Relief flooded my system, and I collapsed against the doorframe, cackling to myself. I just embodied everything everyone thought about crazy girlfriends. Not once had Luke ever given me a reason to suspect him, and yet I’d let irrational fear drive my insane actions.
Azalea was right, I did need to speak directly to Luke about my concerns, but maybe I’d jumped the gun a little tonight. I dragged myself down the hall, regretting my suspicions. As I passed the kitchen, a loud thump caught my attention. Backing up to stand in the doorway, I stood still and held my breath. My body jerked when another muted thud startled me.
Without thinking, I readied a little magic at my fingertips, ready to zap whoever it was intruding in my boyfriend’s house. The door to the refrigerator swung open, and the light from inside shone out into the darkened room. Two dark forms emerged from the interior, arguing in a different language.
“Luke?” I asked, recognizing the tenor of his voice. I pulled my hand behind my back and allowed the magic to fizzle out.
The heated discussion stopped abruptly. “Ruby Mae? What are you doing here?” Irritation laced his question. His usual Southern accent was replaced by something more foreign.
For a second, I wondered if I’d invaded someone else’s house. Turning on the lights to be sure, I found Luke standing in front of the refrigerator with a strange man climbing out behind him. In all the time I’d been dating Luke, he had only revealed his underground lair to me very recently. Who was this man that my boyfriend shared his secrets with so easily?
“I…I…” Any explanation I could come up with flew out of my woozy head. “We were out at the tiki bar.”
Luke frowned. “I know this. I am asking why you have come here tonight?”
His different accent plus his accusatory tone began to tick me off. The embarrassment of being caught off guard morphed into justified rage.
“And I’d like to know what you’ve done to my boyfriend. Scratch that. My fiancé. Because the way you’re addressing me right now doesn’t sound exactly friendly.” The magic I’d tried to banish flared to life again with my extreme emotions. I clenched my hands into fists to hide my raw reaction.
“Fiancé?” his friend exclaimed with wide eyes. Rapid words in a different language exploded out of him, and Luke cringed a little.
“Cas, aspetta, per favore,” Luke pleaded, holding up a hand to stop the tirade. “And speak in English so my betrothed can understand you.” He moved to the side so the stranger could emerge fully from the secret passageway.
“Don’t bother.” Turning on my heels, I marched away with too many emotions mixing into a horrible cocktail of confusion.
“Rue, don’t go.” Luke followed behind me. He swore under his breath, and while I didn’t understand the foreign words, I recognized cussing when I heard it.
I made it to the front door, wanting to escape, but he flashed in front of me and took my outstretched hand reaching for the doorknob into his.
“Forgive me, cara,” Luke said, lifting my hand to his mouth and kissing my knuckles. “I wasn’t expecting to see you tonight, and you caught me off guard.”
Although honey dripped from his tone, I still didn’t buy the sweetness. “You’re the one who gave me a key and told me I could come by whenever. If I recall, you even hinted that you wanted me to surprise you from time to time.”
Shame and another emotion I couldn’t read flooded his face. “I know. And I did mean it. This house is just as much yours as is my heart.”
“Don’t try to distract me with sweet talk.” I yanked my hand out of his grip. “I was trying to surprise you so that we could talk a few things out. Guess I’m the one who got surprised instead. I’ll go, and you can be as busy as you like.” I threw the words from his text back in his face and grabbed the doorknob.
“Luca,” his friend called out from behind us. “You must introduce me to this charming lady you claim has agreed to marry you.”
If I wasn’t already so irritated, I might have found the newcomer’s accent a little enticing.
With one eyebrow raised at my boyfriend, I asked, “Luca?” I gave up trying to flee and changed tack. I held out my hand and approached the stranger. “The name’s Ruby Mae Jewell.”
The handsome man accepted my greeting, but as soon as his skin touched mine, a little of my wild magic zapped him. He gasped and pulled back, shooting a suspicious glance at Luke.
“Oops,” I recovered, squeezing my fingers together and willing any leftover power to dissipate. “Guess we got a spark from my feet rubbing against the carpet.” I pointed at the intricate oriental rug underneath us.
“Ah, that must be it.” Instead of shaking my hand again, he placed both of his behind his back and bowed in an old-fashioned salutation. “I am Cassio Rosati, and I apologize for the situation we find ourselves in. It is my fault that there is discord between you and your fidenzato for I showed up at his doorstep without a proper invitation.”
I took in the man in front of me. His words sounded polite, but something about the furtive glances he kept casting in Luke’s direction bothered me.
“Cassio,” I repeated, testing his name on my tongue. “May I assume you knew Luke from his home town?”
He chuckled and relaxed a little. “Sì, Luca has been my friend for…how long has it been?” he challenged my boyfriend.
“Too long,” joked my fiancé, but his tone suggested anything but mirth. “And please call me Luke while you’re here.”
“As you wish, Luke,” Cassio agreed with an exaggerated hard K. He addressed me again, “Luke and I have been the best of friends for many
