The morning was calm and peaceful, with the first light filtering softly through our bedroom curtains. I’d just finished making breakfast when Harrison’s phone rang. He looked down at the screen and his face immediately shifted, a mix of surprise and worry.
“Who is it?” I asked, setting down a cup of coffee.
“It’s Detective Lancey,” he replied, his voice uncertain.
I felt a flicker of anxiety. Detective Lancey didn’t just call for no reason. Before I could ask more, Harrison had already answered, his voice low as he spoke to the detective. I watched him, trying to read his expression, but he kept his face neutral.
When he hung up, he turned to me with a serious look. “I need to go to the station. Lancey says Luca’s there, and he wants to talk to me… in person.”
The mention of Luca made my stomach twist with unease. Luca had always been trouble-a shadow from Harrison’s past that I thought was finally gone. “Why does he want to talk to you?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
Harrison shook his head. “I’m not sure, but I’ll go find out. It shouldn’t take long.”
A part of me wanted to ask him not to go, but I knew he wouldn’t ignore a request from the police, especially if it involved Luca. I reached for his hand, squeezing it. “Be careful, okay?”
He nodded, giving me a reassuring smile before heading out the door. I watched him leave, feeling a sense of dread settle in my chest. I didn’t want Luca back in our lives-he’d always brought trouble, and now, right after our engagement, it felt like a dark cloud was looming.
******************
The minutes dragged on after Harrison left. I tried to distract myself with chores, tidying up the house and organizing a few things. But my mind kept drifting back to him, wondering what Luca could possibly want. Hadn’t he caused enough damage already?
A couple of hours later, the door finally opened, and Harrison walked in. He looked tired, his face tense. I immediately went to him, searching his face for answers.
“What happened?” I asked softly.
Harrison sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Luca wanted to talk to me about… a favor. Something he says only I can help with.”
“A favor?” I asked, feeling my heart sink. “What kind of favor?”
“He was vague about it,” Harrison replied, frustration clear in his voice. “But he hinted that things could get ‘complicated’ if I didn’t help him.”
I felt a cold shiver run through me. Luca was never one to take no for an answer, and his threats were rarely empty. “Do you think he’d really do something?”
Harrison’s jaw tightened, and he looked away, as if struggling with his thoughts. “I don’t know. But I don’t trust him, and I don’t want him anywhere near us.”
I reached out, placing a comforting hand on his arm. “We’ll get through this together, Harrison. We’ve dealt with him before, and we’ll do it again.”
He gave me a small smile, his expression softening as he looked at me. “Thank you, Emma. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
We sat together for a moment, just soaking in each other’s presence. Despite Luca’s shadow looming over us, I knew that as long as we had each other, we could face whatever came our way.
**********
As the day went on, I tried my best to put Luca out of my mind. But later that evening, as Harrison and I were getting ready for bed, my thoughts drifted back to the conversation.
“Do you think he’ll try to reach out again?” I asked quietly.
Harrison sighed, lying back on the pillow. “Honestly, I wouldn’t put it past him. Luca’s the type who won’t stop until he gets what he wants. But if he thinks he can scare us… he’s wrong.”
I nodded, trying to find comfort in his words. But as I closed my eyes that night, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. I didn’t know what Luca wanted, but I knew one thing for sure-he wouldn’t make it easy for us.