Then, I looked up toward the cameras and saw those green lights turn red. Denoting that they were no longer functioning. No longer recording. No longer logging what was happening in the restaurant.
The food was closed, and the mob business was officially open.
I peeked over my shoulder at Alianna, watching her sip her wine. Her eyes were connected with my body as I moved throughout the restaurant. I felt her staring at me. I felt her analyzing me. For someone who was in the middle of a lockdown, she sure had a cool head on her shoulders.
But, the second I heard the front door open, my hand flew to my pistol.
I whipped around and saw Ciro coming through the front doors. I sighed as I disengaged my gun, watching as he locked down the front door. He turned off the ‘open’ sign and shut off the front room lights. Making it even darker in the restaurant than necessary.
And Alianna?
Well, she kept twirling those noodles and slurping them. Puckering her lips for me, just in case I stole a glance at her.
What a time to fucking tease me.
“We got a problem,” Ciro said.
He strode for me across the room before coming to a stop at my side.
“Can you be any louder?” I asked, glaring over at him.
“One of our gun runners has been shot,” he murmured.
I paused. “Declan?”
He shook his head. “No. Rufio.”
“Rufio’s been shot? How the hell’s that possible?”
“The 9-1-7.”
I gritted my teeth. “That fucking gang’s been causing us more trouble than they’re worth.”
“Mr. Russo thinks they have an agenda and we need to head out. Now. He sent me to get you.”
“I can’t abandon Miss Russo. She’s still eating.”
The two of us turned to look at Alianna and we found her staring at us. Grinning at us from beyond her crystal wine glass. Ciro snickered before he turned back to me, gripping my arm to turn me around. We had our backs to her this time, so she couldn't hear us. Or eavesdrop. Or generally read our lips.
“Pack up her fuckin’ food and let’s call her a cab,” Ciro said.
“Oh, hell no. The boss will have my head if I don’t place her into the care of someone he trusts,” I said.
“I could call Giana, you know!” she called out.
We slowly peeked over our shoulders as Ciro let out a chuckle.
“You two are shit at whispering, by the way,” she said, smiling.
“What a spitfire, you are,” Ciro said.
“I know,” Alianna said proudly.
“Who’s Giana?” I asked.
“My best friend,” she said.
I nodded. “All right. Give her a call.”
“I already sent her a text. She’s five minutes out.”
I looked over at Ciro and saw him holding back his laughter. Yeah, I had my work cut out for me.
And Ciro knew it.
I grabbed some to-go boxes and packed up Alianna’s food. She threw back the rest of her wine like it was a damn shot. And I had to admit, I was impressed. In a weird sort of way. I packed up my food to send with Alianna, because I sure as hell wasn’t taking it with me. The sauce was too acidic, and I could tell by the shape of the eggplant that it was cooked far too long.
I handed my to-go containers to Alianna and she giggled at me. Because she knew why I was doing it, too.
“You’re spoiled, you know that?” she asked.
“A man’s gotta be spoiled in something. Why not food?” I asked.
“That her?” Ciro asked.
I followed the nod of his head for the front door and found a girl waving at us. A bright smile and creased eyes, Alianna took off for the front door. Swaying those hips deeply with each stride she took and letting her hair flutter back with the air conditioning. With every step she took, that gorgeous hair reached out for me. Begged for my hands. Begged for my command. Begged for my touch.
My attention.
My love.
“Guess that’s her,” Ciro murmured.
“I need to make sure they get off okay. Then, we’re heading out. I assume we’re gathering information?” I asked.
“And putting down bodies if we need to.”
“Sounds like a fair day’s work to me. Give me two minutes.”
Then, I trotted over just as Alianna got the front door unlocked.
“Awww, you got me dinner. You shouldn’t have,” Giana said.
The two girls embraced as I stood there, waiting for them to get done.
“You’re more than welcome to it. I won’t be able to eat it all,” Alianna said.
“Mmmm. Do I smell breadsticks?” Giana asked.
“You do, you do.”
“And… tiramisu!?”
I chuckled as Giana practically scooped the to-go containers out of Alianna’s arms.
“Come on. We’re going to catch a movie at my place,” Giana said.
“At Mr. Russo’s place,” I said.
The two girls paused and looked at me before Giana nodded.
“Okay. At Alianna’s place,” she said.
“Thank you, Luca. For looking out for me,” Alianna said.
“It’s my job, Miss Russo. Your father will want a message letting him know you’re safe once you two get back to the estate,” I said.
“Consider it done,” Giana said.
“Will you be at the house tomorrow?” Alianna asked.
“Unless your father assigns me elsewhere, like he did today,” I said.
“Where were you, by the way?” she asked.
“Luca! We gotta go!” Ciro exclaimed.
I escorted the girls to Giana’s car. It was an old, restored convertible that had the top down already on it. Not necessarily the pinnacle of safety. But, there wasn’t much in my control at this point. I opened Alianna’s car door and helped her in, watching as they buckled up. I stood out there on the pavement as Giana backed out of the parking space, my eyes following them all the way out to the main road.
And once the dark blue convertible disappeared into the night, I made my way back inside.
“Lead the way, Ciro,” I said, locking up the front of the restaurant again.
“About fucking time,” he murmured.
8
Alianna
“So, who’s the hottie?” Giana asked.
We cruised down the main stretch, meandering along the streets of New York City as I drew in the fresh air.
“I love this convertible of yours. I wish I had one,” I said.
“Ah, dodging the question. That means it’s serious,” she said.
I rolled my eyes. “His name’s Luca, and he works for my father.”
“And?”
“And, he’s off limits.”
“Well, tell me about him. Does he guard you well? Has he taken you to the ground to protect you? Is he single?”
“If he was, I wouldn’t tell you,” I said.
“Dodgy and possessive. Oh, you got it bad,” she said, giggling.
I rolled my eyes, but it was true. For some reason, I was completely taken with my new bodyguard. The one person in my life who was off limits right now.
“I mean, Luca’s a nice guy. Right? Good looking. Loves his mother. That’s a good trait to have, though most women consider momma’s boys annoying,” I said.
“I always judge a man by how he treats his mother,” Giana said.
“Exactly! Right!? Every woman should. Anyway, I get the feeling by how he was criticizing the food that he’s a good cook. Which would make sense. He was talking about how he grew up on his mother’s cooking and how he didn’t trust anyone cooking his food other than her.”
She giggled. “Honestly? I was like that with my mother before she passed. If I had the choice of going out or eating with the family? It was family every single time. I had several first dates that were in my childhood kitchen with Mom doing the cooking.”
I gawked. “First dates
, Giana? Are you insane!?”
“What!? There isn’t a chef in this entire city that could outcook my mother before she passed.”
I paused. “How are you doing with all that, by the way?”
She shrugged. “I miss her. Dad misses her. But, we’re getting along okay. Getting out and about helps. Dad’s finally leaving the house a bit. He came over the other night for dinner, and I cooked.”
“Uh oh.”
“Yeah. Uh oh, indeed. We ended up spiraling into a conversation about how Mom would be ashamed we were eating burnt garlic bread.”
I giggled at her as we came to a stop at a stoplight.
“Luca’s mom is sick, too. We were talking about that at dinner,” I said.
“Cancer? Like my mom?” Giana asked.
I nodded. “Yeah. I don’t really know if I can say much more than that. But, she’s refusing treatment.”
“Well, tell Luca that if he wants someone to talk to that understands that road, he can give me a call. In a purely platonic sense, of course. He could even talk to Dad. You know, get a man’s perspective on all that.”
“I’ll let him know, thanks.”
“So, what other new developments are happening in your world? I feel like we never get the space to just talk,” she said.
“Right!? We spend so much time together, but we never just cruise and gab.”
“Let’s make the best of it before your father sends out the cavalry,” she said, laughing.
“All right. All right. Well, my father doesn’t know this yet--because if he did, he’d be dead of a heart attack--but I’m kind of shopping around for my own place,” I said.
“Wait, seriously?”
“Mhm.”
“You’re not pulling my leg?”
“Not at all. I’m ready to branch out on my own. Have my own place. Start my own life. I mean, I have a college degree. A trust fund not being used at all because my father is insistent on keeping me close to protect me, I guess. It didn't take much to convince him to side with me on the idea of college, though. So, I figure I can work that same idealistic charm into getting him to see how beneficial it would be for me to have my own place. Especially for my music career.”
“It’s so funny you mention that. Because one of the condos in my complex just went up for sale. Rent, rent to own, or purchase outright. The owners are just wanting to get out of there because the wife’s pregnant with their third child. And the condo only has three bedrooms.”
“Wait, in your complex?” I asked.
“Mhm. Two floors above. So, your father’s already familiar with the place. He already knows security is tight because you damn well know he’s researched it since you spend so much time there. And, it’s close. Only twenty minutes or so from where your parent’s estate is.”
I smiled. “Can we go check it out?”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
Giana put the pedal to the metal and started weaving in and out of traffic. A quick pit stop before we went back to my parent’s place wouldn't be such a big deal. I’d tell him we got stuck in traffic. Or that Giana needed gas in her car. Or, I’d simply be honest and tell him a condo was for sale in Giana’s apartment complex and that I wanted to go see it. Either way, I was seeing this place tonight.
Come hell or high water.
We pulled into the parking garage underneath her complex and we parked. We hopped out and made our way for the elevator, which sent us straight to the front lobby. Giana expressed an interest in seeing that condo, and the front desk manager took one look at me before smiling.
“Right this way, Miss Russo,” he said.
“Guess I’m chopped liver,” Giana murmured, giggling.
We followed the man all the way up to the fourteenth floor. And already, I was in love with the place. The complex had two different set ups for their condominiums. They had one set up where each floor held four condos. Then, another set up where each floor only held two. One on either side of the building, with a hallway cutting the building in half. And we were on a floor that held only two condos.
Which meant ample space.
“Here you go. You two take your time and just make sure to lock the front door before you leave,” he said.
“I appreciate it, Mr. Lancaster,” Giana said.
“Anytime,” he said.
I gawked as I slowly walked into the condo. The vaulted ceilings made the place feel enormous, and there was a lofted portion over in the corner that sat up against the floor-to-ceiling windows. I walked over toward the view, taking in the stars twinkling in the sky. Taking in the waterfront view that laid sprawled out for me. It was gorgeous. It was the most amazing thing I’d ever seen in my life.
And suddenly, an image flashed through my mind.
An image of Luca wrapping his arms around me as we stared out at the water’s edge.
Get ahold of yourself, Alianna.
“Want to see your private balcony?” Giana asked.
I turned my head over toward her voice. “My what now?”
She giggled. “Come on. To me? It’s the best part of this entire place.”
I rushed over to where she was and she guided me through what I figured was the master suite. There were double French doors she threw open effortlessly, revealing a concrete patio that started and ended with either side of the master suite. I gasped at the sound of the water bashing against the ocean’s shore. My hands settled onto the wrought iron railing as I leaned against the concrete structure. I felt the wind on my face. I could practically hear the stars twinkling above my head. I closed my eyes, imagining myself living here. Imagining myself creating here. Imagining myself starting a life here.
Then, another image popped into my head.
An image of Luca kissing me on this very balcony.
Stop it, Alianna!
“So, what do you think?” Giana asked.
I opened my eyes and looked over at her, a wide grin crossing my lips.
“I think I’m going to have to do a lot of groveling to make sure this purchase happens,” I said.
“You think your father might go for it?”
“I think if I can spin it to him in the right way, he will. Yes.”
“How do you think you’ll have to spin it?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Depends on the arguments my father uses to try and sway me against moving out. I fought for months on the idea of living on campus versus staying at home and commuting.”
“Wait, your father wanted you to live at home?”
“Oh, for sure. He was more than willing to pay for his daughter to be educated. But, me living on campus? That was an entirely different beast of a fight. You know how my dad is with control. With protection. With constant supervision. I spent my entire first semester studying, going to class, and fighting with him in the evenings before he eventually caved and let me stay on campus the second semester of my freshman year. This’ll take time with him.”
“A place like this might not be on the market for months, though. I mean, look at this view.”
I sighed. “I know. I make no promises, but I’ll do my best to try and convince him of this place.”
“So, you like it?”
“Like it? I love it, Giana. This place has everything. White-washed walls. Beautiful mahogany hardwood floors. Plush carpeting in the bedrooms. A gorgeous view of the waterfront. An expansive living room and a lofted partial second story where I could easily put a recording studio for my music. I mean, can you imagine that backdrop to my YouTube videos while I’m wailing away on a cover version of ‘Sail Away’ on my cello?”
“I’d watch the hell out of it,” she said, smiling.
“And, who knows? Maybe I’ll find someone to share it with me. Eventually,” I said.
Giana furrowed her brow. “Alianna, are you talking about--?”
“No. I’m not talking about Luca. I’m smitten, but not stupid.”
She paused. “You sure about that?”
And I saw the doubt in her eyes. She didn’t completely buy it. But, then again, I didn’t make it completely convincing, either.
My mind ran away from me as I stood out on that porch with her. Dreams wafted through my mind. Dreams of waking up next to Luca’s strong figure. Dreams of taking showers with him before taking our coffee out on this porch with the sun rising over the city. Dreams of me recording my songs up on that lofted portion while he went to work, only to come home to my fresh cooking.
Feeding one another in a kitchen I had yet to see. Making love pressed against those tinted windows as we gazed out over the whole of the city.
All of it rushed through my mind, pulling me down a rabbit hole I was helpless to come back from.
“Come on, let me show you the rest of the place,” Giana said.
But, the sympathetic tone of her voice told me she’d seen right through my ruse.
My pitiful, distasteful, pathetic little ruse.
One that could get me in huge trouble.
And Luca killed.
9
Luca
“All right. Yep, I got it. I know exactly where that is. Thanks, Horacio. I appreciate it,” Ciro said.
“So, where’s the party?” I asked.
Ciro hung up his phone. “Other side of town. Backing up toward The Bronx. Apparently, every year, The 9-1-7 put on this party the entire city’s open to. It’s how they scout for new recruits. New women to have at their sides. Shit like that. We’re going to go crash it for information.”
“Sounds like a plan to me. So long as we don’t get hostile until someone gets hostile with us.”
“I think you forget how long I’ve been working for Mr. Russo.”
I grinned. “So long as I’ve been working longer, I’ll keep reminding you.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” he said, chuckling.
We cruised on over to the party and the place was fucking packed. Cars for blocks, forcing us to walk almost ten minutes to get to the damn thing. The second we walked through the front doors, however, people began staring. Murmuring. Whispering. I expected them to recognize us. Ciro and I were two of Mr. Russo’s biggest and baddest heavies. We concealed our weapons and walked with poise through the crowd, scanning to see where the hell the head of this gang was.
Luca: Sinful Shadows Mafia #1 Page 5