Chapter 4
The quadruplets met Lucia like rival kingdoms meeting at a border.
Marco stood at the front of the foyer with his arms crossed.
Nico hung over the banister upside down.
Alessandro wore a cape made from a curtain.
Tommy stood half-hidden behind Rosa.
Lucia held my hand and whispered, “There are four of them.”
“Yes.”
“Are they all real?”
Nico dropped from the banister.
“Mostly.”
Lucia looked at him.
“I’m Lucia.”
“I’m Nico. I bite.”
“No, you don’t.”
His grin faltered.
“How do you know?”
“Boys who bite say it after biting. You announced it first.”
Alessandro gasped.
“She’s smart.”
Marco narrowed his eyes.
“She’s small.”
Lucia lifted her chin.
“I’m seven.”
“We’re six.”
“Then I’m older.”
All four boys reacted as if she had drawn a sword.
Victor stood beside me, watching.
For the first time since I met him, he looked almost entertained.
Marco stepped closer to Lucia.
“This is our house.”
She looked around.
“It’s too big.”
Nico nodded.
“We know.”
That broke the tension.
A little.
Rosa brought snacks.
I expected chaos.
Instead, Lucia sat at the kitchen table and asked if anyone wanted to play courtroom.
My stomach dropped.
“That’s not a game, baby.”
“It is when I’m the judge.”
Marco immediately sat.
“I’m the prosecutor.”
Nico shouted, “I’m the criminal!”
Alessandro said, “I’m the witness.”
Tommy whispered, “I can be the jury.”
Lucia banged a spoon on the table.
“Court is now open.”
Victor looked at me.
“Your daughter commands faster than my men.”
“She’s had practice.”
His expression softened.
Then the front gate alarm sounded.
The boys froze.
All of them.
Not normal fear.
Trained fear.
Victor’s body changed instantly.
Rosa pulled the children from the windows.
Adult Marco entered.
“Boss, a man at the gate. Says he’s here for Serena.”
My blood went cold.
“Evan.”
Victor looked at me.
“You want him allowed in?”
“No.”
That should have been enough.
For Victor, it was.
“Send him away.”
Adult Marco listened to his earpiece.
“He says he has a court order.”
My stomach dropped.
“What?”
Victor’s eyes sharpened.
“Bring it to me. Not him.”
Minutes later, a guard handed Victor papers.
I read them with shaking hands.
Emergency petition for temporary custody.
Allegations of unstable housing.
Dangerous employment.
Association with criminal elements.
My knees weakened.
“He moved already.”
Victor read over my shoulder.
“He names me.”
I laughed without humor.
“Of course he does.”
Victor’s face hardened.
“He planned this before today.”
“Yes.”
Lucia watched me from the table.
“Mama?”
I forced my face calm.
“It’s okay.”
It was not okay.
The hearing had been moved again.
Tomorrow morning.
Evan wanted Lucia removed immediately.
Victor handed the papers to adult Marco.
“Call Helena.”
“Who’s Helena?” I asked.
“My attorney.”
“I have a lawyer.”
“Not for this.”
I bristled.
“I can’t afford your attorney.”
“I did not ask you to.”
“And I don’t take charity from men who can make judges nervous.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Smart.”
“That wasn’t a compliment to you.”
“It was to you.”
The room went quiet.
Then Tommy walked toward me.
He held out Lucia’s court spoon.
“For the judge,” he whispered.
Lucia came and took my hand.
“Mama, do I have to go with Daddy?”
I crouched in front of her.
“No.”
My voice shook.
I steadied it.
“No, baby. I will fight.”
Marco, the little one, stepped forward.
“We can come.”
I smiled sadly.
“You can’t fight this one.”
He looked at his brothers.
Then at Victor.
“We can sit.”
That night, none of the children slept.
The boys dragged blankets into the hallway outside Lucia’s room.
Lucia slept with my hand in hers.
Victor found me there at midnight, sitting on the floor.
He spoke quietly.
“Helena will meet us at court.”
I nodded.
“Thank you.”
He looked at the children sleeping in a messy line.
“My sons like her.”
“She’s hard not to like.”
“They like you too.”
I looked up.
“Is that why you hired me?”
“No.”
“Why?”
He was silent for a moment.
“Because they obeyed you without becoming afraid of you.”
My throat tightened.
“Children shouldn’t have to be afraid to listen.”
Something moved across his face.
Pain.
Guilt.
May you like
Memory.
“No,” he said. “They shouldn’t.”
