Underneath the Star

Chapter 13

Lukas groaned in frustration, dragged a hand over his face and then stormed over to her, pressing his lips so hard against hers that she fell limp in his arms. Once Melanie's scattered brain had finally register what he was doing, she closed her eyes and returned his kiss. His lips were invigorating, soft and perfectly molded to fit hers. She had always felt safe with Lukas, but being in his arms with their lips locked confirmed that everything she was feeling for him wasn't lust, nor was it her heart trying to trick her.

He pulled back to take a deep breath, and panic struck her face, but then he was kissing her again, gentler this time. Her arms moved around his neck, and he picked her up to carry her back to his bed. Her heart was practically pounding out of her chest, and her knees were shaking. Then his hand cupped her cheek, and she was suddenly calm again. Her body obeyed every command his body made. His eyes could compel her to speak, and his touch could keep her sane. Lukas Harrison was the only man she'd ever encountered who could control her without all the pain and suffering attached.

"I'm not him," he said, reluctantly parting from her. She was still underneath him, and he could feel her heartbeat against his. "I would never hurt you, especially not the way he did. And I would never try to make you feel like your feelings aren't valid and real. I know they are, pretty girl. Your feelings for me are very real, but they're also complicated."

"How can love be complicated?"

"There's a lot about me you don't know," he told her, looking away in shame. "Some things you're better off not knowing."

She kissed him again. She'd gotten a taste of him, and she wanted more. "If those things can't kill me then I don't care."

"You're too good for me, baby," he whispered. He rolled over, taking her with him so she was laying on his chest. "And that's the problem. The things you don't know could kill you, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if you ever got hurt because of me."

"Tell me," she said, holding his cheek in her small hand. "Tell me everything."

"I didn't grow up in a good neighborhood," he told her. His eyes glossed over, and he was so far back in his memories that he couldn't even blink. "My brother and I joined a street gang, and we mistook them for family. I watched them kill a lot of people, Mel. It was fucking horrifying."

She tried not to react. "Have you ever killed anyone?"

He shook his head to respond to her question. "If I didn't get out when I did, I probably would have. I hurt a lot of people though. Most of them didn't deserve it."

"What about your brother?"

"I pray to God he never has, and I pray he doesn't."

"He's still involved?"

"I can't do anything about it." His eyes fell on her, and he frowned when he saw the sad look on her face. "It was a long time ago. I'm not involved anymore, but my brother is. If he ever fucks up, they'll come after me and everyone I love."

"You're running from your past. That's no way to live."

"I'm not running," he said. "I have a life set up here. I have you here."

"I wish you wouldn't say these things. It makes me want you when I know I can't have you."

He smiled. "You can have me, baby. But I can't take you away from another man. Once you sort out your feelings for him, I'll be here."

"What are we doing down here?"

Christopher jerked his head over to the corner of the room where Mateo had tied up Eddy's limp body. When Lukas called his brother to meet, Christopher suggested meeting in their old hideout. It has been years since Lukas stepped foot down there. He and Christopher used to spend their days there with Mateo and his gang. That was before the two of them got involved in another one.

"I found the guys who fucked your place up," Christopher said to his brother. "Eddy hired them."

Lukas studied the face closely and furrowed his brows. "Mel's ex-boyfriend? I ran into the guy once. What does he want with me?"

Mateo looked at Christopher who remained expressionless. He was waiting for him to come clean, but when he didn't say anything, Mateo decided to speak. "Chris warned him to stay away from Melanie. He was just trying to scare him, but he didn't like that and hired some guys to attack your bar. He knows you're brothers, and he must have assumed that you had a hand in bringing him here the first time."

Lukas waited for his brother to confirm, but he didn't. "I called you to make sure you were alive. You haven't bothered to check in with Melanie because you were doing shit like this."

"How is she?" Christopher asked.

"Pick up your damn phone when she calls next time and ask her yourself."

"I really fucked up, Luke," Christopher said, squeezing his eyes shut. He couldn't wish away his actions or pretend they never happened, as much as he wanted to. "I was just trying to help Melanie. I didn't know he was going to come after you, too."

"Have you seriously learned nothing from our time out here?" Lukas stepped closer to his brother. "Mateo and his guys wiped out our entire gang so we could get out. Why the fuck did you come back just to get involved again?"

"I don't know."

Lukas scoffed. "You need to stop this. Let Eddy go."

"He fucked up your bar!"

"You did!" Lukas shouted at him. "You fucked up my bar, Chris. While you're ignoring Mel all day, you're doing shit to put her in danger. You're putting me in danger."

"I'm not trying to."

Lukas pinched the bridge of his nose and leaned against the old poker table. "I didn't come out here to fight you. I just wanted you to know that Melanie spent the night with me."

Christopher flinched. "Did you fuck her?"

Lukas didn't even react to his anger. "She kept trying to call you to tell you, but you didn't pick up."

"Did you fuck her?" he asked Lukas again. He was growing impatient to know.

"No, but I kissed her."

Christopher charged for him, but Lukas was quick to react and shoved his brother against the wall. It only angered him more, but he knew what Lukas was capable of, so he fell back against the wall and inhaled deeply. "Did it feel good to steal my girl?"

"You treat her like shit. You ignore her for days at a time, but I know she still has feelings for you. So, if you give a shit about her, you'll fight for her."

"Are you gonna back off?"

Lukas tucked his hands into his pockets and shook his head. "If she chooses you in the end, I gotta make sure you don't get her killed."

"What do I do?"

"You can start by calling her," Lukas suggested. "She and I are going out to dinner tonight. You can try making a big gesture."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I love her," he admitted. He looked down at the floor and smiled. Saying it out loud had lifted a heavy burden on him. "I don't ever want her to wonder if she missed out on anything."