Charlotte After Dark

Chapter 51: Running For Our Lives

Joaquin was not there to take me to my next meeting with Abel Lestrange.

Luca called for me early in the evening, barely giving me a few moments to dress myself. As I raced down the steps of the main foyer and into Luca's study my mind felt like it was running quicker than I could comprehend. Why was he so adamant that he meet with me so close to waking?

Callendar had come to the house quite late in the evening, but Siobhan shooed me back to my room when I tried to eavesdrop on the conversation from the doors of Luca's study. What had transpired between him and Beauregard Callendar the night before after I had been sent back to my room?

I smoothed my hair back, the straw-colored tendrils becoming loosened in my sprint to the door of Luca's study. Satisfied with my appearance (although I was sure Luca wouldn't notice) I knocked on the tall doors.

"Enter," Luca's voice responded.

"Why are you calling for me so early?" I asked him as I walked in.

Luca didn't say anything at first, instead, he motioned only to the seats in front of him.

"I'll stand, thank you," I told him. Too many times already I had sat in one of those seats, and was not inclined to relieve my experience from the night before.

"Malcolm will be taking you to your lesson this evening," Luca told me.

I felt like my heart skipped a beat when Luca told me that I would be escorted to my lesson with Abel by none other than Malcolm Darrow. Not only because it made me worry for Joaquin, but that tonight was the night that I was going to follow Sergei to St. Fenris' Church with Andrew.

"What? Why?" I pressed.

"Joaquin is otherwise disposed of this evening, and for the foreseeable future," Luca explained, sounding bored. He wasn't looking at me. Instead, he was flipping through a pile of invoices looking for something specific.

My thoughts wandered to the first night I had been brought to Luca's home, when he had Joaquin take me to the greenhouse. Gooseflesh rose all over my body as I fought to shake the memory of my time in that greenhouse. Luca had stated he simply wanted to test my resourcefulness, but I still remained skeptical.

"Did you put him in the greenhouse for what he did last night? Luca, what did you do?" I asked.

"It is none of your business how I handle my employees, Charlotte."

I came around the other side of the desk—the first time I had been brave enough to do so—and looked down at Luca. I placed one of my hands on his shoulder and he stiffened.

"Luca, please, he didn't do anything wrong," I said softly.

Luca shook my hand off his shoulder. "I believe that Mr. Durante has let his personal feelings cloud his professional judgment and forget his responsibilities."

"Are you insinuating what I think you're insinuating, Luca?" I asked.

Luca stood up to face me, towering over me with his height. "I will remind you that there are many eyes in this house, always watching. I know about your 'dancing lessons' with Joaquin, and what else I do not know I am sure I will find out soon enough. You will not form inappropriate relationships with the staff again, am I clear?"

I looked up at Luca with a stern expression, intent on dispelling Luca's misunderstanding of the relationship between Joaquin and I. However, the more I thought about it, telling Luca the actual truth might get Joaquin into even more trouble than he already was. I looked into his angered face and let the silence surround us.