Page 10 of Obsidian Devotion

"I don't drink on the job."

"Then sit. I could use the distraction."

I hesitate, then sink into the chair across from him. "Rough week?"

"Rough year." He rubs a hand over his face, and for a moment, I see the weight he carries. The responsibility. It would be easier if he were just a monster through and through.

"Want to talk about it?" I ask, wondering if he'll actually share anything real.

Lorenzo studies me over the rim of his glass. "You first."

"What?"

"Tell me something real, Sofia. Something I won't find in that perfect background check."

My heart rate kicks up. "Like what?"

"Like why a woman with your talents is serving drinks to degenerates and criminals?"

I shrug, keeping my expression neutral. "Good tips."

"Bullshit."

"Glamorous lifestyle?"

"Try again."

I sigh. "I enjoy learning people's secrets. Understanding what makes them tick. What better place than behind a bar?"

Lorenzo leans forward, elbows on his desk. "And what have you learned about me?"

"That you ask too many questions." I state flatly.

He chuckles. "Occupational hazard."

"Your siblings love you," I say finally. “They all light up when you walk in."

Something softens in his expression. "Family is everything."

"So I've heard." The bitterness slips out before I can catch it.

His eyes narrow. "What exactly happened to your family?"

“Car accident,” I respond. It isn’t a lie. My parents died in a car accident while driving back home from a date. My uncle Carlos took Luciano and me under his wings after that.

"What about you?" I ask, needing to redirect the question. "Any secrets to share with your bartender?"

"More than you could handle," he says, but his tone is lighter now.

"Try me."

He swirls the amber liquid in his glass. "I hate this part of the business."

"Which part?"

"The waiting. The politics. Give me a direct problem, I'll solve it. But this..." He gestures to the papers on his desk. "Shifting alliances, whispers and rumors. It's exhausting."

I nod, understanding more than he realizes. "You prefer getting your hands dirty."

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