Page 80 of Vito

I do meet with the Chamber, like when I debriefed them about the two FBI agents laying in wait for me on my wayto Tommaso's funeral. However, that's done in meetings, not casually sitting in the bar.

Lixin smiles at me. "It's been months, and we don't really know you, Ed."

Tingles run up my spine. The paranoid alertness I've come to rely on lifts its head, sniffing the air for threats.

Dom looks at me with a small, lazy smile that I can't get a good read on.

Why the hell do they want to get to know me?

"I've got five minutes." I sit down in the empty chair. "I appreciate you wanting to shoot the shit over a beer; however, I have a bar to run."

Vito is in my periphery where he sits at his usual table in the far corner, with his back to the wall and a view of the full bar. His scanning eyes move over our table but don't stop or linger as he talks with Hugo and Pix.

"How is everything going here?" Amazu asks.

"Good."

Lixin laughs. "A woman of few words."

I stiffen imperceptibly at his drawing attention to my being a woman. I mean, I am, but I do what I can to play up thelet's forget she's a chick.

"Aiken was the same," Lixin continues. "Must be a family trait."

"Or a characteristic of being Gilly's owner-operator," I remind them of our roles and the line drawn between us.

Lixin drums his fingers on his thigh. Massimo looks tense, and I suspect he either isn't on board or wasn't aware of theLet's Get to Know Edsession.

"You seem to be settling well." Amazu leans back in his chair and takes a swig of his beer. "Gilly's is thriving; your changes have been good."

"It was well-run prior, and the staff is good."

Lixin runs his finger along the condensation on his glass. "With paying the staff more and adding the sick leave pay, you have to be paying yourself next to nothing. How are you living?"

One of the staff could've mentioned the increased compensation; however, my hackles are raised that he's asking about my personal situation.

"Neither Gilly's operation, nor my personal life, is your concern, Lixin, or the Chamber's."

He presses his lips together, then smiles. "Just making sure you're not having to starve yourself in order to give others extra."

Both Ash and Massimo are frowning but they stay quiet.

"It seems you had some independent wealth before coming to Gilly's." Amazu steeples his fingers under his chin.

My jaw clenches, but I remain impassive. "You're forgetting I inherited my brother's personal assets."

I'm not going to tell them about the monthly deposits Ohith has made in an offshore account ever since he rescued me from the streets. I only use what I need and could comfortably live off that for a long time without any source of income.

I cock my head to the side. "I didn't realize Gilly's owner-operator had to supply financial statements before taking over or during proprietorship."

Massimo flashes a warning look at Lixin and Amazu. "They don't."

Dom clears his throat, looking at them with a slightly questioning look, before he turns to me. "Aiken poured his life into this place; you're following suit. Did you two talk a lot about the operation and his vision?"

"You know he wouldn't have talked to me or anyone else about Gilly's." I lean back in the chair. When I realize Lixin's arm is on the back of it, I quickly sit forward.

"Did you talk a lot?" Lixin ask.

Massimo's brow furrows slightly, but his face is unreadable, as is Ash's.

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