Page 20 of Merciless & Mated

He offered me a soft, almost tender smile. “Just a quick lunch. You have to eat anyway.”

I followed him down the hallways. I’d stolen a pair of his socks while I waited so that I wasn’t barefoot, but still wished I had shoes. All the hallways looked the same. I’d have complained that they should put some signs up, but that might defeat the purpose of having everything look so similar. Anyone breaking in would have a bitch of a time finding their way.

I held my breath as I stepped over the threshold into Bianca’s suite. A cacophony of scents met me—lemon, pepper, allspice, amaretto, limoncello, desert rock, leather, and oakmoss. All of my omega instincts screamed at me. Everyone in this room was an alpha except for me, and Marco was my only ally.

“I’d like to present Gianna Mancini,” Marco said stiffly. “The alliance is secure.”

The only woman at the table rose up and swept toward me with a feral grace. The lemon pepper I had smelled upon entering belonged to her and it itched my nose—the lemon too tart and the pepper too strong.

“Gianna, this is Bianca Gallo,” Marco told me, as if she could be anyone else.

“It’s nice to finally meet you, Ms. Gallo. With all the stories I’ve heard about you, I’m half-surprised you’re a real person.”

Bianca barked a laugh. “The rumors are my favorite.”

She grabbed my face, turning it this way and that as if I were a pup at a dog show. I took a moment to survey her while she examined me. She was taller than me by several inches, on par with Marco, and she had the sort of face that you knew fistfights would’ve broken out over her in her younger years. Bianca was still beautiful, and I was pretty sure she would polish up into a hard ten if she felt so inclined, but the years had softened some of her sharp edges. Physically, at least.

“Your little stunt cost your father his restaurant,” she said.

My heart squeezed. “What?”

“You didn’t think you were the only payment for us going after you, did you? He can still work there, but it’s mine now. You’re Marco’s payment, and the restaurant is mine. Your father couldn’t afford to pay us more, so there was really only one option left.”

Shit. My father was going to be crushed. His grandfather had started that restaurant, and even though sometimes it barely broke even from how much he gave away, we had never lost it before.

“I don’t think getting abducted by traffickers counts as a stunt,” I snapped. “You didn’t have to take that from him.”

Marco set a warning hand on my shoulder.

Bianca only looked amused. “I see Marco will have some work to do in training his new pet.”

“Fu—”

Marco squeezed hard enough that I yelped. “Why don’t we eat?” he suggested.

The other three men in the room acknowledged me with simple nods of their heads, and Marco introduced me.

“Gianna, this is Santo de Luca, Bianca’s consigliere.”

Leather and oakmoss.

“Enzo Bonetti, an underboss like me.”

Limoncello and baked desert stone.

“And Elio Angelo, our final underboss.”

Allspice and amaretto.

I sat down hard, and barely seconds later, a pair of servers were carrying in bright, beautiful plates of panzanella. They served Bianca, Santo, and the other two underbosses first before returning with plates for Marco and me. Wine was poured all around, and I didn’t dare pick up my fork until Bianca had started on her food.

The flavor on my tongue was instantly recognizable. My father had made it.

“Do you like it? I might have them change the recipe if you find fault in it.” Bianca’s eyes glittered and I wanted to punch her right in the nose.

“Tastes exactly like Bisnonno’s recipe. I wouldn’t change a thing.”

I’d never forgive her for taking that restaurant. I briefly imagined stabbing her with my fork, but Enzo gave me a warning look and I focused on eating my panzanella. The dish that followed was my father’s favorite and a regular special—ricotta and spinach tortelli. Had it crushed him to make this food for Bianca after she’d stripped away his birthright? Was he here?

---