Page 7 of Unforgettable Underboss

Aurelio sizes me up with his shrewd gaze, trying to figure out what’s off with me today. This isn’t the time to hide information from him, but I don’t have any details about Valerie other than she’s scared and needs a place to stay. She hasn’t said anything about what she’s running from or why.

“Dismissed,” he finally says, his firm tone echoing off the walls in his pristine office.

For a moment I worry Aurelio will ask me to stay behind, but thankfully, he gets a text as I slip out the door.

Five minutes later, I burst into my house, on the prowl for Valerie. I need answers. I have to clear her before anyone finds out I’m harboring what could be perceived as a threat to the Family.

“So thereislemon in the raspberry cream cheese Danishes. I knew I tasted the smallest hint of citrus,” Valerie says, her voice filled with delight. The sound soothes me, knowing she’s here and she’s safe.

“Indeed. Sometimes I use orange zest instead, but I find the lemon is tarter and compliments the natural sweetness of the raspberries,” Devin, my personal chef, replies as I follow their voices to the kitchen. “It’ll be our little secret, yes?”

Devin Scarossi has worked as a chef for various family members for nearly forty years. He’s in his seventies and happily married with kids and grandkids, yet the caveman part of my brain is instantly jealous that another man is spending time alone with my woman.

Jesus, I need to get it together.

The thought falls out of my head as I turn the corner into the kitchen.

Because Valerie is looking at Devin in awe as he uses a frosting bag to pipe the Danish filling into the prepared pastries. Now, my only thought is that I want her to look atmethat way. Not Devin.

“That will be all for today, Devin,” I announce.

Valerie jumps at the boom of my voice, and I want to punch myself in the face for startling her. She recovers quickly, the tension draining from her shoulders when her gaze falls on me.

“Hey,” she says softly, giving me the most adorable little wave. Her cheeks turn pink and then red as if embarrassed. She has no idea how obsessed I already am with her. I hardly knew it myself until I spent the morning away from her and came home to another man chatting her up in my kitchen.

“Mr. Masini,” Devin addresses me, bowing his head slightly as a sign of respect. “I was just getting to know your houseguest.” The older man gives me a knowing smile, the twinkle in his brown eyes making him look twenty years younger. “Bring her over to the cottage sometime. I know Beverly would love to meet her.”

I give him a tight nod, wanting him to leave. I know he’s not a threat. He means well, and he has a wife he loves very much. Still, I don’t want him here. Valerie and I have important things to discuss, and he’s a distraction right now.

Devin wraps the tray of Danishes in plastic wrap and sets it aside before washing his hands. He grins at me as he walks to the door, despite the daggers I’m shooting at him with my stare.

“How was your, uh, work thing?” Valerie asks, nibbling her bottom lip.

Like this morning, I can’t tell how much she knows about my chosen career.

“Fine,” I answer. “I was thinking…” I trail off when I notice an open sketchbook on the counter next to the sink. Taking a few steps closer, I see a rough sketch of the view from the guest room she’s staying in.

“Oh, I’m not finished yet,” Valerie is quick to say when she figures out what caught my attention.

I recognize the darkened silhouette of the Spring Mountains in the background, but the detail she’s added in the foreground makes me wonder if I’ve ever really looked out of any of my windows. A flowering cactus off to the right of the page captures my attention, and then my focus drifts to a family of desert tortoises tucked away near a stacked pile of rocks. I’ve never noticed any wildlife on my property, though it makes sense. I guess I never stopped to look,reallylook at my surroundings.

“This is…”

“Unfinished, like I said.” Valerie snatches the sketchbook away and closes it, depriving me of studying her art any further.

“You’re incredibly talented,” I murmur, capturing her green eyes with mine.

She can’t hide the smile stretching across her lovely features, and I make a note to praise her more often. I may not know where she came from, but I sense this woman hasn’t had a lot of love or compliments in her life.

After a moment of silence, I clear my throat, remembering that I still need answers from her.

“Valerie,” I start. “We need to talk.”

Her shoulders drop along with her gaze. Valerie shrinks to a shell of the radiant woman standing here with me a second ago. I hate that I made her feel this way, but this conversation is important. I’ll just have to show her I’ll be here no matter what secrets she has.

I hold out my hand, relieved when Valerie takes it in hers. She clings to me as I lead us to the couch in front of the fireplace. She’s trembling, and her hands are slightly clammy. I need to approach her with caution, but fuck if I know what I’m doing or how to handle someone so precious.

“Start at the beginning,” I encourage. We face each other on the couch, her hand in mine while my thumb gently brushes the inside of her wrist. “Why did you seek me out?”

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