Page 15 of His to Keep
“Is it good?” Gio asks gently.
“It’s amazing, just like I remembered.” I tear off a piece and offer it to him. “Here, try it.”
Gio pops the cake in his mouth and chews. From the slight crease at the bridge of his nose, I can see he’s trying to work out why I like it so much.
“It’s okay,” he says after swallowing. “I don’t get what’s so special.”
“It’s a nostalgia thing,” Danny says. “You probably cry whenever you see a slice of cheesecake.”
Although his tone isn’t outwardly disrespectful, I get the feeling Danny doesn’t have the sort of reverence for Gio that a soldier inhis organization should have. I wonder if that means he works for someone else.
“Who’s your employer, Danny?” I ask as I take another bite of the delicious vanilla sponge cake.
“Niamh Donnelly.”
That makes sense. He’s obviously from Glasgow, where Niamh is based, and his involvement in my rescue suggests he works for someone sympathetic to my situation.
“You don’t mind working for a woman?”
“Why would I?” Danny asks, as if the underworld isn’t rife with misogyny.
“What’s she like?” I met her when I was younger, but her father was still alive as far as I recall, and she hadn’t taken over as head of the family business yet.
“She’s sweet, kind, generous. She’d do anything to help a person out.”
I frown. “Those don’t sound like the typical qualities for a boss.”
Danny huffs out a sardonic laugh. “Oh, don’t get me wrong. She doesn’t look for confrontation, but when someone crosses her, she’s as ruthless as they come.”
I turn to Gio. “Have you met her?”
“Briefly.” That one word shuts down my questioning. Gio obviously doesn’t want to give his opinions, good or bad, on the woman in front of her employee. “While we’re on the subject, Danny, did you speak to Niamh?”
“I did. She’s been in touch with your brother. They want you to go to Florence. You’ll stay at your cousins’ villa.”
My ears prick up at that. I spent a couple of weeks in Tuscany when I was fourteen, with my friend Sophia and her family. It was incredible.
“He doesn’t want me to come home?” Gio can’t disguise that he’s hurt.
“Not until the threat is gone,” Danny says. “If the Russians come for you in New York, you might not see them coming until it’s too late. In Tuscany…”
“The Bratva hasn’t got a foothold,” I conclude.
“That’s it precisely, kid. In Tuscany, Barevsky’s men will stand out. They won’t be able to sneak up on you.”
“I guess.” Gio doesn’t sound entirely convinced. He contemplates the situation for a moment and then nods decisively. “It’s probably best to keep those assholes far from my brothers’ wives and my mother.”
When he mentions his mother, I realize how little I know about his family. I’m sure I’ll find out all about them if Gio and I do actually get married, something I’m still not convinced is in my best interests.
“From what I hear, you’ll be well protected in Italy,” Danny says. “Your cousins have quite the reputation.”
“That they do.” Gio frowns as if something about his cousins’ reputation troubles him. “So, how do we get to Italy?”
“Niamh’s arranging a helicopter to take…”
“No.” I need to shut that down immediately. “Not happening.”
“What do you mean?” Gio asks.
