Page 59 of Her Dark Salvation

I undid my tie and tossed it on my desk, unbuttoned the top of my shirt, and tried to relax. Dinner with Anna and a meeting with Vinnie. I puffed out my cheeks and slowly released my breath. What a night.

I poured a finger of whiskey and tried to convince myself this was okay, that pursuing Anna when I had no fucking clue if I could manage a future with her wasn’t a dick move. But my need to spend time with her, my growing need for partnership, was more powerful than common sense. I shot back the whiskey. As irresponsible as this was, I couldn’t help myself. To hell with consequences; I’d deal with those later.

I walked out of my office. Anna was standing by the windows looking out at the city. Her head turned slightly when the door clicked shut, revealing a sliver of her profile behind the fall of her chestnut hair. The picture she painted, understated class and unparalleled Italian beauty, made my chest tighten with an overwhelming need to possess.

Fresh snow glistened under the bright lights surrounding the Commons and the buildings beyond. I crossed the foyer slowly, allowing myself time to drink in the curves of her delicious body against the picturesque backdrop beyond the glass.

I stood to her left, and we took in the winterscape in comfortable silence.

“What a beautiful view,” she said wistfully.

“When I—” I caught myself and cleared my throat. “When my father built Terme, he had the foresight to line the entire north side of the penthouse with windows. I converted the floor from accommodations to my office and my home because of this view. I wanted to enjoy moments like this every day.”

She turned her face up, and I glanced down to where she looked at me. Surprise colored her appreciation. “I don’t blame you,” she said. “This place is a retreat. The city can be too much at times. Loud and frantic. But up here, everything is much more serene, peaceful even, especially with the snow.”

I placed my hand on the small of her back. “Shall we?” Without thinking, I ran my thumb up and down the curve of her spine, and her skin pebbled with goosebumps.

“Yes,” she said with a shy smile. “Of course.”

We entered the elevator, and the impulse to pull her into me, tilt her head back and take her mouth, was overwhelming. Instead, I dropped my hand and shoved it in my pocket, afraid that if I touched her too long, I wouldn’t be able to stop.

Vittoria was a three-star Michelin restaurant on the ground floor. I’d lucked out. During one of my extended stays in Rome, I’d found an up-and-coming chef eager to move to the US but waiting for the right opportunity. He’d jumped at my offer. I’d snagged my sommelier from one of the best restaurants in New York City. He’d wanted to move back to Boston to be closer to family. Done. Between the two, Terme was home to one of the best Italian restaurants in the country, and I couldn’t wait to share a meal there with Anna.

We walked beneath the stone archway and the thin swirl of a wrought iron “Vittoria” nestled among climbing ivy. I nodded to the maître d’ as we passed into the dining room and ushered her up the narrow set of stairs to the mezzanine. The single row of tables lining the exclusive level were all marked Reserved. I pulled out a chair for her at the center table, hoping she’d appreciate the view. It overlooked the dining area, and the French doors provided a grand view of the Commons and the blanket of fresh snow.

“Thank you.” Her voice was shaky with nerves, and my unrelenting need to protect redoubled its efforts.

The warm candlelight highlighted the flush of her cheeks and the auburn highlights in her hair. I’d done nothing in this life to deserve sitting across from this angel.

“Good evening, Mr. DeVita. Ma’am.” A waiter removed the Reserved placard from the table. “I’ll let Chef know you’ve arrived. He has an excellent menu planned for you this evening.”

“I have no doubt. I’d like a bottle of wine tonight.”

The waiter eyed Anna. Kid needed to learn poker.

“Of course, sir. I’ll get Mr. Klein.”

“No need. My private collection is on reserve in the back. Klein knows where to find it. Tell him I’d like a bottle of the 2012 Brunello. We’re celebrating.”

The waiter’s eyes widened. “Yes, sir. Right away.”

The corners of Anna’s big brown eyes crinkled when she smiled. “What are we celebrating?”

“Pompeii.”

She tilted her head in question.

“Well, I couldn’t call it Vesuvio II now, could I? Too perfunctory.”

She scrunched her nose, but after a moment, her eyes brightened with realization. “The purchase went through.”

“It did. Escrow is thirty days, of course, but barring the seller pulling out, which I can guarantee won’t happen, you’re looking at the owner of one very large and very expensive piece of historic property in the financial district.”

“Congratulations. I’ll admit, I was skeptical you’d make it happen.” Her expression turned knowing. “But I have a feeling there are very few things you want that you don’t make happen.”

“You’re having dinner with me tonight, aren’t you?”

She smiled coyly and reached for her necklace.

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