Page 2 of Bite Marks

“You do the same.” Nunzio picked up his coffee and then headed down the line.

Vanessa turned her head to peer out the window.Please keep walking. Please keep walking.Despite her internal plea, her hands smoothed out the black silk of her skirt that clung to her wide hips before flipping her hair over her shoulder so it all reached down to her butt like a crimson waterfall. Her white blouse opened in the front to show off the gold medallion her father left her, though men often took it as an offer to stare at her chest.

“Nessa?” he asked. “As I live and breathe, Vanessa Ciampa. And here I was just talking about beautiful Italian women. You are looking especially gorgeous today. Your man tell you he got a raise or something?”

She smiled at his compliment, still facing the window, but rolled her eyes at his cheap attempt to learn whether or not she was single.Still, I have to give the man points for not beingtooobvious about it.She turned to the man, and those slate-gray eyes threatened to steal her breath again, but she held tight to her hatred of the organization Nunzio was part of.

“You know I don’t have a man. I’m too busy with my work where I make real,honestmoney.”

Nunzio grinned. “Right. At the art gallery, yeah? Your cousin, Frank, was talking it up. Said he’s going to get tickets to take his girl to it. You give him a good family discount?”

“I didn’t give him afamilydiscount if that’s what you’re asking.” Her eyes narrowed on him.

“There’s that Italian fire.” He held on to that wolfish grin before sighing and shaking his head. “You know. It’s that fire that puts so many guys off. They start dating other girls. But real men, we love that fire. It makes us feel alive.”

His grin returned, and Vanessa had to restrain her impulse to grin along with him.

“Well, most men refer to me as an ice queen, so too bad. No fire here.” She shrugged and stepped forward as the line moved.

Nunzio stepped backward to stay with her. “No. It’s in there, all right. You just need something to help bring it out. Something that will help you feel more alive too.” He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a set of keys to a Ferrari. “How about a drive? I can promise the way the engine roars will bring that fire out.Che ne dici?”

What do you say?Vanessa’s heart leapt at the chance, but she placed a frigid cage over it.He’s with the mob. Things like fast cars, fun rides, and women on each arm are what got Dad killed.“I’ll have to take a pass. I have a lot of work that needs to get done.” She smiled at him, not wanting to come off as a total bitch.

Nunzio’s grin faded into a wounded frown for a moment, but he cleared his throat and nodded. “Maybe next time when you’re not so busy with your gallery. I hear it’s going to be an impressionist gallery. Is that right?”

Vanessa’s eyes slid to Maria for a moment. The shorter woman’s lips strained to hold back her smile. “That’s right.”

“Well, I look forward to seeing your collection.Signore, buona giornata.” He walked off and opened the door to a Roma.

“Damn, that’s a beautiful car.” Maria licked her lips before turning to her. “What was that last thing he said?”

“You need to work on your Italian.” Vanessa laughed. “He said, ‘have a good day, ladies.’”

“I am! He’s just so fast. I listen to my language courses at half speed.” Her mischievous eyes slid back to him as the Roma roared to life before settling into a deep purr. “Why not take him to the opening? He’s super-hot. You’d get to show up in that, next tothat. You’d be the queen at your own show.”

“I don’t date men in his position,” Vanessa ordered her coffee, and they took a seat while they waited.

“In his position?” Maria raised a brow, but then her eyes widened. “Oh my God, he’s in the mob?”

Vanessa nodded. Even though she despised the mob, she never wanted to hurt anyone in the family, so she’d grown accustomed to answering questions about who was or wasn’t in the life without speaking. You never knew when someone was wearing a wire or if you happened to sit next to a plain-clothes cop.

“I don’t want to end up a widow like my mother. Besides, Nunzio and I have nothing in common. We wouldn’t work anyway.” She sighed and peered out the window as Nunzio pulled away.

“Yeah, sure. I totally get that.” Maria shrugged. “But what about just a simple date? It’s not like you have to plan for a house and kids with the guy just to take him to the gallery opening. Have him pick you up in that sexy car, while he’s in a sexy suit, and you’re in a sexy dress. Give him a peck on the cheek at the end of the night and call it.”

Vanessa shook her head. “It’s not like that with guys like Nunzio.”

Maria’s brow tilted in the center, and she pouted her bottom lip. “Yeah. I’ve heard mob guys can be possessive. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be pushing it.”

Vanessa chuckled. “No. I meant Italian guys. You don’t just go on a single date and call it. Especially if you’re Italian too. One date between two well-known Italians and you’re official as far as all the families are concerned.”

Still, that ride did sound nice. It had been a while since she had fun with something like that. She was so focused on work that there just wasn’t time. Her mother often told her that she worked too much, that she’d never find a man if all she did was work, work, work. But it was her passion.

Her grandfather left her the gallery in his will because he knew it would make her happy. He’d known her so well. He’d been in the mob … It wasn’t the men who were the problem. It was the life and how short it could often be.

TWO

NUNZIO

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