Finding Romeo

Chapter 18

(Talia's POV)

My fist landed a solid punch as I brought my knee up, driving it into the side of the punching bag that hung from the ceiling. Music blasted through the empty gym, covering the sounds of my hits and heavy breathing.

My eyes fogged as the memory of my kidnappers flew through my mind and I let out all of my pent up anger and aggression on the bag.

After the movie, I had convinced Kim that I was going to gym for a while under to contingency that we would eat a bunch of sweets from a bakery and talk about Romeo when I got back. As much as I loved my best friend, I needed to get away for a bit to let it all out without her and Koteo there to witness it.

I'm sure the way I was pounding away at the bag would cause some concern for her, but this was the best way for me to get over things. Not crying my eyes out, though that helped upon occasion, it just wasn't the same as letting it all out physically at the gym.

"I'd hate to be that bag right now," a deep voice spoke from behind me.

I whirled around, blinking through the blur of sweat in my eyes to find Luka standing there. I gasped for breath as I stopped assaulting the bag and said the first thing that popped into my mind. "How did you find me?"

Luka's eyes seared through me, as if he could see everything that was going on inside my head. "Mr. Vladimir has ways of knowing where people are. He wants to speak with you."

I guess that was all of the aggression I was going to get out for today.

"Okay," I said, grabbing the towel to dry off. I doubted I had time to shower, Luka was already heading back out the door to the van, where he sat waiting for me to get in.

After I got in, we sat in awkward silence. "Thank you," I said, looking at him.

"Mr. Vladimir wanted me to pick you up so I don't need your thanks," Luka said as he pulled out into the street.

"I mean for saving me," I said, clarifying. "I'm not sure how I could have gotten out if you hadn't shown up when you did."

Luka just grunted and drove onward, his brows set low in his usual grumpy self. At Least I didn't have to worry about him talking about my feelings. I smirked at the thought, trying to imagine Luka actually asking something like that.

"It was your boyfriend that got me to you so fast," Luka ground out, coughing a bit after he spoke, as if the words were so hard to get out that he was actually choking on them.

"He must have tracked my phone before it was smashed," I said, again not specifying that he wasn't my boyfriend. Why wasn't I correcting him? Luka had met Romeo in person though, so if I was going to get any information about him, Luka would be the way to go.

"So, just out of curiosity, what did he look like?" I asked, wondering how I could ask the questions I needed without scaring Luka into silence.

"A guy," Luka said, his hands grabbing the steering wheel harder.

So helpful.

"Well, was he tall or short?"

"He was normal guy height."

"Was he from around here or did he have an accent?"

"You should know, being his girlfriend," Luka growled, swerving around a car and almost running over some people on the sidewalk.

I sighed, leaning back in my seat. "He's not really my boyfriend and he's really secretive." I said, but got no response from Luka, who drove in silence. "Can't you tell me anything about him?"