An Echo in the Mafia (Echo Reid, Reid Family Book #1)

Part 30

 "This is... It's never going to happen."

Echo stared at the window of the boutique and shook her head vehemently.

"Nope. No, not gonna happen." She repeated, shaking her head and turning to point a finger at Luke. "You... You're a pig."

Luke laughed. Echo was stalled and staring at the display outside a lingerie store, her eyes wide in horror. Then, she lifted her chin and turned away.

"Ughhh... pig." She repeated, starting to walk away but he reached out and took her hand.

"I'm only teasing. Calm down- I'll leave that up to you." He said, squeezing her hand and pulling her along. "I was actually pointing at that one."

She turned, obviously furious.

"If you don't stop doing things like that you'll give me a heart attack." Echo muttered, following him as he moved towards the shop next to it.

"You're adorable." He said with a smile.

"Shut up." she replied, walking in and looking around. "What..."

"Go head, pick something." He said, hands in his pockets as watched her. For Echo, it was strange that a man like Luke would want to go shopping but so far all they'd done was walk around holding hands, Luke constantly teasing her.

"Pick something?" She repeated, looking around the shop. "Pick something?"

"Yes." He said.

"From here?" She asked, glancing at the glass displays. "Luke, I didn't think... I don't think..."

"Listen, I'm well aware that you and your sisters are practically princesses living in that castle." He said, moving over to the counter where there was a large array of sparkling diamond trinkets. "But I would love to give you something to make you think of me."

He reached out and gently massaged one of her ear lobes.

"I..." She began to say, unsure how to respond. No one had ever given her jewelry before, not even her parents and she had certainly never thought to buy herself anything more than a wrist watch. She looked down at the display case, a pretty pair of diamond studs glistening. They were small but beautiful and for some strange reason, she actually wanted them. She'd never wanted anything like that before but she wanted them because they would be a gift from Luke.

"You like them?" Luke asked, noting how she looked at them and thinking they were a pretty choice for her but before she could answer, they the heard the sound of the door opening behind them.

"If you're happy, I'm happy." Lena said as she entered the shop.

Echo quickly froze and turned away.

"Shit." Luke muttered beneath his breath as George Pine and Lena Reid entered the store.

"I'm happy to hear that, Lena. Your opinion is important to me." George said as they walked in.

"Thank you, George." Lena replied with a sigh.

"Mr. Farina?" George said, noting Luke in the back. Echo stiffened but Luke gave her hand a squeeze.

"Just go." Luke whispered turning with a smile.

"George Pine- Didn't I ask you to call me Luke?" Luke said, moving quickly to their side of the room.

"Luke and you'll call me George?" George asked, shaking his hand. Lena stared in awe. So this was the man that everyone had been talking about? She was quiet, which was unlike her. There was something about this man that screamed danger. She felt an instinctive and immediate sense of alarm. There was something unsettling about him...