Luciano set the cup down with deliberate care, the porcelain clicking softly against the saucer. He didn't look at Andrés. He looked only at her.
"Partly," he admitted, his voice low and devoid of its earlier playfulness. "I don't share what's mine, Eloise. Not space. Not time. Not air. And certainly not a taxi ride."
Andrés barked a laugh. "Jealousy looks good on you, hermano. Almost human. If you keep this up, people might start thinking you have a pulse."
Luciano ignored him entirely, his focus locked on Eloise as if he were trying to read the thoughts racing behind her eyes.
"Have you looked into what I asked?" he said instead, tone shifting to business.
Andrés's playfulness vanished instantly. The brotherly banter evaporated, replaced by the mask of a soldier. "I have. But I'll need more time. The layers are deep on this one."
"I want it before next month arrives," Luciano stated, his voice a low, vibrating command.
