Page 26 of The Leader

“I used to work here as a busboy.”

She had to check her jaw from dropping. “You? Working as a busboy?”

“I wasn’t born a real estate mogul.”

“Not? I mean, I’m surprised to hear that. I just figured you had inherited.”

“Oh, I did inherit from my father, just not any money. The Detta name, however, is still famous in certain circles.”

She knew she was treading into dangerous territory, but she had to ask. “Mobster circles, you mean?”

“Amongst others. He was a known man in his world, of course, but just as famous with any government agency that was after him and the Scolinis. At the time, there was a huge task force set up, just to prevent the different Families from starting a war in San Francisco. In the end, that war happened anyway, and it was probably what got my parents killed.”

“Probably?” She’d read about his father’s death. How he ended up a casualty in an underworld war. The same way a lot of people in his line of work ended. Part of her wanted to ask if Gio intended to follow in his path. It hurt to think of him shot. Then she chided herself for even thinking that far ahead in the future. She had no business going there.

“Probably.” This time his tone was curt.

Okay, definitely a touchy subject, not that she could blame him. She herself still wasn’t able to talk about her parents without tears springing in her eyes.

“So, what happened after your parents’ death? Who raised you?”

“With Scolini and his associates out of the picture, we were left to fend for ourselves. Our only luck was that the ones who took out Scolini were practically decimated themselves. They were either dead or in jail.” She knew what he meant; that it had been the only reason why no one had ended his father’s line by murdering him and his brothers. Picturing him and his brothers as orphans, almost made her reach out to him over the table.

“We were sent to a group home. Not a pleasant place.” The pulse working in his jaw spoke volumes. “No one wants to adopt four boys, let alone mobster progenies. Not that I would have let them. I wasn’t going to allow anyone to change my name. We stayed there for three months, until Caitlin O’Brian.”

She frowned, not having heard that name before.

“Our grandmother from my mother’s side,” he explained. “She’d broken off any contact with our mother, when she married my father. We had only ever seen her from pictures. It had taken her months before she got through all the red tape, but in the end, she managed to become guardian to five boys; my brothers, and Hector. As a single, seventy-year-old widow, she wasn’t an eligible candidate, but our grandmother was nothing if not determined. She died a few years ago.” He looked her straight in the eyes. “She made me promise, on her deathbed, to create more little O’Brians. She never acknowledged our father’s name, and I didn’t have the heart to tell her that my kids would be a Detta.”

Children. She hadn’t even thought of that. Things between them had developed so fast. She was on birth control, and didn’t plan on stopping with that anytime soon. If she did… A picture of a beautiful little boy with black hair and baby blue eyes popped inside her head. To her surprise, the idea didn’t scare her. Someday, yes, she wanted that someday. With the man she chose to be with in the forever kind of relationship. It was hard to imagine that child in her mind not to look like a mini Gio.

She cleared her throat. “She sounds wonderful.”

“That she was.”

When their dinner arrived, they ate in a comfortable silence. When the waiter came to ask if they wanted dessert, Gio declined.

“I’ll have my dessert later.”

This made the waiter smile knowingly, and Jazzy glowered at her husband for making her blush. Well, he wasn’t the only one able to dole out a punishment. Although she wanted to go home as well, to actually become his dessert, she decided to place an order.

“I’ll have the panna cotta, please. I just love that delicious creaminess in my mouth. There’s nothing like it.”

The waiter left with a grin on his face.

“Playing with fire,bella?”

“Whatever do you mean?” She could make innuendos and have him wait as well.

To her shock, he got up and slid in the seat next to her, effectively boxing her in. His fingers started to play with her strands of hair. From the outside, it probably looked innocent; just a man so eager for his woman that he couldn’t stand the distance between them.

He placed a finger on her chin, parting her lips. His tongue delved inside, conquering her mouth. She was a slave to his touch, the taste of him, the way he nibbled her lips, bit them, before he took away the sting and turned all gentle and loving. By the time dessert was served, Jazzy was sure all her bones had melted.

Gio pulled away, allowing the waiter to place her treat and the tiny spoon that accompanied it before her.

Sadly, Jazzy’s appetite had changed into wanting something much more carnal. She wanted to get out of this place, now. The only thing stopping her was her pride, and the smirk on Gio’s lips. The bastard knew exactly what she was thinking.

“Ah, finally, the treat I’ve been waiting for all night,” she said, taking a spoonful.

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