8. Saverio
8
SAVERIO
B astard dinner is in the early stages of dessert when I get a text from Dante Terlizzi. I’m not surprised, considering Lucia’s appearance in Manhattan.
Dante
We need to meet up. Now.
Saverio
Is this a booty call?
Dante
You fucking wish, Castiglione.
I can’t help but feel a twinge of regret as I imagine what could have been between us. We were close as kids, with inside jokes and our own language that we devised so no one would know what we were talking about. But then Dante betrayed my trust, leading to a rift so large that we can never repair it.
I suggest meeting at Target because I need to pick up toilet paper, but it’s too public. In the end, we decide to meet in the parking lot of the Flint Hills Discovery Center. He insists on a neutral location because he’s afraid I’ll kill him at my place, and he’s worried I’ll kill his wife at his.
I rush through the remainder of bastard dinner and excuse myself, telling Raffaele to find his own way home, but Kristopher follows me to the door, offering to walk me out. “I’ll be fine, Kris. You don’t have to—oh, okay,” I shake my head as he opens the front door for me. “Thanks.”
“Listen, Sav,” he begins.
“Saverio,” I correct him. There are only a few people I allow to call me Sav, and my bastard brother isn’t one of them. We aren’t close enough for nicknames.
“Saverio,” Kristopher repeats before continuing. “I was wondering if you’d be interested in investing in my bar. We’re looking to do some renovations this winter, and I’ve secured the loan, but we’ll have to close for almost a month and that’s a lot of lost profit. I was thinking if you were interested, I’d be happy to sell you a 15% ownership for $50,000.”
The sun hasn’t set yet since it’s still August, but it’s beginning to dip beyond the horizon. The sky is painted with hues of pink and orange, bathing the two of us in a golden glow. “That’s one hell of a buy-in, Kristopher.”
“You’ll get it back,” he promises. “It’ll take probably 6-12 months, but within a year, the return on investment will be complete, and it’ll be pure profit after that. Excluding any future fixes or replacements, of course. Sometimes things break or need to be upgraded,” he explains.
As a fellow business owner, he doesn’t need to walk me through the process. I’m well-versed in the daily rigamarole of replacing light fixtures and aging materials that have suddenly gone bad. “I have somewhere to be, but I’d love to help. Can you email me your profit and loss sheet? I’d also like to look at a contract so I know what I’m getting myself into.”
Kristopher’s face lights up with excitement as he vigorously nods his head. “Of course. I can get that to you tomorrow or Tuesday if that’s okay!”
I lift my hand, palm facing out, signaling him to stop. “Either day is fine. Take the week if you need to. I’ll have to have my lawyer look over the contract anyway, so this isn’t going to be an overnight deal.”
“Of course,” he says again. “Thanks, Saverio. You’re a lifesaver.”
After fumbling with my keys for a minute, I finally unlock my car door and turn to face him. “I’m not saving you, Kristopher; I’m investing my money in a thriving business. This isn’t personal; this is professional. Send me the info when you get it all typed up, okay?”
With a confident smile, Kristopher assures me he will have the profit and loss numbers sent over first thing in the morning. And to top it off, he promises to have a contract ready for me by Wednesday. I thank him before getting into my car and driving off, shaking my head when I am no longer in his line of sight.
A soft, exasperated sigh escapes my lips. Kristopher is technically considered an adult at twenty-seven years old, but to me, he’s still just a kid. Younger and less experienced than me, yet full of energy and enthusiasm. A pang of nostalgia hits me as I realize how quickly time has flown by.
I take my time driving to the Flint Hills Discovery Center, stopping to get gas and a soda when it feels like I’m going to arrive too soon. In the end, I get there after Dante. He paces back and forth in the parking lot with his fists clenched by his side. When he sees me pulling in, he stops and leans up against his car, crossing his arms over his chest.
Lately, Dante’s been offering me anything and everything to nullify my marriage contract with his sister. If I wanted to, I could have the entire Terlizzi family fortune and three wives of my choosing. But I don’t need his money, nor do I want the subpar brides he’s trying to offer me. I want Lucia, plain and simple. And I want revenge.
“Dante,” I greet as I get out of my car. I share a genial smile with him because I can afford to be generous.
Dante’s face twists into a scowl as he stalks towards me, closing the distance between us in three quick strides. Without warning, his fist connects with my jaw. “You motherfucker,” he swears as the force of his blow throws me against the side of my car. “You threatened my sister?”
I should have known she would run off to her big brother and tell him what happened.