Page 13 of Enzo DeLuca

“Please, sit down, Mr. DeLuca,” Maria said.

“What about the family members who are staying at the manor until they leave Italy? Who’s cooking for them this morning?” Enzo asked.

“I had breakfast delivered to them,” Stefan told him. “For lunch and dinner, Emelia is taking them to a couple of her favorite restaurants.”

Stefan had an answer for everything. Enzo sat down in the chair. As he scooted it up to the table, he said to Stefan, “I don’t need the staff here.”

“They’re not needed at don Ermanno’s house. Do you want me to fire them?”

“Of course not. I was going to let Peter, I mean Raphael, handle the staff. He could move them around. Station them with other family members. I’m sure Emelia could use a cook. Elias could use a gardener. No, the gardener can stay at grandpa’s manor. We also need someone there to manage the estate. But Maria can go cook for Emelia and...”

“Does Emelia even eat?” Stefan joked.

Enzo laughed. “She’s skinny. But she eats more than you and I combined.”

“Emelia has her own cook. So does Elias.”

“I rarely eat at home. You know that,” Enzo stated. “I usually stop at the restaurant and...”

“Have you forgotten your guest? She needs to eat.”

His guest?Shit. Enzo stood up so abruptly that he caused Maria to gasp, and he almost knocked his chair over.

“I almost forgot about her,” Enzo said, more to himself than anyone else. “She needs to eat.”

“Sit down,” Stefan told him. “I had Maria prepare her a plate. She’ll take it to her after you start eating.”

It would be best if he left the witness to eat alone in her room. However, he wanted her to eat with him. So, he could keep an eye on her.

“Put her plate on the table,” he told Maria. “And tell her to come eat with me.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Stefan spoke up as Maria moved to the counter to grab Eve’s plate.

Ignoring Stefan, Enzo nodded for Maria to continue what she was doing. Maria placed the plate at the other end of the table that seated eight. Enzo opened his mouth to tell her to place the plate next to him. He closed his mouth when he saw the pointed look Stefan was giving him.

To Stefan, Enzo said, “Tell Eve to join me.”

Stefan’s eyebrow raised. “You’re on a first-name basis with her?”

“She has a first name. I may as well use it. Or should I refer to her as the witness?”

Stefan took a deep breath. He looked like he wanted to say more but thought better of it and left the room without uttering another word.

“Mr. DeLuca,” Maria said. “I have the menu ready for you to look over at your leisure.”

“I’m not a picky eater. Prepare whatever you used to prepare for my grandfather.”

“Sir, your grandfather had health conditions that required a special menu.”

“He did? Like what?”

“I used sugar and salt substitutes in his meals. There were a few more changes made over the years as he got older.”

“Hmmm. Why didn’t I notice a difference in the food when I ate with him?”

Maria chuckled. “That’s because the kitchen staff and I were creative with the food to make sure it was still delicious to Mr. DeLuca, while also healthy for him.”

“Are you saying you tricked my grandfather into eating healthy?”

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