Page 51 of Princess's Revenge

“You should have told me you were coming into the city, I’d have saved you a booth,” he shakes my hand vigorously and grins like an alligator.

He’s fifty-seven and has a smile like George Clooney—Great dentist.

“How’s your father doing?” he asks in his raspy voice.

“He’s great. Fantastic! This?” I shrug, “Just a spur of the moment thing,” I pat him on the shoulder. “We’ll get the booth next time.”

“And who isthislovely young lady?” he addresses Andrea, gesturing like he’s impressed at the quality of my date.

“Josh de Soto,” I lock eyes with him, “meet Andrea Lupertazzi.”

His grin dies and he looks like he’s still processing, “Sorry, what?” He puts his hand to his ear.

I turn to Andrea and there’s no more smiling. She looks like she’s thinking about ending his life.

I look back at Josh, “I said, this is Andrea Lupertazzi.”

He speaks under his breath, “I wasn’t aware our late friend had any cousins,” he looks nervous as fuck.

“He didn’t,” I say, then lean close to whisper into his ear, “you missed one.”

The moment I step back, Andrea lunges at Joshua with a table knife, “I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU!”

Josh jumps away and I grab Andrea around her waist. She kicks and stabs at the air like she’s feral, grabbing for Joshua even though there’s no way she can reach him.

I swing her around and smash her back into her chair, then take the knife out of her hand. “BEHAVE! We’re in public.” I stare her in the eyes and point, “STAY!”

When I turn back to Josh,he’spointing atme,“Where do you get the balls, kid? I invite you into my place like you’re my own family and you spring this shit on me? What the fuck do you think you’re playing at? Huh? What the fuck is this?”

“It’s exactly what I said it is—You missed one.Now you know. Me and brothers thought it was the right thing to let you know. What happens now is up to Andrea…and you.”

I put my hand out to Andrea, she takes it and stands.

Then I say to Josh, “Thanks for your hospitality.”

I turn back to Andrea, “We’re leaving.”

CHAPTER 15

Itry to keep my cool till we get to the car, but it isn’t easy. I was so angry, I thought I might attackChristopher!

Christopher doesn’t say a word to me either.

Finally, fifteen minutes into the drive home, I explode with, “WHY THE FUCK DIDN’T YOU TELL ME?”

He responds calmly, “Because we wouldn’t have even made it to the table. Trust me, this is the way things have to play out.”

“Please,” the sarcasm drips from me, “explain it like I’m five years old.”

“We want to avoid bloodshed.”

“Not good enough, Christopher!”

“Oh, there’s going to be some,” he gives me a sideways smile, “but we don’t want to come out of this thing looking like the aggressors.”

“Why?”

He huffs, “When that incident happened with your family—”

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