Deliverance (#2) | ✓

nine: the middle

I try my best to stay nonchalant at Luca's question. I can't afford for him to ask too many questions. Pursing my lips and glancing toward Talia who sends me a look, I turn to him.

"What are you talking about?" Better to gaslight than expose myself.

He arches a brow, "Remi —"

"Luca, I —"

Talia sighs as she steps in and closes the door behind her, "Remi, I love you and have no idea who this man is but we kinda need to keep it pushing." The same woman that says these words is the woman that helped me get out of the situation with Matthew. She knows every secret of mine and has been my confidante for the four years I've known her.

I turn to her with an exasperated sigh, "Don't you have work, Lia?"

She arches a brow in disappointment, "You're more important than some old guys that keep tryna take more than I'm willing to give."

"Wow, thanks." I press a hand to my chest sarcastically. With a second thought, I spare a glance at Luca who caught my drift and stepped back onto the balcony. I sigh, "Look, can I call you in the morning? I'm in the middle of something."

Her eyes flicker to the open door behind me and she arches a brow, "Are you sure you want to wait, Remi?"

I nod. He can't find me in one night and I can't throw away my entire life because of a current possibility. I need time.

"Okay." As the understanding person she is, she takes my face into her hands and kisses my cheek, "Stay safe. Keep your eyes open. I got too many of the guys at the club talking about Ghost. You don't deserve to be caught up in that shit anymore — neither does ..." She doesn't say his name but I know exactly who she's talking about.

"I know."

•••

When Talia leaves to go to work, I'm stuck trying to figure out if I should elaborate on what just occurred. But it's my right to not say anything. Hopefully he'll respect it.

I step out onto the balcony, eyes set on Luca who is sitting on the floor, hands clasped over his knees. I purse my lips.

"I can't tell you and I'm sorry but it's something I need to keep to myself." I cringe at the sound of my own voice. Luca nods but says nothing. "I... I don't know what else to say."

"Yeah, that happens, Remi." He deadpans, running a tattooed hand over his buzzed head. "Whatever it is you're going through ... just know," He clears his throat, "I'm always here."

I nod, a pout forming from my lips, "Uh, yeah." There's nothing he can contribute to the situation I'm in. The less people in it, the better.

Talia's words repeat in my head: "You don't deserve to be caught up in that shit anymore — neither does ..." The name she didn't want to say belongs to the young boy that was caught in the middle of a shit show between two parents who had no clue what they were doing.

One wanted to keep him safe, the other wanted to traumatize him as much as a child could be traumatized.

And now they're in a situation where that boy isn't under the care of either of them. One by choice, the other by law.

I was angry for a long time, but I'd learned to cope. Save for the few nights I get nightmares about several traumatic nights in my past.

"It's pretty late and I have work tomorrow." I trail off, trying to hint toward him leaving. I need time to myself to process Talia's words.

Luca stands but not before giving me one last full body scan, "I'll let myself out."

I nod in appreciation, "Thank you again for dinner."

He hums a 'you're welcome' and leaves without another word.

Shit.

"Adri, I need you to do me a favor." I hold my phone to my ear as I walk down the steps of Remi's apartment complex.

Adriano scoffs, "Nice to hear from you too, fratello. I'm doing well, thanks for asking."

I roll my eyes. I don't have the energy for this. "Adri, per favore."

A second passes. "Fine, what do you want?"

I pause. Do I have a right to invade her privacy like this? The simple answer is no, but if this is a case where someone is coming after her and adding what I know about her so far — the scars, the hidden guns, the way she's closed off — I'll put myself in as much of her business as I have to in order to keep her safe.

With that thought, I allow my next words to slip from my mouth, "Find out what you can about Remi. I don't know her last name but she works at Cool Beans, a coffee shop in New York and is associated with this guy named Ghost." My jaw ticks, "I think she's in trouble."

no, how is this chapter nine and so much information has been shared already lmfaooo 😭😭

eventually, ill edit but for now this is what y'all gon get 💀