Gio arrived late, and he didn't arrive alone.
Lucas Rochefort walked in beside him, his suit rumpled, his tie loosened, his expression carrying the particular exhaustion of a man who had been in back-to-back meetings for the past twelve hours and had only just escaped. He was Alex and Franz's cousin, the Rochefort Group's chief counsel, a position that meant he spent more time in conference rooms than anyone else in the family. He was good at his job. He was also, according to Lily, terrible at visiting.
"Uncle Lucas!" Lily's voice cut across the garden. She was already running toward him, her pale blue dress swishing around her legs, her expression a mixture of delight and accusation. Leo followed at a slower pace, the whale tucked under his arm. When he reached Gio, he stopped and reached up, taking his uncle's hand without explanation.
