seats left open. I headed to the seat I normally sat in opposite Christian. His stare met mine, a brow raised. He was still reeling from what Lorenzo had announced, and both he and I knew what was happening right now would change the entire organization.
Maybe that was what it needed though. Things had been done the same way for such a long time. People had changed, technology had advanced. What worked back then wouldn’t work now. We had to move with the times, even if that meant leaving some people behind.
“How was the meeting?” I heard Sofia murmur to Christian. Her hand landed on his arm. My head tilted at the movement, and my gaze immediately veered over to Lorenzo, but he was too occupied talking to Aida and his ma.
“Nothing you need to know about,” Christian answered, but there was a softness to his voice that wasn’t usually there. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up as they looked at each other with small smiles on their faces.
They were in their own little bubble, just like I’d been in with Luna the other day. My stomach rolled at the memory of her. There was something about her soulful eyes that called to me, but it was nothing compared to how her lips begged me to touch them.
I’d gotten Mr. Blue to do a background check on her. He’d told me the full check wouldn’t be ready for a few more days, but I’d gotten the basics from him almost right away. She’d moved here for college, and so had her parents. Something didn’t feel right, and not just because of the way she held herself and then me seeing her sitting outside the apartment block in the dark, but because my gut told me.
I’d always listened to my gut, even when it told me things I didn’t want to hear.
“Mateo?” I snapped my head around, my eyes widening. “Did you listen to a thing I just said?” Aida asked, her lips pulled up into a smile, but the dimness in her eyes couldn’t be veiled. She hadn’t been herself since Paolo. She probably never would be.
“Sorry.” I laughed, trying to ease the tension rolling through my body. I couldn’t think straight, not when I had so much rolling around in my mind.
“It’s okay.” She frowned, leaning forward. “I said I’ve got leftovers for you to take home.” I glanced at the middle of the table where her famous pasta was sitting, steaming and inviting. Everyone gathered whenever she decided she was going to cook, and I couldn’t blame them because it was the best damn pasta I’d ever eaten.
“Oh, okay.” I tried to smile, but her words reminded me that while I was surrounded by this family, mine were alone at home, trying to fend for themselves. “I…” I cleared my throat, my gaze veering to Lorenzo. It was already 6 p.m. which meant the kids had been home for several hours now.
He clipped his head in a small nod, answering my unspoken question. My plate was only half empty, but I didn’t care because all I could think about were Cardo and Chiara at home alone—well, technically Mom was there, but she wasn’t really, she hadn’t been there for as long as I could remember.
I pushed my chair back, clearing my throat to gain the attention of everyone around the table. “I’m heading out.” I stepped around my seat and pushed it back in. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Aida stood, rushing out of the room but I didn’t take any notice of her as I headed toward Lorenzo. I halted next to him as he opened his mouth and murmured, “You got Romeo, yeah?”
“Yeah.” I glanced over at him, raising a brow as he shoveled mountains of pasta into his mouth. “I’m gonna show him the security upgrades tomorrow.”
“Good.” Lorenzo leaned back in his seat, rubbing his chin. “He needs to come out from under his father.” His eyes flashed. He understood what it was like having to live in your father’s shadow. It was something I’d never understand because I’d never even met mine.
“Yeah.” I pushed my shoulders back, waiting to see if he said anything else, but when he didn’t, I said, “See you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow,” he echoed, and I took my leave, pushing through the door and into the main entryway.
Aida stood waiting patiently with a container full of food clutched to her chest. She smiled, her eyes lighting up. “Here.” She handed