Underneath the Star

Chapter 10

"Two thousand was transferred back to my account this morning."

Lukas didn't look at Melanie as he continued to clear the bar. He had found a contractor who would be arriving in another day to fix the place up, so he would have to find space to store the unlimited bottles of liquor. "I don't need it anymore."

"Is this a pride thing again?" she asked him. She was sipping on a glass of red wine he offered her when she arrived. She wanted to feel a light buzz without the burning taste of liquor, so she settled on something more savory.

"I dug up a little extra cash to get the whole placed fixed."

She raised a brow in curiosity. "You did?"

"Donated by family."

"Family?"

He laughed at the look of surprise on her face. "I have a family, Mel. A mother, brother and step father. I even have aunts, uncles, and cousins."

She rolled her eyes. "You don't have to be so condescending."

"I wasn't trying to be." He continued shoving bottles into crates and frowned at the sadness shown on her face. "What'd I say now?"

"Nothing," she said, taking a long sip of her wine. "So, tell me more about your family."

He hummed, unconvinced that he hadn't said something to offend her somehow. "Well, my mom was never really my mom. She didn't know how to raise a child, but it was just the two of us for the first two years of my life. Then some man started coming around more often. She had my brother, and we all became one happy family."

"Do you still talk to them?"

He shook his head. "My mom is slowly forgetting who I am, but I try to see her often. My brother and I decided it was safer that no one knows how close we really are. And my step dad checks in on my brother who reports back to me. I wasn't his real son. I don't expect him to care about me."

"I care about you," she whispered, looking down into her glass.

He ruefully smiled and lifted her chin, bringing her closer to kiss her forehead. He shouldn't have been so affectionate, but he had already crossed boundaries between them when he let his lips touch any part of her. "My sweet girl, you shouldn't care about me."

"Well, I do."

He walked around the bar to sit next to her and cradled her cheek in his hand. Her eyes fluttered closed upon his touch, and he inhaled deeply. "Why?"

"You're the only person who's ever made me feel like I matter," she told him. His touch had compelled her to speak, and she opened her eyes in horror. He remained impassive, however. "You're showing me parts of you I've never seen before, but the way you treat me never changes."

"You deserve nothing but the best."

She breathed in deeply through her nose and leaned forward, covering the large hand he had on her cheek with her own. "Are you this kind to all the women you interact with?"

"Only to the one I want by my side."

She swallowed hard. "Lukas, I—"

"Still closed?" Christopher asked, interrupting their conversation. He approached them and tucked his hands into the pockets of his jeans, waiting for Lukas to separate himself from Melanie.

Lukas reluctantly broke contact and walked behind the bar to open two bottles of beer. "You're welcomed any time." He slid one to his brother and took a sip from his own. "What are you doing here?"