20. Saverio
20
SAVERIO
W e settle into a corner booth far from the bar, the low lighting casting shadows across Lucia’s face as she climbs in beside me. There’s a tension in the air now, something unspoken but thick enough to cut through. I can feel it radiating off her, even though she’s doing her best to appear calm. As soon as we’re seated, I keep my voice low and my eyes focused on my half-brother at the bar. “What did you and Kristopher talk about?”
Lucia hesitates, her eyes flicking away before she forces herself to meet my gaze. “Did you tell him where I work?” The question comes out accusatory and scared.
My brow furrows as I process her words. “No. I’ve never mentioned your school to him or any of my siblings. Why would you think that?”
She shifts uncomfortably in her seat, her slender fingers tracing the intricate floral pattern etched into the wooden table. Her eyes dart around the room as if searching for an escape route before settling back on her restless hands. “Because he knew,” Lucia admits quietly. “He knew I worked at Whitson.”
A chill brings goosebumps to my skin, but I keep my expression neutral, not wanting to alarm her. “I’ve only told my half-siblings that you’re a teacher in Topeka. That’s it.” It’s none of their business where my fiancé works.
Lucia processes what I’ve said before nodding her head slowly. “That’s what I thought,” she murmurs, more to herself than to me. Her eyes, usually bright and expressive, now seem distant and clouded with worry. Silence takes residence between us, gnawing at my insides like a relentless beast.
I resist the urge to reach across the table and take her hand, sensing that she needs this moment to collect her thoughts. But I lean closer, my voice dropping to a whisper meant only for her. The people around us probably don’t care what we’re talking about, but I’m not taking any chances. “I don’t like the way Kristopher looked at you.”
She doesn’t respond, her body language closing off like a flower at dusk. Her lips press into a thin line as she stares at the table, eyes fixed on some invisible point. Lucia’s pulling away from me, retreating into herself, and I don’t know why.
“Lucia,” I command, my tone leaving no room to be ignored. “What’s going on? Do you know Kristopher somehow?”
She shakes her head no before looking up at me, a hint of fear in her eyes now. “No. I’ve never met him before. But… he knew where I worked, Saverio. And I don’t know how to explain it, but something about him seems familiar. Like I’ve seen him before or, well, this is going to sound strange.” Lucia pauses to take a deep breath before continuing. “I feel like I’ve felt him before.”
I frown as I try to make sense of what she’s saying; I can’t shake the uneasy sensation settling in the pit of my stomach. “But you’ve never met?” I clarify.
She shrugs, her eyes darting away from me again. “I don’t know. I don’t think so. I mean, I don’t recognize him at all. But something about him,” Lucia shudders. “I don’t know. It just doesn’t sit right with me.”
I sit back, my mind whirling as I process what she’s saying. Lucia’s always been a very self-assured woman, and in all my years, I’ve never met someone with her striking confidence and poise before. But to see her so visibly unsettled and uncertain bothers me more than I care to admit. My instincts are screaming at me to dig deeper into this situation. If Lucia feels strongly enough to confide in me, then I absolutely need to take notice. It’s been so long since Lucia has felt safe enough to open up to me about anything. The fact that she’s doing so now speaks volumes about the gravity of her concerns.
My gaze shifts toward the bar, where Kristopher is back to serving drinks and laughing with regulars. His movements are fluid and easygoing as he pours cocktails and banters with each new guest. On the surface, he’s the same affable younger brother I’ve known for the last few years—charming, quick with a joke, and always ready with a smile. But now I’m seeing him through a different lens, and I don’t like what I see. There’s an edge to his laughter that I hadn’t noticed before, a calculated gleam in his eyes as he surveys the room. It’s as if a veil has been lifted, revealing glimpses of someone I’m not sure I truly know.
“Don’t worry,” I assure Lucia, my tone unyielding as iron. “I’m going to look into this.” I don’t have to tell her, but she knows—I will never let anyone or anything ever make her feel uncomfortable, especially not my family.
Lucia’s expression softens, and the hard lines around her eyes ease, but her discomfort doesn’t fade. I can see she’s trying to put on a brave face for my sake, but the slight tremble in her lower lip betrays her true feelings. “It’s probably nothing,” she says. “It just caught me off guard that he knew where I worked. I might not have even paid attention if it had been another detail. But then the way he made me feel when he looked at me…” Her voice trails off for a second before she repeats herself. “It’s probably nothing.”
Maybe, maybe not. I’ve naively placed my faith in my step-siblings; a cursory background check suggested they weren’t cause for concern. But trust only goes so far, and if Kristopher crossed a line, even if it’s one he doesn’t realize, I will find out why. My intuition has never failed me, and at this moment, it’s urging me to investigate further. Family or not, if someone’s making Lucia uncomfortable, I need to get to the bottom of it.
The thought of Lucia feeling anything less than completely safe and comfortable around me and my family is unacceptable. A protective instinct flares within me, urging me to act. Kristopher might not have meant anything untoward by what he said to Lucia; perhaps he looked her up online or asked around about her out of innocent curiosity. But regardless of his intentions, his actions have made Lucia uneasy, and I need to address it.
I’ll uncover the truth behind this situation carefully and discreetly. My step-brother’s feelings are important, but Lucia’s sense of security takes precedence. I owe it to her to ensure that her life remains a sanctuary, free from any hint of discomfort or unease.
If experience has taught me anything, it’s that secrets inevitably come to light. And I’m going to make damn sure that if Kristopher is hiding something, it doesn’t affect my wife or my life.