He paused. “I’m sorry to hear that. What can I do?”
“I don’t think there’s anything anyone can do right now, Mr. Russo. It’s all about giving her a nice quality of life now.”
He turned toward me, concern flooding his eyes. “Has she chosen to abandon radiation treatment?”
My eye twitched. “She has an appointment with her doctor tomorrow to discuss those very things. And my gut feeling is that she’ll abandon the treatments, yes.”
“Well, that radiation and chemotherapy can do nasty things to the body. If she’s not responding well, I can’t say that I blame her. How old is your mother now?”
I grinned. “Older than you.”
He chuckled. “And yet, she looks fresh out of a magazine. I tell you, it’s her cooking.”
“It’s always her cooking. Especially when I come off vacation and have to get back in the gym.”
The two of us shared a moment of laughter before my face fell into stone again.
“You know, your mother is a fine woman,” Mr. Russo said.
I nodded. “She’s the finest.”
“I’d agree with that if I thought my wife wouldn't smack the back of my head for it.”
I chuckled. “Always keep the woman happy, Mr. Russo. Always make sure she’s laughing and smiling.”
“Isn’t that the truth.”
The guys around me nodded as they all slowly tuned into the conversation.
“Are you wanting to go to this appointment with your mother tomorrow?” Mr. Russo asked.
It was the first time during the entire conversation I turned my head away from the door. I slowly looked down into the hot brown eyes of the man sitting at the table. Dressed in a three-piece suit, with a gun sitting on his thigh. He’d finished his plate of lasagna. He was on his third slice of garlic bread. And as his tiramisu from the kitchen touched down in front of him, he didn’t make a move to touch it.
“So long as my mother has someone to accompany her, I don’t have to be,” I said.
He nodded. “What if I personally see your mother to the appointment?”
I paused. “I’m sure she’d enjoy that, Mr. Russo. She’s always been your biggest fan.”
He chuckled. “Well, I don’t get too many of those in my line of work.”
The guys around us let out a polite moment of laughter, but I was curious as to where this conversation was going.
“Luca, I value the dedication you have to my family. The work you’ve put in over the years and the man you’ve grown into. It’s admirable,” Mr. Russo said.
“All thanks to you,” I said.
He nodded. “Much appreciated. But, you could have easily bucked back against it.”
“And you could have easily tossed me on my ass or fed me to the dogs of the darkness creeping in on a poor nineteen year old.”
He eyed me with a grin on his cheeks. “That, I could have. But, things have turned out differently, and for the better. I have a proposition for you, if you have time to discuss it.”
“I take it this proposition starts tomorrow.”
“Bright and early at five in the morning, in fact.”
I nodded. “I’m ready to talk whenever you are.”
He stood up from the table and wiped his mouth off. He took a sip of his wine, then escorted me into a back room where his bodyguards lined up outside the only entrance into the damn place. I’d never been back into this room before. The only thing I knew about it was that when he was back here with someone, things were about to get serious.
We each sat down in a chair in the corner, and his gaze was hard on me.
“I hear you did a wonderful job of keeping things in order back here during the years I was in San Diego with my family,” Mr. Russo said.
“Just doing my job, sir,” I said.
“And you did it fantastically.”
“I appreciate the high praise.”
“It’s not praise. I don’t praise, Luca. I merely tell the truth.”
I nodded. “Sorry, sir.”
“At any rate, there was an incident this afternoon. An incident that hit a little too close to home.”
“I heard about the gunshots near Times Square.”
“Did you hear about the fact that my daughter and her best friend were in the store beside the alleyway where the gunshots happened?”
“I might have heard something about it, yes,” I said. It was my job to know these things. He knew that, he was just testing me. Setting the scene.
“Good. Because I’m officially appointing you as her private bodyguard.”
Wait, he wanted me to follow around and guard Alianna?
“Is there an issue with that?” Mr. Russo asked.
“No, sir. If anything, it’s an honor to be working so close to your home,” I said.
“But, not too close. Right?”
He eyed me carefully, and I knew exactly what he was talking about.
“I’d never dream of it, sir,” I said.
“Good. You better not be. Alianna’s my daughter. My pride and joy. A college-educated woman who deserves the best.”
I tried not to let his words sting too much.
“Whatever she needs in terms of protection, I will do. If need be, I’ll lay down my life for her. Just like I’d do for any faction of the Russo Family,” I said.
“You’re a good man, Luca. And the only one of my men I’d trust with something like this. When is your mother’s appointment tomorrow?” he asked.
“Nine in the morning, sir.”
He nodded. “I’ll be at her place at eight thirty to get her. I’ll take her to her appointment, walk her through her decisions, and maybe take her out for lunch after.”
I grinned. “She’ll enjoy that a lot. Probably more than if I’d taken her myself.”
He chuckled. “I have that effect on women.”
I smiled at him as I relaxed back into the chair.
“May I talk personally with you for a moment?” I asked.
Mr. Russo relaxed back into his chair, inviting the conversation.
“I’m all ears,” he said.
“I know, without a shadow of a doubt, my mother is going to choose not to continue with treatment. And while that won’t affect my performance on the job, should I still be working this position when she--.”
He held up his hand. “You don’t have to say anymore.”
I nodded slowly, embarrassed I even felt the need to bring it up in the first place.
“You are like family to me, Luca. You, and your mother. You forget, your mother’s fed me out of her own home. Many times,” he said.
“I’m sorry, sir. I just need to cover my bases,” I said.
“Just like I taught you. I’m proud, Luca. And should you still be guarding my daughter when something happens with your mother, you’ll have the time off to do what you need. You have my word.”
I nodded. “Thank you, sir. For the reassurance.”
“Now, since we’re covering our bases, I want to make one thing perfectly clear.”
He slowly leaned forward in his seat, placing his elbows on his knees. He leveled that icy stare of his at me, his face falling into nothing but a deadpan glance. A shiver worked its way down my spine, because I knew that face was the last face many people saw before I pointed a gun to the back of their skull.
Mr. Russo was the chiseled, lean embodiment of fear. And I felt it coursing through the marrow of my bones.
“Should you even look at my daughter unprofessionally, you’re done. Finished. It will be like you’ve never existed, and I will let you and your mother rot into obscurity. Is that understood?” he asked.
I locked my eyes with his and nodded.
“Crystal clear, sir,” I said.
He leaned back. “Good. Now, you are to report to the house at five in the morning tomorrow. But, I’d like to go do a drive-by of Alianna now. Make sure she’s doing okay.”
I furrowed my brow. “Just say the wor
d and I’ll do it. Where is she?”
“Out on a date her mother set her up on,” he said flatly.
“Uh oh.”
“Uh oh is right. Apparently, it’s not very ‘sexy’ to go on a date with a bodyguard sitting a booth and a half away. Not that ‘sexy’ is a word my wife should be using with our daughter. Ever.”
I heard the flames of his voice and I had to hold back my chuckle.
“Just let me know where she is and I’ll drive by. If you want me to, I’ll get dressed in civilian clothes, go in, and make myself comfortable at a table or something,” I said.
“You’re a good man, Luca. I knew I could count on you,” he said.
We stood up from our chairs and shook on the deal, then he escorted me out of the room. He dismissed me from the table, where I then started through the restaurant doors and make my way for my work vehicle. Proudly provided by Mr. Russo himself. I hopped in and made my way across town, snaking around until I parked on the curb just outside of the brownstone I’d finally been able to afford.
I walked inside, got changed into suit, then headed back out to my car.
My burner phone vibrated in my pocket and I pulled it out. There was only one number I was allowed to use that phone for, and that number was currently scrolling across the screen. I opened up the text from Mr. Russo, which had the name of the restaurant Alianna was at along with the address and a picture of the guy she was with.
Clean-cut. Innocent-looking enough. But, it was always the innocent ones people had to look out for.
I punched the address into my GPS and headed over to the restaurant. It was upscale. Very nice. Very swanky. I was thankful I’d decided to wear a suit. While places like this required reservations, one flash of my work badge for Mr. Russo and most any place let me in. I scanned the floor, searching for Alianna and this date of hers as the waitress guided me to a table for two in the corner.
And the second my eyes fell onto Mr. Russo’s daughter, I knew I was in a hell of a lot of trouble.
Because her pictures did her no fucking justice to exactly how gorgeous she was.
Dark wild hair.
Beautiful blue eyes.
Legs for days.
Oh fuck me.
3
Alianna
I held back a sigh as I sipped my water, trying desperately not to look too bored. My mother set me up on this last-minute date tonight. Especially after she caught wind of the plans my father had to sic a bodyguard on me all day and all night starting tomorrow. According to her, having a bodyguard present wasn’t ‘sexy’ enough. It was intimidating, and would scare all the nice guys in New York City away.
She wasn’t wrong.
And while my father didn’t have one issue with scaring them all off, I knew how desperately my mother wanted me to marry.
My father had always been a proponent of me being independent. Getting out on my own. Becoming educated. Trying to make a way in the world for myself as a young adult. My mother, on the other hand, was a traditionalist. She’d led a good life at my father’s side, and she wanted that life for me. It came from a good place, but she didn’t understand just how miserable she was making me with all these blind dates. I mean, the guy in front of me was a finance guru! Which was a fancy way of saying he had a part-time finance job and ran an independent blog on the side. Hardly the kind of man I’d call ‘fun’ or ‘exciting’ or ‘adventurous’.
Which were all things I prized in someone.
“Do you have any investments, Alianna?”
Kyle’s voice ripped me from my trance and I sighed.
“I’m sorry, what was that?” I asked.
“Investments. Do you have any? Because I’ve got loads of expertise for you, if you’d like help in that area,” he said.
“I think I’m okay for now, but thank you.”
“Really? Because I’m paid top dollar for my outlooks. And you could be getting it for free,” he said, winking.
“Oh, ho ho. Easy there, killer. Too many winks, and my father might come out of the woodwork and accuse you of wanting to sleep with me right here in this restaurant.”
“I mean, if you’re that kind of adventurous, I could get on board with that.”
I let out a bitter laugh before I took a sip from my wine. Oh, these dates were excruciating. Where the hell did my mother find these men anyway? I was with my father on this one. None of the men Mom pointed out for me were good enough. But, after fighting her tooth and nail for my music degree, I was tired of fighting her on things like this.
At the very least, I could get a free meal out of the deal while I tortured the men she sat on my plate.
“So, what about you?” Kyle asked.
I nodded. “What about me?”
“You said you got a degree in music or something, right?”
“Mmm, I don’t think I’ve mentioned that, no.”
“Well, your mother might’ve said something about it.”
“That makes more sense,” I said, trying to crack a smile.
“Do you want to keep pursuing your education? I’ve heard with music, it’s almost impossible to have a career unless you’re woefully talented or you have upper education.”
“And what makes you think I’m not woefully talented?”
“Well, I think your mother mentioned something about you playing the cello? And I have to say, even with my limited knowledge of the classical world, I’m pretty sure we’re inundated with talented cellists.”
I paused. “Nice to know I’d have your support, Kyle.”
“I didn’t mean it that way. I just want you to know that--.”
“I don’t have a master’s, and while I’d like to eventually get one in conducting, I haven’t pursued it yet. Maybe I should be researching that, though. You know, since my mediocre talent might not get me many places.”
“I promise, I didn’t mean that the way it came out. I’m just looking out for you, that’s all.”
“I’m more than capable of looking out for myself, but thank you,” I said.
Our food touched down in front of us and I didn’t even want to eat it. I’d gone from kind of entertained to basically annoyed. Everyone had this misconception about the classical music industry. Everyone thought it wasn’t possible to ‘make it’ in the music world because the only thing they saw was a stage. Bright lights. Performances given in opera houses and symphony halls every night. There were so many other things a musician could do. Like give private lessons. Or tour with a traveling band. Or create their own videos and post them to YouTube and become a massive sensation from their own home studio.
I kind of wanted to do something like that. Play my own music with a beautiful cellist twist.
But, I needed my own place first.
“What are your dreams, then? With your music career?” Kyle asked.
“How about we talk about something else, yes?” I asked.
He paused. “If you’d like.”
“How do you know my mother?”
“Well, she knows my mother.”
“Uh huh. And how do they know one another?”
“The country club, I believe.”
“You believe? Have you never been?” I asked.
“Really? I believe it’s a hen house. Wonderful for women to flock to, but agonizing for men. I prefer the cigar and whiskey lounge up the block from there,” he said.
“Ah, so you smoke. I’m allergic to smoke like that.”
“I don’t actually smoke. I go with my father, who smokes. But, we have velvet robes we wear so we don’t walk out with the smoke on our clothing. Don’t worry, I’d still be okay to kiss.”
He tossed me a wink and I almost puked all over my food. He was gross, and quickly moving down the list of guys I’d dated.
“So, tell me more about yourself. I’m eager to get to know you,” he said.
“Well, I’m addicted to porn. I enjoy the color black. Someday, I want to live in a cabin in the woods where no one ca
n get to me, and I have an aspiration that, one day, my entire wardrobe will be made of pajamas.”
“The silken nightgowns, I hope,” he said, grinning.
I sighed. “Nope. The thick flannel ones I can duct tape to my waist so no one can ever get them off.”
He shrugged. “I suppose a bit of warm water would help the tape come off the skin.”
“You’re going to make this as hard on me as you can, aren’t you?”
“It’s your aim to make this difficult. I’m simply serving the volleys back,” he said.
Great. Fucking great.
“I know how to use a gun, you know,” I said.
“So do I, believe it or not,” Kyle said.
“I slurp my coffee and chew with my mouth open.”
“You’ve been doing just fine with your wine and you didn’t with the bread at the beginning of the meal.”
I sat back in my chair, watching as he took a sip of his wine. He was damn proud of himself, with that cheeky grin on his face. I sighed as I reached for my fork. I took a stab at my broccoli and forced it into my mouth, chewing as loudly as I could.
“Now, you’re just teasing me,” Kyle said, smiling.
Was there anything I’d be able to throw at this man to get him off my case?
4
Luca
The date was as entertaining as it could have gotten. I was close enough to hear their conversation, and I had to use my menu to cover my face before I ordered my food. She was throwing everything at his man, and I had to give him props for keeping up. It was obvious she didn’t want to be there, though.
I had to admit, part of me was on his side.
For someone who worked in finance, he didn’t have quite as big of a stick up his ass as most in his field. I ordered my food and sipped my water, trying my best to keep my eyes off the table. I didn’t want to give away my position. Or who had sent me. But, Alianna looked amazing in her bright red dress.
I used my water glass to gaze upon her reflection. Choosing to take the distorted image over nothing at all.
Alianna Russo was a petite package of fire and brimstone. Paired with firecrackers I’m sure she kept hidden from Daddy Dearest. She had legs for days and a slim waist that beckoned to my palms. She had tits that begged for me to suck on them and as ass that was crying out to be spanked. Her raven, curly hair was piled high on top of her head. Cascading down into waterfalls of smaller curls that framed her face. The diamonds dangling from her ears accentuated the length of her neck. She had the poise of a ballerina and the passion of a salsa dancer. Her piercing blue eyes contrasted the bright red of her dress. And all of it worked in tandem to accent the sun kissed tan of her skin.
Luca: Sinful Shadows Mafia #1 Page 2