Page 8 of Shiver

The line rings and rings, and on the fifth ring, he answers. “Luca,” he huffs out with a heavy breath.

I chuckle. “Did I catch you at a bad time?”

“Not at all, honey. What can this grump help you with?” Audrey’s sultry tone filters across the line, her breathy pants a telltale sign of what was going on moments before he answered.Looks like those days are gone for me.

“I have every right to be upset,” Rome groans across the line. “Seriously, the hell do you need? I’m a little busy if you couldn’t tell.”

“Well then, I’ll get right to it,” I tell him sarcastically.

At that moment, Gia wakes, a high-pitched wail releasing so loudly it could burst an eardrum.

I groan, getting up from the couch to head to her room. I tuck the phone between my ear and shoulder before leaning into her bassinet to lift her out.

“Luca, was that a fuckingchildscreaming?” Rome demands.

“Sure was, which brings me to why I called.”

He groans again. “How come everyone is always asking me to fix something when they call?” he complains.

“Don’t be such a baby. You’re a lawyer. It’s your job,” Audrey chides.

“Yeah, Rome, stop being a baby. It’s your job,” I taunt, bringing Gia into my arms and allowing her to relax onto my chest.

“Between the two of you—” Rome stops abruptly as Audrey cuts in.

“Finish that sentence and see what happens.”

Another laugh slips past my lips. “Could we get to my dilemma now?” I ask.

“Alright, what is it?” Rome questions, annoyance evident in his tone, not that that’s unusual for him.

“Cecily St. James broke up with me a year ago. And she was pregnant with our daughter. She decided she was done with the whole parenting thing and left her at the hospital after informing the staff that I was the father. Long story short, I am, and I have temporary custody of her, but I need a lawyer. I know you’re in New York, but any chance you know any good attorneys in Philly who could help me out?” I do my best not to sound pleading.

He doesn’t answer for a moment, humming as he thinks. “Actually, yeah, I do. My friend, Samara. We went to Columbia Law together. She’s a child custody attorney in Center City. I’ll text you her number and give her a call to let her know I sent you her way.”

I exhale a relieved sigh. “Thanks, man, that would be super helpful.”

He grunts. “Anytime. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get back to my fiancée.” I don’t get a chance to respond before he hangs up the phone.

A moment later, I receive a contact card from Rome that reads, “Samara Perez-Allen, Esq.”

Chapter seven

Luca

Sunday, July 5, 2026

I’ve seriously underestimated the time it takes me to get both myself and my daughter ready to go absolutely anywhere, so I hope my mother will take that into account just this once. Normally, being late to Sunday dinner would result in my ass being reamed out… by the entire family.

That’s never stopped me before, but I have a whole lot of extra reason not to disappoint them now.

I park in front of my parents’ newly finished one-story home. It’s so different from the three-story brownstone I grew up in, but with Mom’s mobility limitations from her multiple sclerosis, it only made sense for them to eventually move. My oldest brother, Alessandro, had worked for years to make this dream a reality and put a lot of time into figuring out what could be done to the design to make it easy for her to maneuver and live a full life.

The home still has several of the same touches as the old one had, ensuring it met Mom’s style and didn’t make her feel out of place.

Once again, making him the better son. Not that I try very hard.

***

---