Page 25 of Harbor

Renzo nodded, and passed a look back at Lucia. “Understood.”

“Good. Follow the back hall as far as it can go, and then turn right. You’ll hear Tuck talking by then; follow his voice.”

“Thanks.”

Renzo gestured at Lucia to follow him, and she stayed close at his back as they stepped into the business. Despite the main floor of the restaurant being dark, the back hallway was lit up. Once they neared the end, they didn’t even have to turn right before they could hear a man’s voice traveling over the rustle of … something.

“Three kilos in that, then?”

“S’what the boss said, Tuck.”

“Good. Bring in the rest from the back while I mark this shit down. And be fucking quick about it. I’ve got other business to handle tonight, and I do not want to be sitting here all damn night with you.”

“Got it.”

Without saying anything to Lucia at all, Renzo nodded at her over his shoulder—she understood the action well enough. A silent request for her to stay back in the hallway while he went forward without her. She didn’t mind staying where she was with a sleeping Diego in her arms, even if the four-year-old was starting to get a little heavy in her arms. The kid really needed to sleep because as it was, he’d already been up for way too long.

Renzo headed further down the hall, and stopped in the doorway of what she suspected was a back room of some sort. It must have had a door that led out to the back because she could hear the heavy clang of it closing.

“Renzo,” the voice from earlier greeted. “Look at you, man. Damn, it’s been a minute, huh?”

“Tuck.”

All Lucia could see from her position was Renzo’s back, and the shadow moving closer to him. She was surprised to find the guy that came to stand in front of Renzo looked no older than he did, and if he was, it might only be by a couple of years. She hadn’t known what to expect from this Tuck person, but the dark-eyed, blond-haired man wasn’t what she pictured in her mind, either. Maybe she figured he would be older … or something. An angular face, sharp eyes, and lips pulled in a smirk, he didn’t exactly seem friendly to Lucia, but she didn’t really feel settled in his presence, either.

But what did she know?

She hadn’t even spoken to the man before.

The two shook hands before Tuck pulled Renzo in with for a quick one-armed hug, and a pat on the shoulder. It was only then that Tuck also seemed to notice Lucia hanging back in the hallway with Diego. The man’s gaze drifted over her, and slowed on her face. She thought he had a flash of recognition in his eyes, but she couldn’t be sure.

There wasn’t any way he knew her. There was nothing about him that seemed familiar to her, as far as that went. She couldn’t place his unique features, and his name—Tucker—didn’t ring any bells for her, either.

“Just so you know,” Tuck said to Renzo, dragging his gaze away from Lucia, “everything is going to have a price here, man.”

Renzo shrugged his shoulders—indifferent and calm. Lucia appreciated that he managed to stay unbothered on the outside even when she knew he was terribly bothered on the inside. It was a lesson to his strength, really. Even if he didn’t realize it.

“I figured,” Renzo said. “Like everywhere in this fucking life, right?”

Tuck laughed. “You got that right. So what are you gonna need, huh? Give me a list so I can get to work on it, Ren.”

Renzo glanced over his shoulder at Lucia and Diego, but when the sound of that door opening and closing resounded again, his attention drifted back to the room. Tucker gave him a look, and waved the clipboard in his hand in explanation.

“Just a sec,” he muttered.

Lucia could see just the edge of Tucker’s shadow as he moved to the side to deal with whatever had been brought into the back of the restaurant. The sound of something being ripped echoed out from the room before a low whistle cut through the space.

“Damn, that kush is fucking pretty,” Tucker said. “Look at those colors, huh? What do you think of that, Ren?”

“Looks like a good smoke.”

Lucia blinked, realizing what the guy had been talking about earlier now. The business Tucker was doing in the back was not for the restaurant at all, but rather … drugs. He was bringing in a shipment of drugs, and doing an inventory on what he had. She wasn’t sure if that made him a drug dealer, or … did he work for one?

Clearly, now was not the time to ask for details.

“Well, do you have that list for me, or what?” Tucker asked.

“I can wait until you’re done,” Renzo replied.