Renzo + Lucia: The Complete Trilogy - Bethany-Kris Page 0,4

her drive home. She froze on the stoop, finding a familiar figure waiting for her in the driveway. Her older brother leaned against the hood of what looked to be a brand-new Mercedes.

“I heard you were looking for me,” John said, grinning.

Lucia took the front steps two at a time until she was close enough to run her hands over the shiny black paint job the Mercedes sported. It was a beautiful, two-door coupe with sharp lines and a hell of a lot of chrome.

She loved cars.

“When did you get this?” Lucia asked.

“Picked it up yesterday. You like?”

“A lot.”

“I should have known what with you being the little car whore and everything.”

Lucia flipped her brother the middle finger. “Don’t call me a whore.”

“I said a car whore, Lucia. It’s a compliment.” John chuckled. “Get in. We’ll go for a drive, and then I’ll bring you back to pick up your car.”

“Okay.”

Lucia didn’t need to be told again. She jumped into the passenger seat, flinging her bag to the floor of the car. John climbed in his side and started the beauty, revving the engine until Lucia was grinning like crazy.

“I sincerely hope whatever man you find realizes that you have expensive taste,” John told her.

“Yeah, I know. I blame it on Dad.”

John smirked. “I blame it on Dad, too.”

Lucia fiddled with the stereo system the car sported while her brother drove them straight back into the heart of the city. She barely noticed time flying them by at all. Despite the fact that there was a thirteen-year age gap between her and Johnathan, she always felt closer to her brother than she had her older sisters.

“So,” John drawled, bringing Lucia out of her thoughts.

“Yeah?”

“Andino was pretty insistent you wanted to see me. What’s up, kiddo?”

“Well, that, for one.”

John’s brow furrowed. “Pardon?”

“I’m turning eighteen next month. Can we cut out the kid nonsense?”

Chuckling, John said, “Sure. My bad.”

Lucia settled back into the passenger seat, watching the buildings pass them by. “I haven’t had any time with you since you got out. You’re avoiding Mom and Dad, so apparently, that means staying away from me, too.”

“Yeah,” John said, cringing, “I hadn’t thought that one out very well.”

“Obviously.”

“Sorry I missed your graduation.”

Lucia shrugged. “It’s okay.”

“No, it isn’t. I heard you graduated with high honors.”

“I did,” she said.

“And got an acceptance to every college you applied to.”

“Yep.”

John smiled. “Smartest one of us all, Lucy.”

Lucia scowled. “I hate that nickname.”

“I know, but you’re not tough enough or old enough yet to stop me from using it. I dropped the kid one, but I am not dropping Lucy.”

She whacked her brother hard on the arm. John grinned back.

“They do care about you, John,” Lucia said.

“They do,” he agreed. “Right now, I just want to focus on staying sane and good.”

“Okay.”

“But I’ll be around for you, too.”

“Good,” she whispered, smiling.

“Also, I’ll let Dad know you’re loving hard on my car.”

“Why?”

John made a dismissive noise. “Maybe he’s looking to upgrade your car for your eighteenth.”

“Maybe?”

“Maybe,” her brother echoed with a wicked smile.

Lucia did a little dance in the passenger seat. “Yes!”

“Spoiled.”

“Don’t judge me.”

“You make it hard,” John teased.

Sighing, Lucia watched her brother from the side. “Does it feel weird to be out and everything?”

“No, but everyone keeps trying to make it that way.”

“I don’t get it.”

“I feel like a bug being watched as it climbs up a wall. Someone is probably waiting with a shoe to swat me when I get too close. It makes me feel like I’m living in a bubble or something, like I’m going to blink and suddenly go insane.”

Lucia hated that for John. “You’re not crazy.”

John blew out a harsh breath. “Thanks.”

Before Lucia knew it, they were driving through a dirtier part of the city. The shady part of Brooklyn that her father had always made it clear to Lucia that she was not allowed to go. Like the smart girl she was, Lucia always followed those rules because she didn’t want to find out what would happen if she didn’t.

“What are we doing here?” Lucia asked.

“Just keep quiet,” John replied. “I’ve got some business to handle. I knew that you were wanting to chat and see me, or whatever, but I still have work to do all the same. Turn cheek like Dad always told you to do, and we’ll be fine.”

Lucia chose not to respond to her brother on that front. “Working, working?”

“I don’t have any other job, Lucy. I’m a Capo, and nothing more.”

Great.

John parked the Mercedes in front of