Page 108 of Privilege

Her father’s sharp word had her glancing back at him fast. His clenching jaw, and blazing eyes told her that he was no longer playing around. Lucian wasn’t fucking happy, and he was about to let her know it. She recognized that look.

Good.

Get it out, and get it over with.

She had no doubt that whatever her father planned to say was the exact same thing he’d been saying for weeks now. Renzo was no good for her. He was involved in things that she shouldn’t be mixed up in. He might hurt her. He’s dangerous. All things that mattered very little to Lucia at the end of the day because of just how hypocritical it sounded coming from this man in front of her.

The gall of a mafioso to lecture someone on the dangers of someone else in her life. Like her own father hadn’t spent months in jail when she was a girl. Like he didn’t carry a fucking gun around every day. Like their house wasn’t paid for with dirty fucking Marcello money!

But her father surprised her.

Those were not the things he talked about at all.

“Fine, Lucia, you want to talk, then let’s talk,” her father said, folding his arms over his chest. “Let’s talk about the last time you saw your sister … or how many calls and texts you’ve ignored from your brother. How about the last time you sat down at a table with your mother? Oh, me, I get … I understand entirely why you wouldn’t want to sit down with me, but her? While we’re talking, let’s not forget to mention how last week, I had to send out your final paperwork for you to get started with the second semester at college in California like you wanted to. Or did you forget about that, too?”

Her father had progressively inched closer to her until he was just three feet away. All the while, Lucia never once moved or looked away from him. She couldn’t because if she did, he would think he won. He wasn’t winning.

“Or how about the shelter,” Lucian added, widening his arms a bit and giving her a look. “You were so determined to work there during the month of August that you put off the first semester of college just so you could do it. For one single month. But what did you turn around and do, Lucia? What?”

She refused to answer him.

What would be the damn point?

“You fucking quit,” Lucian said darkly. “You quit for—”

“Because of what you did, not for him. If you’re going to throw shit at me,” Lucia told her father, “at least throw the right shit.”

Lucian’s jaw clenched again, and he dragged in a heavy breath. The same thing she did whenever she was overwhelmed, and needed a second to recoup. It wasn’t lost on her how similar she was to her father at the end of the day. And maybe that was a huge part of the problem. She was so like her father that this moment right here was always bound to happen at one point or another.

“My driven, intelligent, independent, and good daughter went from having goals, and wants, and knowing exactly what she had planned for her life to ….” Lucian gestured with his hand. Not directly at her, but rather, at the room. As if he were silently saying, all of this, Lucia, you turned into all of this. “You cared about your family, about school, and you had some sense of responsibility. But now? Now, you’re defiant, combative, and you don’t even know what you’re doing anymore. You don’t want me to blame Renzo Zulla for the person staring back at me right now, but you’ve not given me a reason not to blame him, either.”

Lucia blinked.

Unfeeling, and numb.

That was the thing about all of this. She felt nothing because the man across from her still thought he had no part in her behavior. He just assumed she was like she was because of Renzo, and not in reaction to the shit he was doing to her because of Renzo.

Not the same.

“You don’t get it,” she told her father, shaking her head. “You don’t understand at—”

“Understand what?” her father snapped. “That during the span of a month, you’ve gone from having aspirations and goals to chasing some fucking boy all over the city? Tell me I am wrong. Tell me you’ve given college one ounce of your time and thoughts since you started seeing him. Tell me you’ve made an effort to go see your pregnant sister since meeting him. Go ahead, and tell me that since your brother got out of prison, you’ve tried to spend time with him. Or your mother, the rest of your family … me. Apparently, I have all the time in the world today for your bullshit, Lucia, so please go ahead and tell me.”

Lucian shrugged, adding with a wave, “I will wait, go ahead.”

Lucia stayed quiet again.

Why?

Because her father wasn’t entirely wrong. She hadn’t given college much thought over the past month. She hadn’t filled out those final papers, because apparently, he had. She hadn’t started prepping to find a place in California like she was supposed to. Her time with her family dwindled down to nothing at all. And yes, a large part of it was because she had been entirely distracted with Renzo, but that wasn’t his fault.

That was hers.

Not that she expected her father to understand.

Lucian sighed, and shook his head. “Here’s the thing, Lucia. I need you to get back to where you were before. Before this month, and that … man. I need you to put some effort back into your goals, and being who you are, not just an extension of someone else. And I will continue to make sure you do exactly that. Starting today, your phone is gone, along with anything else that isn’t needed. You will go home today, and begin the process of readying for California, and starting the second semester of college. Things you wanted to do before—”

“It’s not going to make a difference, you know,” she murmured, keeping her calm tone although she didn’t know how, really. “You can treat me like a child, punish me like one, too, but it still won’t make a difference. I have access to my own money. I am eighteen. And if I want to see Renzo, then I will. You can tell me to do whatever you want to tell me to do, but I am still going to love him whether you like it or not, Daddy.”