Page 61 of Desire and Revenge

It’s a good thing I managed to keep my identity secret, or this dinner would have gone sideways before it even started.

“You must compliment my chef. She’s my secret weapon. I can’t go anywhere without her,” he laughs.

Amato isn’t a physically impressive man. He stands at about five feet six at most, with a barrel chest and small, sunken eyes, but I know the man is a force to reckon with, and him being on Sebastian’s side will pose a problem.

I file the information about his chef to the back of my mind and continue eating silently.

The chicken Piccata is excellent, and whoever this mystery chef is deserves an accolade. But the wonderful food isn’t enough to distract me from the green-eyed woman across the table from me.

Sofia is in a gray, cowl-neck dress that sweeps down a few inches past her knee. Her hair has been swept away from her face, and she’s wearing light make-up and something that makes her plump mouth look too kissable.

I struggle to drag my gaze away from her, wondering for the hundredth time why Sebastian brought her here. As far as I’m concerned, this is more or less a business meeting, which is really no place for her.

The rest of the occupants of the table are Cosa Nostra men, and neither of them are present with a wife or girlfriend. Not even the elusive chef has managed to show her face.

That uncomfortable feeling crawls down my spine again and I reach down to tap my chest for the familiar security of my Glock, then remember that our weapons were taken at the door.

I’ve never in my life felt more like a sitting duck.

“About the guns,” one of the other men says. “Time is slipping by, Amato.”

The short man makes a sound of disgust and tosses down his napkin. “What’s the problem with this younger generation? In our time, we knew it was sit down and have a drink or two first before we started talking business.”

Sebastian laughs. “You know what I like about you? You remind me so much of my father.”

Amato tuts. “Your father was an excellent one. One of the few ones who I knew wouldn’t have let everyone run wild and get careless.” Then his beady eyes crawl over to Sofia. “And this must be your wife. What’s with your manners, Lucchese?I thought she was beautiful at the wedding, but now I see how truly iridescent she is.”

“Yes, she is, isn’t she?” Sebastian replies in a soft voice.

My head shoots up to look over at them, and I find her looking like a deer caught by headlights while he’s staring at her like a besotted fool.

What the hell?

“Young love,” the older man laughs. “I love to see it.”

“Have you met Castello?” Sebastian nods in my direction. “You must remember his father at least.”

“Of course, I know Jacobe Castello. Bravest bastard I ever met,” his eyes fill with admiration. “Smart and loyal.”

“Hmm,” Sebastian raises his glass of wine and takes a sip. “Loyalty. That’s a word I don’t hear often anymore.”

My muscles tense, and my fingers tighten around my fork. And then he turns to Sofia, and he reaches for her chair and pulls her closer to him before throwing his arm around her shoulder.

“I’ve been thinking of your future, Castello.” The words make me perk up with alertness. “You’ve always been a good shot. Still good?”

I don’t know what Sebastian is driving at, but I nod in response, one eyebrow raised in question.

“Even as kids, Castello could shoot a target from halfway across the compound,” he tells Carmine.

My interest isn’t in his words, though. It’s in the way his fingers are moving across Sofia’s arms, almost teasing, possessive. It makes my teeth clench so tightly that my jaw begins to hurt, and I have to put in effort to pry my jaw open for another fork of my dinner.

“I don’t think he’s had much opportunity to polish his skills, though,” the stout man points out, hand cupping his jaw. “They say he’s been traveling the world. So, unless he was going aroundputting a bullet in everyone he came across, he’s probably not handled one in?—”

“Give me my gun back and I can shoot the bird’s eye in that painting.” I nudge my head at the painting of a peacock across the otherwise empty restaurant.

“Interesting,” Sebastian nods then turns to his wife. “Would you like to see that, baby?”

Baby?My spine stiffens.

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