“Out of the three, yes. Sergio did too. But I know if push came to shove, he’d take care of himself first.”

“Was it Dominic who took Jacob? Did he admit it?”

“Yeah.”

“I can hear you! I mean, not just on the phone.”

“Hot-pink running shorts?” he asked.

I glanced down and smiled. “I guess it’s a good thing.”

“It’d be hard to miss you in those,” he said, hanging up as he came into view. He wore his usual uniform: dark T-shirt and jeans. And he made my mouth water.

Salvatore scanned me from head to toe and knelt down by my hurt foot, making me flinch as he lightly touched my swollen ankle.

“Ouch. Hey, your hands!” His knuckles were raw and bruised.

He looked at them as if seeing them for the first time and smiled proudly. “You should see Dominic’s face.”

“You beat him up?”

He nodded, his attention back on my ankle. “I’m going to lift you up and carry you back. Just let me make a call.”

He dialed, and I realized he’d called Rainey as soon as he said her name.

“Can you get Dr. Mooney out here for me? Lucia’s hurt her ankle. I don’t think it’s broken, but I’d like him to have a look anyway.”

“I don’t need a doctor, I just need some ice,” I said, but he pretty much ignored me.

“Thanks, Rainey.” He hung up and turned to me. “Let’s not take any chances.”

He lifted me up in his arms, and I blinked back tears with the movement.

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

“This is getting to be a habit.”

“You carrying me into the house?”

He nodded, navigating his way carefully through the forest so as not to hit branches with my hurt ankle.

“Can I ask you a question, Lucia?”

“Sure.”

“How did I not see Dominic when I came to get you last night?”

How did he know?

“It was dark, but I’m pretty sure I would have seen him,” he continued.

“I wasn’t sure it was him. I overheard them from upstairs, but I never saw who it was.”

“So I’m right, he was there.”

“You mean you didn’t know?” I looked at him, confused.

“Not one hundred percent.”

“Why did you ask it that way, then?” He’d tricked me.

“Wouldn’t you have tried to protect your sister rather than tell me the truth?”

We neared the house, and I saw Rainey waiting by the doors, a large bag of ice in hand.

“Answer my question, Lucia.”

I looked into his deep-blue eyes, seeing not darkness, not rage or hate. I saw instead goodness, as much as one could be good in our world. “Probably,” I answered honestly.

He nodded. “Thank you.”

“Doctor will be here in twenty minutes. He said to keep it iced and elevated,” Rainey said as we entered the house.