by J. G. Sumner
“Kate, don’t shut down on me.”
Tony knows I’m beginning to retreat into my head.
“Grab your purse. We’re going to dinner.”
I can’t breathe. My chest is tight. I’m shaking uncontrollably. I can’t leave this apartment. I can’t go out there only to turn the corner and run into the green-eyed monster again. There’s absolutely no way.
Tony embraces me. “Baby, we can’t let him control our lives.”
“You said that before and look what happened! I was kidnapped and you almost died! We can’t just go on living normally! He’s out there somewhere, and who knows when he’s going to rear his ugly head again? I can’t live that way!”
“But you’re okay locked up in this building? That’s not you either.”
I let out a defeated sigh. He’s right. I just can’t figure out how I’m supposed to step out on the street with this fear. I also don’t think I can just stay in this bubble. What kind of life is that, anyway? I head over to the table and grab my purse. I sling it over my shoulder before turning to Tony and forcing a smile. Tony approaches me and puts his forehead to mine so our noses are touching.
“You’re the bravest woman I know. I’m so proud of you.” He kisses the tip of my nose and steps back to look me over. “You look stunning in that dress. Come on. Let’s put it to good use and show you off tonight.”
I wrap my arm around Tony’s as we head out the door.
Chapter Seven
Tony
I hate lying to Kate, but if she knew what was really going on, I don’t know that she would ever leave the apartment. She’s strong—probably much more than I give her credit for—but there are so many balls in the air I think the unknown would drive her nuts. The last thing she needs to know is that Matteo is in this city waiting to find me. The worst part is that he’s going to go through Kate to make that happen.
Jasper has beefed up his team, and we have everything in place to ensure her safety with the exception of putting her in a locked tower. There’s no way she would go for that even though I wouldn’t mind being locked away with her. Just the two of us alone forever? Yeah, I could do that.
Even Kate’s dad has been working day and night to keep her safe. He’s kept his connections with Agent Thompson and other law enforcement agencies who have been investigating Matteo’s whereabouts. Everyone has come up empty-handed until now.
Jasper just got word that some men who reportedly work for Matteo have just entered the city via a private jet from the Caymans. His guess is Matteo is already here, or not too far behind. Either way, he’s hiding out somewhere and probably using a different name. I knew this day was coming; I can only hope we find him before he gets to Kate.
“Are you okay?” Kate squeezes my hand and I forget for a brief moment that we’re in a taxi together. One of Jasper’s men is following behind us, even though Kate isn’t aware of it. Another is already inside the restaurant, and several are keeping surveillance outside to make sure nothing happens.
“Yeah, I’ve just got a lot on my mind.” I kiss her forehead, smell the sweetness of her hair, and pull her close. Kate rests her head on my shoulder, and I continue to stare out the window that has kept me preoccupied for the last several minutes.
I’ve suggested to Kate that we get a driver. It sure would be easier for me to keep tabs on her. We would hire one of Jasper’s men, and the car would be equipped with the latest technology and equipment to keep her safe. It’s essentially the same vehicle used by the president of the United States. Unfortunately, Kate won’t have any of it. She thinks it’s too pretentious and loves her damn public transportation. If only I could change her mind without letting her know what’s going on so close around her.
There are so many things that have happened since I left Italy. When I was pulled from my grandmother’s basement and taken to the hospital, I was barely alive. In fact, if the agents hadn’t stormed in when they did, I wouldn’t have made it. When I was finally stabilized in the hospital in Rome, they transferred me to England. Once I woke up, I got in touch with Jasper and put him on the case to find my cousin. He’s been trying to locate him for over a year, and every time we think we’re close to Matteo, he disappears. It’s so frustrating. This man is like a fucking chameleon. He can blend in anywhere.
Jasper and I have even tried to smoke him out by getting my olive oil factory up and running again. I changed the ownership to Jasper so it would be harder for Matteo to find me, but still allow Jasper to run the entire operation. There’s been a few times that some of Matteo’s men were spotted lurking in the area. We can only assume Matteo was having the place scoped out in hopes of locating my whereabouts. I think he’s doing the same thing I’m doing to him—trying to stay hidden. The only difference is I want to locate him so I can have him jailed or killed. I’d prefer the latter, but would settle for him spending a lifetime in some heavily guarded prison.
I haven’t even begun to let Kate know I was in the witness protection program and living in California for six months before I came looking for her. I’m not sure how she would react, and the thought of putting her in jeopardy kept me away for entirely too long. It was important that I had all my ducks in a row and could ensure her safety before coming back.
I worked with Agent Thompson to get in contact with Kate’s dad, Charles Anderson. I apologized for the mess I got her into while she was in Italy. He was pretty ticked off at me and had a few choice words, but in the end, he was civil and pleasant. I was caught off guard when he asked me to come to New York. He stated that Kate was a wreck and hadn’t been herself since she left me for dead. Having me back might do her some good. We began working together to protect Kate and keep her safe once I returned. Charles had his own team of men in place to find Matteo, and we merged notes.
At the beginning of April, Charles called me out of the blue and said I needed to come back. His daughter was spiraling into depression, and he couldn’t watch her suffer any longer. I decided to come back on the date I told Kate we’d reunite. I had hoped she would remember and go to the Empire State Building, but I wasn’t sure. If I didn’t find her there, I would’ve showed up on her front porch. Nothing could keep me away from Kate. Somewhere along the line, when I least expected it, Kate took hold of my heart and never let go. Little does she know; she owns me, and I never want to spend another second without her in my arms.
Chapter Eight
Kate
I’m glad we took a cab to Champagne. I didn’t feel like walking. The last thing I wanted to do was look over my shoulder every step of the way. I wasn’t prepared to be social after receiving the bombshell that Tony laid on me. However, when I entered through the door of the restaurant, my mood changed significantly. I was greeted by several of the staff and the manager. Addison showed up to our table where there was a bottle of a 2006 Vintage of Cristal iced and waiting for us. I love how the staff takes the time to get to know my preferences.
Before Italy, I’d spent a lot of time in each one my father’s restaurants. I was always there on opening day, and I’d pop in frequently just to check things out and make sure everything was going well and the employees were happy. I think that’s a unique thing that we do. As owners, we like to be very personable and develop a relationship with our staff. It seems to build a stronger sense of loyalty. Most of our crew stays with us for years. The turnover is very low, and we were recently voted in the New Yorker as one of the top one hundred places to work.
Our waitress is Maggie. She takes the bottle of champagne, pops the cork, and pours a sample for Tony and me. I take a sip of the bubbly liquid and nod in approval. It’s crisp, refreshing, and it is somewhat dry. It’s just what I need to calm my nerves. Maggie expertly fills our glasses without spilling a drop and returns the bottle to the ice.
“Would you care to hear the specials for the evening?” Maggie puts her hands behind her back. Her black pants, white shirt, and black vest with matching tie are crisply ironed with crease
s in the appropriate places. This is the standard attire for most of our restaurants. Her shoulder length blond curly hair is pulled back in a ponytail. She looks very professional and meets our dress code requirements.
“Sure, that would be nice.” I smile at Tony who takes a sip of his champagne. He nods his head in approval.
Maggie smiles before proceeding. “To start off with, we have a lovely pear and gorgonzola salad. It’s on a bed of mixed greens, with fresh slices of pear, toasted hazelnuts, and gorgonzola finished with a champagne vinaigrette.” Maggie continued giving the rest of the specials before allowing us a minute to go over the menu.
Tony smiles and shifts in his seat. He looks around, and I can tell he’s somewhat out of his element.
“What do you think?” This is by far my favorite out of all of Dad’s restaurants, and I hope Tony loves it.
“It’s very nice. I love the chandeliers. They are quite impressive. You don’t see fixtures like this in many restaurants, especially in the States.”
I look up at the beautiful crystal pieces. I’m a little surprised that they’re the first thing Tony comments on, but he’s right. The lamps provide some amazing lighting and a nice ambiance.
“Each of the crystals were handmade. My dad had them designed just for this space.” I direct my attention back at Tony. “What do you think of the champagne?”
“It’s fabulous. I’ve never had Cristal. I must say, I’m pleased.” Tony continues to look around. “I knew your father was a mogul, but this is impressive. I never expected the restaurants to be like this. I always figured they’d be like a chain.”
I smile thinking about my dad. “Daddy likes to make each place unique and a special dining experience you’ll remember forever. I think he’s accomplished his goal.”
“Thank you for bringing me here. I like learning about what your life was like before you met me.” Tony picks up his glass, ready to give a toast. I retrieve my glass and hold it next to his.
“To my beautiful woman and new beginnings. I’m so happy I found you, and I can’t wait to share more firsts with you.” Tony clinks his glass to mine.
My heart warms. My eyes get a bit misty. I wave away the pending tears. Each day I’m with this man, I realize how lucky I really am. Tony is so handsome and totally in love with me. He’s kind, compassionate, and wants nothing more than to take care of me and ensure my happiness. Whoever said when one door closes another one opens, couldn’t have been more accurate in this case.
Tony winks at me before picking up his menu. I watch as he peruses the selections. For just a little bit, I forget all about the green-eyed monster and appreciate how good my life is. I glance across the restaurant and connect with some familiar eyes. I don’t realize I’m holding my breath until Tony takes my hand in his, distracting me from what I can only hope is a strange coincidence.
“What’s wrong?”
I shift my attention back to Tony before finding the familiar face again in the crowd. “I’m not sure. It could be nothing.”
Tony follows my gaze to Demetrio from the wine tasting class Kendall and I did last week. His face is hardened and instead of the green eyes I saw before, they were now beads of coal. Chills rapidly work their way down my spine. Something isn’t right about this guy. I’ve learned to trust my red flags, and they’re popping up everywhere right now. My stomach is twisting and turning and food is now the last thing on my mind.
“Who is that?”
I can’t look away from the man as he makes his way to the bar. “Kendall and I met him at the wine tasting the other day. He’s from Italy. He just graduated college and decided to travel to see what he wanted to do with his life. He seemed nice enough the other day, it’s just weird he’s here.”
Tony pulls his phone from his pocket and speaks into the newly adapted iPhone.
“Dark-haired gentleman with gray suit at the bar.”
My eyes flash to Tony. Whoever he’s talking to is here with us in the restaurant. I look around searching for this unknown person.
“Kate.”
I direct my attention back to Tony.
“What’s his name?”
I’m puzzled. Is he talking to me or the person on the phone? Whose name are we referring to? “Are you talking to me?”
Tony nods. I glance back to the Italian man who has now instilled fear in me and possibly ruined my night. “He said it was Demetrio. I didn’t catch his last name.”
Tony relays the information into the phone. He speaks for a few more minutes before putting it down.
“Who were you talking to?”
“Travis. He’s one of the guys on the security detail. He’s sitting over there, in the corner of the bar area.” Tony motions to a guy who looks to be in his thirties. He’s wearing black slacks, a button down dark purple shirt, and a jacket. Even with the jacket on, I can tell he was very muscular. Travis’ chest muscles made the shirt fit rather snugly. He has short blond hair and looks as though he’s just relaxing enjoying a beverage after a hard day’s work. If Tony didn’t point him out, I wouldn’t have noticed him.
I wipe the hairs on my arm that are now standing on end. “When did he get here?” I’m perplexed as to how all this went down.
“Before we did, and he’ll stay until we’re done.” Tony purses his lips and watches as Travis makes his way over to Demetrio. Travis shakes the Italian man’s hand and orders another drink.
“Does Travis know him?”
Tony brings his attention back to me. “Not yet, but he will soon.”
“Is it common for security guards to go up to a suspicious person like that?”
“Sometimes they do. We don’t know anything about this guy yet. So Travis can do some idle bar chat and learn a bit about him. It can also be a form of distraction to keep the guy from watching us if that’s what he was doing. Like you said, it may just be a coincidence.” Tony picks up his menu. “So, what do you suggest?”
I’m completely taken aback. How can he act so aloof? There could be someone in the bar watching us and reporting back to Matteo and Tony’s thinking about food. How can he do that?
“Shouldn’t we go?”
Tony glances up from the menu. “Go where?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Away? Anywhere but here?”
“Why? We came here to have a nice evening. Let’s enjoy it.” Tony picks up the champagne and fills my glass.
“Tony! There’s a strange man who’s a possible threat over there. How can we just sit here and enjoy our food?” My blood is starting to boil. It’s maddening that he’s not more serious about this.
Tony puts down the menu and leans toward me. His calloused hand rub against my soft flesh. “I’ve got everything under control. That man isn’t going to bother us. Please trust that Jasper and I are taking good care of you. If you’d like, I can have the man removed.”
Jasper must be some miracle worker or amazingly good at his job for Tony to not even show the slightest sign of stress. I’m still skeptical. “I don’t need you to have him removed. This is my family’s restaurant, and I can have him removed if I want.” I cross my arms, somewhat satisfied that I do have some control over this situation.
Tony chuckles. “Good point. Shall we get back to our evening?”
I look at Tony and back to Demetrio. The fear that plagued me only moments before has turned into anger. I want to know who this guy really is and why he’s in my damn restaurant. I throw my napkin on the table, stand up, and beeline straight toward him and Travis. Adrenaline courses through my veins. I’m amped and I’m ready for a fight. I have about ten seconds to get my emotions into check, or I could create a scene that wouldn’t look so good. I count to ten as I’m walking and force myself to take slow, deep breaths. Before I even see him, I can sense him. My skin tingles. Tony slides an arm behind my back and proceeds to escort me to the two gentlemen who look as though they’re enjoying a friendly chat.
I cock my head to the side. “Demetrio, was it?” I
extend my hand to him. “Remember me? We met at the wine tasting the other night. What a surprise to run into you again.” I’m shocked by the sugary voice that escapes from my throat.
Demetrio turns and smiles, takes my hand and kisses it. “Oh, yes. I thought I recognized you a few minutes ago. What a pleasure it is to meet your acquaintance again.” Apparently, he’s been to charm school. The beady eyes, which were ever so present moments before, now shine like jade.
I pull my hand away and place it on Tony’s chest. “This is my boyfriend, Tony.”
Demetrio extends his hand, but Tony refuses to shake it. The fire that consumed my body only moments before begins to die down at Tony’s reaction. He’s not happy, which allows me to step back and not be the brute anymore. He’s going to do that instead. “So, what brings you here tonight?” I need to get answers for myself. I don’t want to wait for Travis to relay them back to Tony for me to get the abridged version.
Demetrio picks up his drink, takes a sip, and hesitates before putting it back down. “Your friend mentioned this place the other day. I overheard you talking about it and decided to try it out for myself.” He looks around. “You two were right. This place is swanky.”
Swanky? I don’t recall ever using that word the other day. Either I was really tipsy or this man is lying. It’s hard for me to say, because we did have a lot to drink. “Were you planning on having dinner or are you just enjoying the bar?”
He looks at Tony and then back at me. “I hadn’t made my mind up yet. I was just going to have a drink to check it out and then decide.”
I nod. The tension in my shoulders and neck begins to subside. Maybe this guy is harmless after all. Judging by the clenching of Tony’s jaw, I’d say he isn’t as convinced. “Well, it was nice running into you. We’re going to get back to our table.” I turn to head back across the bar. Tony hasn’t moved. As I glance back, he’s staring Demetrio down. I clear my throat and Tony puts his arm around my lower back as he begins to walk with me. I’m not sure what’s going on. I don’t know if it’s a pissing contest or maybe there’s something that Tony knows and I don’t.