Page 151 of Heartless Mafia Prince

I dug my fingernails into my numbing palms. Felt like my entire body would go numb. I hadn’t had a panic attack in years, but this situation could definitely bring one on.

Rosetta sat patiently on the sofa. I sat beside her. “Ryah ran away. She will probably reach out to Rocco soon. I can’t leave without her.” I ran my hands tightly over my hair.

“Luciano, I know.”

“Do you want to return to Philly without me?”

“No, I’ll take a swim.”

“I’ll let you know the minute she’s found.”

She stood sweeping her perfectly painted red nails over her stomach. “Ok.”

Rosetta sauntered down the hall to our bedroom.

She was a beautiful woman, but I just wasn’t attracted to her. It was hard to explain. Maybe I was looking for something else and didn’t know what it was. The day I saw Melanie, it was like I could see clearly for the first time.

I’d never forget the day we met.

I breezed into the family-style restaurant. The smell of rich gravy whipped up my nose.

“Sir, would you like to be seated?” the hostess asked.

“In a moment.” Where did she go? I couldn’t believe I followed her here. The gorgeous mocha woman walked past my truck as I stepped out the rear passenger door. Her long, dark hair swayed over her shoulders and cascaded down her back. The woman was stunning.

She emerged from the kitchen, tying an apron around her waist. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail. She spoke to another woman standing behind the long, dark dining counter. They parted ways and walked to different sides of the restaurant. Soloman’s restaurant was just a little smaller than my favorite eatery across the street, La Bellas. I’d eaten at that restaurant practically all of my life. How had I never seen her? Maybe she just started working here.

“I’d like to be seated in her section. I pointed at the woman bouncing toward a couple nearby.

The hostess grinned. “Sure thing.”

After I was seated in the large red booth, I stared at the long menu. My heart felt like it would leap out of my chest at any second. I was nervous to be around her. And I didn’t know if I’d like her after she spoke to me. Maybe she was just a pretty face. One I’d have to look at while I fucked her out of my system.

“Good evening and welcome to Soloman’s. My name is Melanie and I’ll be your server tonight. Are you ready to order?”

She stood with the pen to pad waiting. She wore the biggest smile across those plump, plum-colored lips. The tight red polo shirt pulled my eyes to her perky breasts. But I contained myself and made eye contact with her.

“I’m sorry. I hadn’t looked at the menu. What’s good to eat here?”

Her high cheekbones lifted. “Everything on the menu is good. What do you have a taste for?”

You. That was what I wanted to tell her.

“Chimichangas.” I was fucking with her.

Melanie’s brows rose. “What?”

I glanced over the menu.

“You don’t make chimichangas?”

There were dishes like smothered pork chops and fried okra on the menu.

“This is a soul food restaurant. If you want Mexican, you’ll have to go up the street for that.”

I raised my hands. “Ok. What do you suggest?”

She stepped beside me and flipped to the second page of the menu. Her flowery perfume dangled under my nose.

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