate the contract with him.” Marcus’s gaze slid away.

“How taken had he been with my dad?”

“This is not for me to say, Luca. Be assured that he’s doing okay. His main concern was you, and he was also the one who managed to find out where you were held. I have no idea how he did it other than it brought a black eye with it.” Marcus shook his head, a smile threatening to split his face. “Your father’s roar when he found out had everyone cowering in corners. The corners were rather crowded on that day.”

Luca laughed out loud. “Dad didn’t cower, did he?”

“No, of course not. He was mortally offended by your father’s yelling and told him as much. If I hadn’t been so worried about you, I’d have thought it was funny. In any case, your parents readied everything for your rescue, and well, the rest is history as they say.”

“You make it sound so easy, when I know it can’t be,” Luca said. Marcus fluffed up his pillow before he guided Luca to lie against it. Luca sagged into the pillow, but not without snatching Marcus’s hands in his own. “What about Kyle, your brother? You saw him, didn’t you? Please tell me he’s all right. He was trying to help me flee when we were caught, and then there was Smith and his people, and… and it got all really complicated.”

“Yes, we found Kyle.” Marcus locked eyes with him, and there was a softness in his eyes and expression that was usually reserved for Luca. Slightly unsettled by that discovery, Luca swallowed. Marcus added, “He’s injured, but not too badly. I didn’t know he’d been held captive by the Southern Union. I thought he’d dropped off the Earth again. He’s got a tendency to do that when a job has gone bad or he can’t deal with a situation. He might have the technical skills, but he’s not bodyguard material.”

Luca raised an eyebrow. “Does Kyle share your beliefs about his work?”

“No, he doesn’t. He’s a stubborn pain in the ass, and now he’s paid a horrid price.” Marcus’s lips tightened in a thin, bloodless line. A muscle at his right cheek ticked, giving away his inner turmoil. When he spoke again, his voice was rough. “During his time as Smith’s bodyguard, he developed some abdominal pain, and when they checked up on him, they found out he was spontaneously growing a female reproductive system.”

“What? That’s impossible.”

“Obviously it’s not. Normally, female breeders are born with an intact female reproductive system, while male breeders are born with the inner and outer male organ, while also carrying the inner organs of a female. You were born with them, and the organs grew according to your age. Kyle’s probably were dormant and well hidden from birth on. For whatever reason, doctors are assuming hormones kicked in and his female organs started growing about two years ago. They’re not fully developed yet but probably will be in about another year.” Marcus rubbed a weary hand through his hair, tucking a short strand of it behind his left ear.

“So, in fact, he’s becoming a breeder,” Luca said, not hiding the awe in his voice. “That’s why the Southern Union was so interested in him.”

Marcus’s expression turned to stone. It took him a moment to grit out, “Yes, they captured him and experimented on him. They found that a lot of their males carry the same dormant female system, and they wanted to discover the mechanism of how to develop them into full functionality.”

“That means now there are lots of people suffering because the Union’s doctors will experiment on them, killing people in the process. If they’d just treat their breeders better, they wouldn’t have those problems with high-risk pregnancies and dying breeders and babies.” Luca curved a hand around his belly, relaxing when he felt a fluttering movement inside him. “I can feel him moving.”

“Really?” Marcus asked. “Do you think I might be able to feel him as well?”

“I don’t know, it’s more like a flutter. Why don’t you try it?”

Marcus pushed the thin hospital gown aside and rested both hands around the swell of Luca’s abdomen. For a long time, they waited. Luca stared at Marcus expectantly whenever the baby moved inside him, but Marcus showed no sign of feeling anything. Just when Marcus’s face fell in disappointment, the baby kicked, surprising Luca with his strength. He yelped out loud.

Marcus’s eyes shone brightly when he lifted his head to stare at Luca. “I could feel him.”

SEVERAL DAYS
later, the doctors gave their okay for Luca to go home. Luca hugged the clothes Marcus brought him to his chest. Marcus had even been so considerate as to bring one of his sweaters that Luca liked to wear so much.

Marcus’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “How about you slip into them instead of hugging them?”

“I’ve been without decent clothing for almost six weeks. Let me have this moment in peace.” Luca closed his eyes, rubbing his cheek against Marcus’s knit sweater, and inhaled the remains of Marcus’s scent still clinging to the fabric.

“I hate to disturb you, but you should really dress now,” Nicholas said from where he perched on a stool.

Luca glanced over at his dad, not for the first time wincing when he saw his dad’s sharp cheekbones and smudged eyes. Gregory stood behind Nicholas, both hands resting on Nicholas’s shoulders. Every time he’d seen them after his rescue, his father was constantly touching his dad, as if he wanted to reassure himself he was still there. Gregory looked more regal, and he was curter in his orders than usual. Everyone seemed to be on edge and suffering.