25. Saverio
25
SAVERIO
W ith Raffaele and Lucia gone, the house feels unnaturally quiet. I’m not one for sitting in silence; it leaves too much room for thoughts to wander and doubts to creep in like unwelcome guests overstaying their welcome. And right now, I’ve got a veritable army of uncertainties marching through my mind that need to be attended to.
I pull out my phone, my fingers trembling slightly as I scroll through my contacts. The names blur together until I find the one I need. Taking a deep breath, I tap his name and bring the phone to my ear.
“Mick speaking,” his gravelly voice resonates through the receiver a moment later, comfortingly recognizable.
I inherited Mick from my father, a connection forged through years of loyalty and discretion. He’s a seasoned private investigator who’s been with the Family for longer than I’ve been alive. “It’s Saverio,” I say, leaning back in my chair and staring out the window at nothing in particular. A few birds fly by, languidly enjoying their weekend morning. The lazy flap of their wings seems to mock my restlessness. I watch as they disappear behind a cluster of trees. “I need you to do a background check on Kristopher Tate.”
There’s a pause before I hear a rustle of papers on Mick’s end. “We did a preliminary search on him a few years ago. Him and the other six of your half-siblings.”
“I remember,” I reply, my tone flat. “But I want you to start over. Dig deeper this time. Look at everything from his financial history to the first time he wiped his ass. Leave no stone unturned.”
Mick’s silent for a moment, considering the request. The pause stretches out, filled only by the faint crackle of the phone line. He is tangentially involved with the Family but generally keeps to himself, preferring to operate on the periphery of our complex web of relationships and obligations. “You think something’s come up?”
I nod even though he can’t see me. “Yeah. Something doesn’t sit right with me. We might be half-brothers,” courtesy of my father’s extramarital indiscretions, “but I’m not taking any chances. I want to know everything. Every dirty little secret, every skeleton in his closet.” I hedge every bet when it comes to Lucia. Her discomfort last night was a wake-up call I didn’t know I needed.
“Got it,” Mick replies, the sound of a pen scratching paper reaching my ears. “I’ll get on it right away. Anything specific you want me to focus on?” There’s a pause before he goes on. “Financial records? Known associates? His family history?”
I consider the options for a moment. Mick’s thorough, but I need to make sure we’re not leaving any stone unturned. “All of it,” I finally say, my voice firm. “Start with the basics, but don’t stop there. I want to know about his childhood, his education, and every job he’s ever held. Hell, even his dating history, if you can find it. Anything that might give us leverage or insight. Be thorough.” Unease gnaws at the back of my mind.
“Consider it done,” Mick says, his voice confident. “I’ll be in touch when I have something.”
Without another word, I end the call. The phone feels heavy in my hand as I stare at the screen, my mind already running through a hundred different scenarios. Kristopher’s always been easygoing and good-natured on the surface. But I’ve learned over the years that appearances are often deceiving. And if Lucia feels uncomfortable around him, that’s enough reason for me to dig deeper. I trust her instincts, and I trust my own even more.
As I’m about to put my phone down, it buzzes with a new message. I hesitate for a moment, my thumb hovering over the display, before tapping to open it when I see Raffaele’s name at the top.
Raffaele
Stopped for coffee. Ran into Luciano. Interaction was relatively harmless, but he mentioned Lucia had/has a stalker.
A stalker? My grip tightens around the phone, a surge of protectiveness and anger flaring up inside me. The thought of someone watching Lucia, threatening her, makes my blood boil. Who would dare target her? And why haven’t I heard about this before? I tap out a quick response, my fingers flying over the screen with barely contained urgency. Whoever this person is, they’ve just made a very dangerous enemy.
Saverio
Find out everything you can.
I hit send and lean back in my chair, my unease replaced with a cold, simmering determination. If there’s a threat to Lucia, I’ll find it and eliminate it. No one, absolutely no one, messes with what’s mine.
And as for Kristopher, if he’s hiding something, I’ll dig it up. Family or not, I don’t tolerate secrets—especially not when they involve the woman I intend to make my wife.