Page 35 of Sinful Mafia Prince

“Kind of hard to forget.”

“That’s a compliment, right?” When Luca nodded, Dom lifted his glass. “Thenthankyou.”

Luca shook his head but couldn’t stop his chuckle. “Smartass.”

Dom went back to stirring the risotto, then pulled out a second pan and placed it on the burner to the left. He added in some olive oil and turned it to a medium heat, then he opened the fridge and pulled out the fish he’d prepared earlier.

He patted the perch dry and then began to flour it, and once he had all four of the fillets ready to go, he washed his hands and moved back to the stove. It was like watching a professional chef, and Luca had a feeling he could blindfold the guy and he’d still be able to make this meal.

Dom placed the fillets into the pan, and as they sizzled, he pulled out two dinner plates. A couple minutes later the fish were flipped and the risotto was off the stove.

The aromas wafting through the house were divine. Dom plated the fish on the risotto like it was something from a Michelin-Starred restaurant. “What are you doing sitting there? Grab the wine; we’re going outside.”

“Outside?”

“The pavilion. You remember where that is?”

Luca nodded and scooted down off his seat, grabbing up the wine and their glasses. “Do you need any help?”

“I need you to stop talking and get your sweet ass outside so we can eat.”

Luca headed to the open doors. “Sweet ass? Is that a compliment?”

When Dom merely arched a brow, Luca grinned and said, “Thankyou,” before he headed outside to the pavilion.

CHAPTERFIFTEEN

“DON’T TELL CHEF, but”—Luca scooped up the last of his perch and risotto and swallowed it down—“this might be even better than his chorizos.”

“Might be?”

“Okay, fine. It definitely is.” With a contented sigh, Luca sat back on the cushioned wicker chair, taking his wine glass with him.

“I’ll make sure to rub that information in his face. I can’t say he’ll be pleased.”

“You can’ttellhim that. He’ll leave me to rot next time I get kidnapped.”

“Next time?”

“It seems to be the trend, don’t you think?”

Even though he knew Luca was joking, it still grated on Dom that Luca had been taken under his watch. And he’d be damned if that ever happened again.

“There won’t be a next time,” he said, looking out at the lake. Out here where it was so quiet and serene, it was easy to believe it. After all, Lake Como was worlds away from where every terrible thing in his life had taken place. No one could touch them here. It was where his family should’ve stayed in the first place.

“Dom? Did you hear me?”

He shook off the memories that wanted to come streaming in. “What?”

“I said I believe you.”

“You believe me?”

“That there won’t be a next time.”

Dom frowned as he swirled the contents of the glass. The trust the kid had in him was unwarranted, but there it was. Why?

He took a long swallow of his wine before asking, “What happened at the Fiores’?”

---