Sempre (Forever Series #1)(20)

A reporter once dubbed him the Kevlar Killer. No matter what he was hit with, he came out unscathed.

“Uncle Corrado’s the Man of Steel,” Dominic said. “Faster than a speeding bullet.”

“Did you seriously just compare him to a superhero?”

“Yeah, guess I didn’t think that one through.”

Glancing at his watch, Carmine pushed away from the desk. “I have to get to history before Mrs. Anderson sends a search party out for me.”

“Yeah, you do that,” Dominic said. “From what I saw, you’re not passing the class.”

“You’re really not gonna change my grade for me?”

“Sorry, no can do. What does Superman say? With great power comes great responsibility?”

Carmine smacked his brother on the back of the head as he walked past. “That’s Spider-Man, dumbass.”

* * *

Carmine got home after football practice that night in just enough time to see Haven bolt up the stairs. He washed his hands and went into the dining room where dinner waited, his father already bowing his head to pray when he sat down. “Signore, benedici questi peccatori che essi mangiano la loro cene.”

Lord, bless these sinners as they eat their dinners.

Carmine was eating before they could say, “Amen.”

Vincent tried to make conversation during the meal, and Dominic humored him, but Carmine remained silent. It was well after dark when Vincent’s pager went off, and he dismissed them, needing to head to work. Carmine made his way upstairs and hesitated when he saw Haven in the library, gazing out the window with her palm pressed against the smooth glass.

He expected her to flee, but she instead motioned toward the small flashes of light sparking in the darkness. “What are those things?”

Carmine turned to see if someone else was there, taken aback that she was attempting to talk to him. “Fireflies. Some people call them lightning bugs.”

“Why do they glow?” she asked. “Is it so they can see?”

He strolled over to her. “I think it’s how they talk to each other.”

“Wow.”

“You’ve never seen them before?”

She shook her head. “We didn’t have any in Blackburn.”

“Ah, well, we have plenty here,” he said. “They’re like flying beetles with asses that light up.”

She smiled at his description. “They’re beautiful.”

“They’re just bugs. Nothing special.”

“They’re alive,” she said. “That makes them special.”

He had no comeback for that. Haven continued to gaze out the window while he watched her, seeing the childlike wonder in her expression. She looked as if she were seeing the world for the first time, like she had been blind until now but suddenly could see. He wondered if she felt that way, too, if everything in front of her was brand-new.

He tried to think back to when he saw fireflies for the first time, but he could barely recall that point in his life. He vaguely remembered catching some in a jar once.

“Do you wanna see them up close?”

The words were out of his mouth before he realized what he was asking. He’d heard his father, but at the same time, he didn’t see the harm.

She turned from the glass to look at him. “Could I?”

“Sure.”

Excitement sparked in her eyes. The sight of it made Carmine’s heart skip a beat. It had been years since he felt anything close to that, and for a moment, he wished he could steal it for himself.

“You mean go outside?”

“Yes.”

“But I’m not allowed.”

He shrugged. “Neither am I.”

Technically true, since he was grounded, but he’d never let that stop him before.

“I’d like that,” she said, pausing before adding, “If you’re sure.”

He smiled. She was trusting him. He wondered if maybe she shouldn’t do that, but it was a vast improvement from avoiding him. “Wait here. I’ll be back.”

He ran down to the kitchen, glad his father had already left, and returned to the third floor after finding an empty mason jar. Haven stood in the same place, her hand still pressed to the glass.

“Come on,” he said, heading to his bedroom. Turning on the light, he noticed she lingered outside the doorway, surveying the mess. “Are you coming in? I know it’s a disaster . . .”

“Oh no, it’s not that.” She looked panicked. “I didn’t know if I should.”

“Well, we can’t go out the door, because my father will find out. We have to go out up here.”

Her brow furrowed. “From the third floor? How?”

“You’ll see.”

He watched her locked in an internal debate before ultimately taking a step into the room. Careful not to trip over any of his belongings, she made her way to where he stood. Carmine pulled up the blinds before shoving open the large window. It squeaked a bit but gave little resistance.

Haven gaped at it. “I didn’t think the windows opened.”

“They don’t,” he said. “Dom disabled this one from the system so I could pry it open and sneak out at night. My father’s never caught on since it doesn’t set off any alarms.”