Page 36 of Coerced Kiss
EIGHT
Saverio
When Kevin pulls up at my house, a man gets out of a car parked in the street and leans on the hood. He crosses his arms and his ankles as he watches our approach. He’s dressed in civilian clothes, but his cocky stance and the cheap suit scream detective.
“You can drop me off here,” I tell Kevin. “Pull into the garage and wait there. I’ll be leaving in ten.”
He acknowledges the instruction with a nod.
I measure my visitor before Kevin brings the car to a stop, taking in the brush cut of his blond hair and the meaty muscles beneath his jacket. It’s the bulk men who use steroids pack on, not the hard-cut definition of diligent and strenuous exercise.
He flips back a pair of aviator glasses when I get out of the car, eyeing me with a smirk when I walk over.
My tone is brusque. “Can I help you?”
“Detective Jordan.” He brushes his jacket to the side and flashes a badge attached to his belt. “Do you have a minute?”
“I’m leaving for an appointment soon.”
His tawny brown eyes hold a challenge. “I’ll make it quick.”
My smile is condescending. “Best get started then.”
“How well do you know Luigi Bianchi?”
I raise a brow. “I’m sure you already know his daughter and I were together.”
“Yes.” He studies me closely. “It was quite the breakup, but you managed to keep it out of the news.”
My smile stretches. He’s needling me to get a rise out of me in the hope I’ll lose my temper. Men act unpredictably when they’re out of control. They can let things slip they never meant to say.
When I don’t react, his jaw sets in a hard line. “It’s safe to assume you know them rather well.”
“Define well.”
“You must be close to the family if you’re still seeing them after Rachele Bianchi dropped you like a hot potato.”
Years of practice taught me how to push my emotions down. “I’m still friends with Giorgio.”
“Both you and Giorgio knew Mr. Lewis, the late owner of the Lewis accounting firm.”
I don’t deny it or ask how he knows. He’s either faking knowing it for a fact or he questioned the staff at the firm. “We met him briefly.”
“How did you meet?”
“My girlfriend recommended him. She works there.”
He narrows his gaze. “Ms. Brennan, right?”
“That’s correct.”
Tilting his head, he adopts a mock frown. “How long have you and Ms. Brennan been together?”
“Not long. As you just stated, I came out of a relationship a short while ago.”
“What business did you see Mr. Lewis about?”
“I was hoping he could manage the accounting of a new application development company that Giorgio and I co-own.”