Page 113 of Privilege

That made the man hesitate in his next step. His following statement was meant as a deflection or even a denial, but his hesitation had been enough to tell Renzo he found someone he was looking for. And yes, Lucian was very likely inside.

“I don’t know who the hell you’re talking about, man,” the guy said.

Renzo nodded, and took another drag from his smoke. “Sure. Anyway, I’m not going anywhere until I see Lucian, or his daughter, if she’s here. I’d really prefer her, but you know, I’ll take either.”

It was the dart of the man’s gaze to the mirrored windows that confirmed Renzo’s hope that Lucia was at the business having an early lunch with her family. So, now it was just a waiting game.

“I can always move your stupid ass,” the guy threatened.

“You could, but how are you going to do that when I stick a knife in your throat and let you bleed out on the ground here. You’re going to tell me that the Marcellos don’t have a bunch of cops on their payroll? Let me guess, you’re what, muscle? Disposable, then. Instead of having a bunch of cops around here causing them problems, they’re just going to clean up whatever mess I make, and throw you in the river to wash up on the other side.”

Renzo smirked over at the man. “But go ahead, put your hands on me. I bet it’ll be a good lesson for you, asshole.”

NINETEEN

Lucia saw Renzo first. Kind of fucking amazing, considering she had spent most of the lunch doing her very best to ignore her father across the table despite all his efforts to engage her in conversation. In doing so, she had kept her gaze on the wall, the floor, or her untouched plate of food.

Tension really was not a good enough word for what it felt like in their home lately, but this had been her entire life for the last week. No car, no phone, and when she went home, even her laptop had been taken from her room. She suddenly went from feeling like an eighteen-year-old almost out on her own, and in control of her life, to a teenager being punished like a child.

She might have noticed Renzo first, but her father wasn’t very far behind. Lucian followed Lucia’s gaze to where she was staring out the mirrored windows, and let out a noise that sounded like disbelief and anger all rolled into one. Lucia might have smiled if she wasn’t still so fucking mad at her dad.

No matter how much she tried to explain to him about Renzo, and her, he just didn’t care to hear it. He’d made up his mind on everything, and nothing she could say was going to change it. Her mother, for the most part, rarely stepped in. But to be fair, Jordyn also didn’t really take a side, either.

She was neutral ground, not stepping in between her husband and daughter’s feud, but also not making it any worse than it was with her own opinions.

Lucia didn’t know whether to be grateful, or not.

“What in the hell is he doing here?” Lucian asked, his voice a rough growl. “And how did he even know we were here to begin with?”

Her father’s gaze swung to her, but Lucia sat quietly and unmoved in her chair.

“Well?” he demanded.

Lucia arched a brow. “You think I called him to let him know I was going to be here today? I didn’t even know I was going to have to come here today, Daddy. You made me come because apparently, I can’t just be unhappy with you at home, I have to be unhappy with you out in public, too.”

Her father’s gaze hardened.

Lucia was still unbothered.

Where was the lie?

“How else would he—”

“I don’t even have a cell phone to use, or my computer. You’ve taken away my car, so it’s not like I can drive to tell him, either. Oh, and we don’t even have a house phone because everybody has their own cell phone, so I couldn’t use that to call him. It wasn’t me.”

Lucian still didn’t look like he believed her, but his desire to argue with her waned quickly enough. That was the thing about her father. He was stubborn as hell when he believed he was right about something, or doing the right thing. Like this whole shitshow with her and Renzo. But at the same time, he wasn’t the kind of man who enjoyed discontent or discomfort in his own life and home.

A double-edged sword, really.

He caused this.

“Well, he isn’t getting what he wants,” her father muttered, throwing down his napkin. “I can promise you that.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means get a good look at him because soon, he’ll be gone.”

“Lucian,” Jordyn murmured.