Page 27 of Loyalty

“That boy is trouble, John,” Lucian said. “I already had one daughter get mixed up with a man that almost killed her, and I do not want another one falling into the same trap. I don’t know this young man, but I know he did not grow up in a very good situation. That typically means he wasn’t brought up to be a decent man. Hell, maybe he doesn’t even know how to be one. I don’t know, and I don’t care. I just don’t want my daughter involved with him.”

John didn’t need to be told.

Renzo was a street kid that would soon be looking at a prison sentence, or he’d simply serve more time on the streets. So was the way of their life—or rather, Ren’s life.

Lucia was not a part of that world.

“I’ll have a chat with him,” John said.

Lucian cocked a brow. “Do you think you should?”

John didn’t even let his defensiveness come out to play this time. “I think if you approach Renzo, he’ll laugh in your face. He knows me, though. It’s not the same.”

“All right.”

That was that.

• • •

John thought this part of Brooklyn was a little upper crust for Renzo’s taste, but this was apparently where the kid was supposed to be today. Well, calling Ren a kid was a little disrespectful considering the guy’s age, but whatever.

Pulling his new Mercedes over into one of the only parking spots available on the block, John turned off the engine. He excited the car, and strolled into the people walking on the sidewalk.

John checked over his phone again—details he had gotten from a friend of a friend about what Renzo’s usual schedule was like through the week. It had taken him a couple of days, but John now had sufficient enough information to believe Renzo was in this area of Brooklyn because of his seventeen-year-old sister.

Apparently, the girl attended a private school for the arts in these parts, and Renzo came to visit her every few days. Today was supposed to be one of those days.

John had no idea how Renzo, or his delinquent parents, were apparently paying for a private school for the girl. He also didn’t care, as that wasn’t any of his business. He simply wanted to let the guy know to stay the hell away from his sister, and nothing else.

Across the street, a familiar sight caught John’s eye. His walk slowed for a split second as he did a double take of the woman coming out of an old bookstore.

John didn’t think he would see her again after the bus incident, not to mention running in to her right here almost two weeks ago.

Their families just didn’t mingle.

Siena.

The woman had lost the jeans, blouse, and messenger bag from the first time they met. Today, she wore a knee-length black dress, suede ankle books, and carried a leather Gucci bag. She seemed caught up in the paperback she held—that was the same as before.

John had shit to do.

A guy to threaten.

A million other things he needed to take care of except Siena Calabrese. The bad blood between their respective mafia organizations should have been enough to keep him on that side of the street. Hell, her grandfather had been the man who killed his biological great-grandfather and the man’s family decades and decades ago. That should have been enough to keep John away.

He was crossing the busy street before he even knew what he was doing. He flipped the middle finger to a car that was forced to stop to let him jaywalk.

Siena still had her head stuck down in the book when John came up in front of her.

“I thought I told you to watch where you were walking around these parts, donna.”

Her head popped up, and those cerulean eyes of hers widened. She didn’t even try to hide the shock of seeing him again.

“John,” Siena murmured.

Now that he was right in front of her, he was able to get an even better look at the body-hugging dress she wore, and the heels that made her legs look fucking fantastic. His gaze traveled over her curves before settling back on her face once more.

“That’s me,” he said, grinning.