Page 4 of Boss of Brooklyn

“My oh my. Hot guy alert!” She turns to me, a knowing smile spreading across her face. “Hey! I’ve got an idea. It’s been forever since you’ve had a date, Sof. If he’s on the menu you should definitely try a bite!”

Shaking my head, I blow out an anxious breath. “Gia, enough already. You know I’m too busy for a relationship.”

Gia frowns at me. “You keep using that as an excuse, just so you don’t put yourself out there. You’re afraid to get hurt. I get it. But look at that man, sis! You don’t cross paths with someone like that very often. Go see if he wants a taste of what you’ve got cookin’!”

She cackles at my mortified face before returning to the dishes.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for another encounter with him.

As I return to his table with the drink, I can’t help but notice how his eyes track my every movement. It’s like he’s committing every detail to memory. I set the drink down carefully. “Here you are. Would you like to see a menu?”

Luca takes a sip of the limoncello, his eyes closing briefly in appreciation. The sight of his throat working as he swallows is inexplicably captivating. “Excellent,” he murmurs, shoulders relaxing.

Then his eyes trail up my body, starting at my feet and lingering on my chest before finally landing on my face. I feel aquickening between my legs from the heat of his gaze. “What's the specialty of the house?”

I blink for a moment, wondering if I am still able to process words. Then I find myself smiling, genuinely this time. “Well, our osso buco is particularly popular. It's another family recipe, slow-cooked for hours until the meat falls off the bone.”

Luca's eyes light up with interest. “Then that's what I'll have.”

I nod. “I'll put your order in right away.”

As I head back to the kitchen, my mind is whirling. Who is this man? Why does he affect me so strongly?

“OMG he was totally checking you out! I mean it, go for it, Sofia.” Gia must have been spying from the kitchen.

“Too busy. Like I said. And, no he wasn’t.” I give her a look. That look. The one she knows means I’m done with this conversation.

Gia shrugs. “Your loss.”

I throw myself into preparing his meal, grateful for the distraction. The familiar rhythms of the kitchen soothe my nerves, the sizzle of the pan and the rich aroma of the food grounding me in the present. But even as I focus on the dish, I can’t shake the image of Luca’s intense gaze, the way his presence seems to fill the entire restaurant.

When I bring out his dish, Luca's eyes widen in appreciation. “This looks delicious,” he says, his gaze moving from the plate to my face. “Thank you, Sofia.”

A shiver down my spine hearing him say my name again. “Enjoy your meal,” I manage to reply, before retreating once more.

For the rest of the evening, I find my eyes drawn to his table. I watch as he savors each bite, his expression neutral other than his eyes. When other customers enter, I serve them mechanically, my attention always drifting back to the mysterious man in the corner enjoying my food but scowling while answering texts on his phone.

As the night winds down and the last customers leave, Luca remains. I approach his table one last time.

“I hope everything was to your satisfaction,” I say, beginning to clear his plates.

He catches my wrist gently, stopping me. The touch sends a jolt of electricity through my body. “It was perfect,” he says, his voice low and intense. “You have a real talent, Sofia.”

I swallow hard, caught in his gaze. “Thank you,” I say, barely above a whisper.

His grip on my wrist gets stronger and he stands, drawing me close to his body. My heart rate skyrockets and my body responds in ways I’ve never experienced before. I inhale his scent - it's woodsy and spicy and utterly intoxicating. For a brief moment, I allow myself to imagine what it would be like to be wrapped up in his strong arms, to feel his hands on my skin. I have to look up to meet his eyes.

“You know, it would be a shame for anything bad to happen to you or your restaurant. I’m wondering if maybe Brooklyn isn’t the best choice for your restaurant location. Maybe you would feel safer somewhere further out?”

“Wh… what?” Alarm bells sound in my head. What in the world is he talking about?

His eyes darken as he leans down, the intensity in his gaze sending a thrill down my spine. But this time, it’s tinged with fear.

“What I mean, little girl, is that you are in Del Toro territory. And I don’t take kindly to a Romano setting up shop in my territory without permission. You have no idea the trouble you are stirring up for me.” He stares at me. “Think about it.”

I stand there stunned as he releases me and turns, walking out with a predatory grace. My heart skips a beat as realization slams into me. Luca Del Toro. I know exactly who he is. The way everyone else in the restaurant reacted to him makes sense now.

“Hey Sofia, you just gonna stand there?” Gia walks out of the kitchen, pulling me from my shock. She walks up to me. “Hey. What is it?”

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