Page 57 of Contempt

That was an understatement. He probably knew it down to the minute if he wanted to be honest, but he didn’t think Lucian needed to know those details. Some things were just better left unsaid in the grand scheme.

“I know in those five years,” Lucian continued, “that she was something you were supposed to stay clear of, yes?”

Renzo blinked.

“Yes,” he admitted.

“But you’ll keep an eye on her while you’re here in the city, won’t you? Keep her out of danger, I assume.”

“You don’t even have to ask that.”

Lucian nodded. “Good. Karver?”

The driver at the front of the car finally glanced in the rearview. “Yes, boss?”

“The Cordial, if you wouldn’t mind, please. We’ll drop our companion off there for the evening.”

“A hotel across the bridge?” Renzo asked. “Because I would prefer to go back to my hotel in Brooklyn.”

Lucian shrugged, but said nothing.

All too soon, the car came to a stop in front of the hotel in question. Lucian leaned over in the seat, and opened the door for Renzo to get out. He stared at the front of the hotel, and wondered what in the fuck was going on.

“Lucia changed hotels after leaving the hospital earlier,” Lucian said. “I thought you might like to know where she was staying now.”

Renzo’s gaze widened as an understanding dawned on him. This was her hotel, and Lucian, the man he thought would never willingly take Renzo to her had just done exactly that. And he didn’t look the slightest bit bothered by it.

Huh.

What was happening?

“Step out,” Lucian said, “I’m tired and I know my wife is worried as I haven’t gotten home yet, and today has been the worst of days.”

Renzo didn’t ask why, or question the man. He stepped out of the car, and then closed the door behind him. The very next second after he did that, the car pulled away from the side of the drop off, and disappeared out onto the street with the rest of the traffic.

He was stuck staring after it.

He thought two things, then.

One, he still owed Lucia that explanation.

Two, Lucian didn’t ask about his job or why he was in this city. Renzo wondered if that was because the man didn’t have to—did he already know?

TEN

Lucia knew it was Renzo behind the hotel door before she even opened it. How? Well, that she wasn’t sure, but she knew nonetheless.

“Hey,” Renzo murmured, never stepping beyond the threshold of her room. “You busy?”

There was a lot of things Lucia wished she could make sense of in those seconds—like the way her heart was screaming for this man, and yet, still hurt like hell, too. Or the fact that she finally felt a little less empty and alone because he was near, but she still seemed entirely too cold at the same time.

It had been so long since they were this close.

She still loved him.

Lucia shook her head. “No, I’m not busy.”

Renzo smiled a little. A ghost of a smile. It teased the corners of his lips, but didn’t lift up entirely. “Are you going to let me come in, then?”