Page 52 of King of Ruin

“Hey,” she chirps. “I’m so glad you called.”

“How did you know it was me?” I ask with a smile.

“Roman sent me your temporary number.”

That was so thoughtful and my smile just gets bigger. “Did he really?”

“He did. Which was very nice, I have to say. Any luck finding your phone?”

“No.” I shake my head, telling her about how I left the phone in Vigo’s car on the night of the date, which has me launching into the whole story.

A half hour later, Lucia is still silent. I don’t know that she’s ever gone that long without speaking. Finally, I pause long enough that she lets out a whispered, “Holy shit, Maddie.”

“I know,” I sigh.

“And so Roman is what…like Vigo’s competition?”

“He says that he mostly develops real estate, but they cut the Italians out of their new project and Vigo is out for revenge.” Still. Now that I think on it, shooting Roman seems excessive. Or maybe not. Vincent is certifiable.

“Is Roman as wrapped up in crime as Vigo?”

“He says no.”

“Just be careful,” Lucia’s voice tightens with worry. “I don’t like any of this.”

I don’t tell her about the feelings I’m developing. I’ve got to get them straight in my own head. “On the bright side, Vigo and Vincent went to jail last night.”

“Really?” Lucia sounds hopeful. “That is great news. Does this mean you’re coming home?”

Roman asked me to stay and no part of me wanted to refuse.

There is a big part of me that will be sad when I go home by myself. And for the girl who’d hardly left her house in months, that’s amazing.

Not only am I surviving, I’m enjoying myself. Is that only because of Roman? “Not yet,” I sigh as I tell her about the Italian family members.

“It’s like you stepped into the plot of a movie,” Lucia adds. “But hey, if the Vendettis are in prison, and you’re staying at Roman’s, can Josh and I use your house?”

“Of course. What’s wrong?”

“We’ve got some infestation in our apartment. They’re spraying and we have to leave for like ten days.”

Lucia’s apartment is awful. She and Josh don’t make much money, though, so there aren’t many other options. Mrs.Higgins, my tenant, is old and I’m sure Lucia and Josh will move in once Mrs. Higgins can’t live in the upstairs apartment anymore.

“You know where the key is. Help yourself.”

“Thank you,” Lucia gushes. “Should we take Gran’s room?”

“Yes. Definitely. It’s bigger and—" I hear a low groan come from under the end table on the other side of the couch.

“Crap,” I mutter.

“What’s wrong?” Lucia asks.

“The cat…” I get down, inching my way toward her as I catch the sound of her panting. “I think she’s in labor.”

“Do you need help?”

“Yes.” The corner is too dark for me to see anything. At home, I have lights set up to allow me to give basic medical care to my little patients. But here… “Though I have no idea what Roman’s address even is.”

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