Page 78 of Wicked Knight 2

“Would you like to order an appetizer? The beef tartare is supposed to be the best here. What do you think? You want to split it?”

“Oh yeah, sure.” I gripped the menu and read through the options. “Beef tartare sounds great.” I lifted my head and my whole body jerked in surprise as Luca entered the restaurant and approached the hostess podium.

In the next breath, his eyes met mine across the room. Flutters spread from my stomach up to my chest as he sauntered toward me. He’d cut his hair short again, and even shaved his beard. I swore I could smell his aftershave from here.

And, of course, he looked beyond hot in a dark three-piece suit. The same style he wore when he was teaching at Columbia. At the compound, he mostly wore jeans and a T-shirt. It should be illegal to have this much grace and confidence—all the things that made Luca Gallo my own personal brand of heroin.

No, it didn’t matter if he was the most handsome man in the room right now. He left me. He chose to go with the Brotherhood. We were over. I hated him. I hated his soulful gaze, his soft lips, his tall form.

He stopped at our table and glared at my date with murder in his eyes. “Liam Brian Mancini. You’re in my seat.”

“How do you know my name?” Liam turned to me. “Do you know him?”

“Not going to ask again. Leave now.” He gripped the back of his chair and moved it back while Liam was still sitting on it.

“I’m on a date here, pal.” Liam shot to his feet.

“I’m not your pal. And no, you’re certainly not on a date with my wife.” Luca stalked forward and hovered angrily over Liam.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know. She didn’t say.” Liam swallowed and moved out of the way. When he turned to offer me his hand as a goodbye, Luca stepped toward him and blocked him.

“You touch her again, I’ll break your fingers.” Luca could be so terrifying when he wanted to be.

“How dare you?” I shot to my feet to glare at him properly. “You have no right to come here and make a scene.” I gestured toward Liam’s retreating form.

“Sit down, Donata. We need to talk.” Luca growled.

“I have nothing to say to you.”

With a smirk on his face, he prowled toward me and whispered in my ear, “we either have a conversation here or at my place. Your choice.” He let out a long breath. “I personally would rather talk in private in my bed.”

“In your dreams.” I pursed my lips.

“Always in my dreams.” His gaze dropped to my cleavage.

When I didn’t make an effort to sit, he bent down and put his arm over the back of my thighs. I shuffled back and slapped his hands away. “Are you insane?”

“Yes. Insane. Desperate. Wounded.” He slowly stood tall as his intense gaze bore into mine. “I’m not leaving until you listen to what I have to say. Five minutes of your time is all I want. Is it going to be here or at my place?”

“I’m not going anywhere with you.” I lowered myself into the chair.

“Good.” He unbuttoned his suit jacket and sat. “You look beautiful tonight.”

“Bite me.”

“Don’t tempt me, Ms. Salvatore.” He motioned for the server. When the guy showed up, Luca ordered a glass of red wine.

“What do you want?” I sipped my drink.

“I wanted to explain why I couldn’t leave with you the night you came to rescue me.” He reached for my hand, but I pulled it away.

“I don’t care.” I wasn’t going to let him use his wiles to confuse me again.

“If I had left with you that night, Dimitri Belov, Papa, would’ve seen it as a personal insult. He would’ve sent someone after me. I’m done running, Donata. I couldn’t stand the idea of yet another psychopath standing between us.”

“Where is he now?” I met his hazel gaze. “He let you out?”

“He’s dead.” He drank deeply from his glass. “I killed him last night.”

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