Read Online The Muscle Part Three by Michelle St. James - Free Book Online

outside. When she’d first met Luca, she’d been sure he was nothing but hired muscle — one of the mean, uneducated men Diego surrounded himself with to ensure they would do his bidding. And Luca had thought she was a spoiled rich girl with nothing between her ears. He’d been right about the spoiled part — at least when it came to money — but she liked to think he was at least a little surprised when he got to know her.
    “Keep an eye on those beans, will you, Luca?” she asked.
    He kissed the top of her head. “I will. You sure you don’t want me to take Farrell to his room?”
    She shook her head. This was her house for awhile longer. She wanted to be hospitable and make sure their new guest was comfortable.
    She craned her neck to look at the man who loomed over her. “Come on. I’ll show you around.”
    She led him through the living and media rooms, telling him where he could find everything if he needed it. He was mostly silent, and she felt the magnetic pull of his presence at her back. It wasn’t sexual like it had always been with Luca. More like she knew he was there, and she knew nothing bad would happen to her as long as he was.
    They made their way across the palazzo and around the pool, then continued to the back staircase.
    “There’s the big staircase at the front of the house, too,” she said. “But if you’re back here, this one’s a bit closer.”
    She wasn’t surprised when he didn’t say anything. She was already growing used to his silence.
    They entered the second floor and continued down the hall before turning to the East wing and the set of bedrooms now occupied by Marco and Elia. When she got to the second door, she opened it and stepped into a large room with a private attached bath.
    “You should have everything you need,” she said. “There are clean towels in the bathroom, and the bed always has clean sheets. I hope you’ll make yourself at home.”
    The corners of his lips turned up into something approximating a smile. “Thank you.”
    She nodded. “You’re welcome. And… thank you. For helping us try to get my sister back.”
    “I don’t try. I do.”
    His voice was low and calm, with almost no inflection to accent one word over another. It was a fact. Something she could take to the bank. She suddenly felt even better about their chances of finding Sofia.
    She looked around, realizing he didn’t have a suitcase. “Do you need help with your things?”
    He shook his head. “It’s just one bag in the car. I can handle it.”
    She smiled. “All right, then. I’ll leave you to get settled. Just — ”
    But she was cut off by the sound of something crashing at the far reaches of the property. She froze in the moment Farrell’s eyes met hers, and a split second later they heard the roar of a big engine barreling toward the house.
    Farrell withdrew a weapon from under his jacket. “Stay here.”
    He disappeared into the hall.

13
    L uca was already at the door, standing behind the frosted glass on either side when Farrell came bounding down the steps.
    “What’s going on?” he barked.
    “I have no idea.” Luca had his weapon drawn, but judging by the two SUVs speeding toward the house, it wasn’t going to be enough. Farrell brought enough skill for four men, but with only Marco covering the back of the house while Elia was gone, they might still be outmatched.
    “Fuentes?” Farrell asked.
    Luca didn’t have time to answer before nine men spilled out from the two vehicles. They were wearing tactical gear and carrying AKs, their body language smooth and easy, speaking to their obvious experience. They fired on the house indiscriminately, spraying the facade with bullets as casually as if they were watering the lawn.
    Farrell and Luca hit the floor at the same time, each of them crawling to one of the shattered windows on either side of the door.
    “I’ve got the guys on the left,” Farrell said. “You take the right.”
    Luca combed his mind as