He doesn’t reply.
His house is pitch black when I arrive. I walk up the path to his door, the night completely silent.
He has to be home.
His car is here.
“Chanel.” I jump, my hand clutching my chest over my heart. I look to my left, and there is Lucas at the side of the house with an unopened bottle in his hand.
“You scared me.”
“I was planning to get drunk. Care to join me?”
“Sure.” I put down my handbag and walk over to him. He steps down the side steps and makes his way to the back of the house and over to a little shed. He pulls the door open to reveal a small bar area with a few stools.
“Sergio and I built this when I first bought this house years ago. I haven’t been out here in years.” He flicks on a light, and I can see a thick layer of dust coating everything. He wipes off a stool and nods for me to take a seat.
“How was the rest of your day?” I ask. “I saw Adora again. She delivered your present. By the way, Sailor loved it and said you’re forgiven.”
“Ha. Knew she would love it.” He opens the bottle and looks around. “No glasses. Nothing in here has been washed for ages.”
“Bottle is fine,” I tell him, reaching out and taking a swig before I hand it back. “How did it happen?” I ask. He gives me a puzzled look. “Sergio,” I clarify.
He shakes his head. “A bullet directly between the eyes.” He takes another drink. “I see his face, smiling as if he knew.”
“He’s the first person you’ve lost that you cared for.”
“I cared for my father,” he says, and my body tenses at his words.
“Should we talk about that?”
“Sure, let’s do that,” he bites out. And I know his anger isn’t directed at me, but I’m the only person here right now.
“Did you want to kill me?”
He throws his head back and chuckles. I sit there waiting patiently for him to finish, and when his laughter dies down, he puts the bottle back to his lips and drinks again before locking eyes with me. “You are the only thing on this planet I have never wanted to kill.”
“You sure were pissed when I killed him, though.”
“I was brainwashed. I was mad. It took me a bit to see it clearly. Even then, I hated that I wanted you.”
“Do you still hate that you want me?” I ask.
He pulls a dirty glass out, puts his drink in it, swirls it around, then tips it out. “Clean.” He pours more into it and then says, “Here,” and hands me a drink.
“I don’t want a drink but thank you.”
Lucas shrugs and lifts the glass, drinking it all in one go.
“You want to fuck, then? We do that really well.”
He is dead serious.
“I want to sit here and talk to you without either one of us taking our clothes off,” I reply.
“I don’t make any promises.” He chuckles, then puts the bottle down and walks past me. “Come on, mia per sempre, let’s go inside and not fuck.” I hear the smile in his voice, but I get up and follow him anyway. As soon as we get inside, he starts pulling off his shirt as he walks to his room. He toes off his shoes and lies on his bed, then taps the mattress next to him for me to do the same.
When I don’t move, his gaze on the ceiling falls to me. “Lie down next to me. I won’t touch you…” he takes a deep breath, “… until later.”