Page 19 of The Thief

I can’t believe I almost kissed him.

10

ANTONIO

The entire journey back, Lucia doesn’t say a word. She fumes in complete silence as we cross the lagoon, her arms wrapped around herself, and I can feel the temper radiate from her.

Lucia doesn’t like to be thwarted.

I’ve studied her file; my art thief doesn’t like to give up. She failed the first time she tried to steal a painting and almost got caught. That experience should have scared her straight, but she didn’t give up. She tried again and succeeded the second time.

No matter what I said, no matter how serious my warning, I can’t see her giving up on the Titian just because I told her it was against the rules.

And what are you going to do about it?

In my living room, I wanted to kiss her. She took a sip of wine and there was a drop on her lip, and when I saw it, I almost went feral. I wanted to push her back on the couch, lock her arms in place and lick the stray drop clean. I wanted to slip my hand under her faded black sweater, squeeze her round breasts and suck her pert nipples into my mouth. . .

Enough.

I’ve spent far too much time setting a trap for Lucia Petrucci. I’ve spent hours poring over her file, learning the details of her heists. In the meanwhile, Leo still hasn’t managed to track down who’s collecting protection money in my city, and Valentina hasn’t been able to hack into Verratti communications. That’s what I should be paying attention to. That’s what I should be preoccupied with.

I pull up my speedboat at the dock nearest Lucia’s house in Castillo and escort her to her door. When she realizes I know the way, she finally breaks her silence. “How do you know where I live?” she demands.

“This is Venice,” I reply. “Do you really think you can be anonymous in this city? I know everything of consequence here.”

She stares at me for a long moment, then turns away. “Goodbye, Antonio.”

I made myself a promise. I was going to tell Lucia about Arthur Kirkland’s letter, show her the clip, and warn her that she was close to getting caught. And then I was going to stop this insane obsession and get back to the things that matter.

And that’s what I’m going to do.

“Goodbye, Lucia.”

I watch her turn her back to me and unlock the front door. Then she climbs up the stairs and out of my life.

And that’s the end of that.

Leo appears as if out of thin air. I have no idea how he does it. “You left without your security detail again, Padrino,” he says reproachfully. “Goran didn’t want to risk your wrath, so he called me.” He looks at Lucia’s apartment building. “This isn’t a very secure building. Want me to put someone on the girl?”

I give him a sideways look, and he returns my scrutiny unflinchingly.

Lucia’s words sound in my mind.If you’re going to pull your penis out of your pants?—

Nobody makes me laugh, but Lucia did today. For the hour we spent together, I felt alive in a way I hadn’t felt in years. There’s something very special about her. I’d known that ten years ago, and today’s meeting has done nothing to change my mind.

I wanted to kiss her—hell, I wanted to do a whole lot more—but it doesn’t matter. I’m not going to act on that impulse. My world is blood and violence, and anyone entering it is endangered. And I won’t do that to her.

“Yes,” I say, even though I’ve just resolved to leave Lucia alone. “Let’s do that.” We walk back to my boat. “Is that why you came here? To yell at me about leaving Goran behind?”

“No,” he replies. “I found the guys running the protection racket.”

“And. . .?”

“You’re not going to like this,” he says soberly. “They’re two of ours.”

11

LUCIA

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