by Eden Butler
It made me feel like less of an asshole.
“Insufferable man,” she laughed. “Come by at two. I’ll save you a couple. Angelica will be on lunch and my…crowd won’t bother you.”
The inkling of guilt I felt when she mentioned the crowd—my brother’s men—didn’t stop me from agreeing. “My mouth’s already salivating.” I could avoid Angelica and her letting fly to Ava who I was. I hated to admit it, but Ava Anderson was already holding my attention. I knew it wasn’t her baked goods that had me panting like a mutt.
But there was something behind her smile she kept hidden. There were times when I wasn’t sure Ava was completely with me. It had me nervous, something I never liked being.
Ava had done the place up right. It leaned a little into a French vibe with black vintage signs spelling things like “BOULANGERIE” and “PATISSERIE,” black and white checkered floors and wrought iron tables and chairs outfitted with red linens. But there was a modern metal table near the back of the place and a small seating area next to that. Reminded me of some bougie bakeries my cousin Cara had forced me into when I spent time in the city, but somehow Ava made this place more comfortable and homier.
“Shit,” I heard upon walking through the door, looking to my left, nodding to Dino and Ricky, their postures straight, expressions a little guilty. When I glanced at their table, and the ones on the other side of the bakery—where at least seven of my brother’s men sat—the good mood I’d had since my call with Ava last night instantly deflated. Every damn man in the place worked for Dimitri. They were here to intimate Ava and get her to comply with my brother. They were not here to shove baked goods and coffee down their throats, but on every table, empty plates were stacked with what I’d bet were cookie, biscuit, and cake crumbs. A quick glance at these assholes proved that point when they hurried to cover the plates with rumpled napkins.
“The fuck are you—”
“Marco, hey,” I heard, pulling the frown from my face when Ava came into the lobby. She carried a large tray loaded down with several small plates and a coffee pot in the center. “Give me a sec, and you’ll have all my attention.”
She managed a wink as she walked past me, moving first to Dino and Ricky, then to another table, refilling their coffee mugs and distributing the same apple tart she’d promised me.
“This one you’re gonna like, Manny,” she told a kid I’d only seen a couple times around my brother’s office. His eyes got big, and his gaze shot from Ava’s pretty smile to the glare I gave him. She seemed oblivious as she laid large tarts in front of him and the two other guys at his table. “You might not like it as much as your nonna’s, but I think it’ll satisfy your sweet tooth.”
“Ah…thanks, ma’am,” Manny told her, ignoring me as he looked at Ava like she was an angel giving him a reprieve from all his dirty sins. Fat fucking chance.
“Eat up, guys. There’s plenty more in the back.”
“Miss Ava, we can’t eat any more,” Ricky tried, holding up his hands like he might actually turn her down, but she moved to his table, the same sweet smile on her face I got served when she greeted me, and the man seemed to forget any good sense he had when he walked into this place.
“That’s okay,” Ava told him, holding the now empty tray under her arm. “I can give you the leftovers, box them up for you and you guys can share them with your wives or mamas, or whoever you want.”
“Thanks, sweetheart you’re so…” Ricky’s smile dropped when I cleared my throat and the bastard lowered his eyes, focusing on the plate in front of him.
“Now,” Ava said, standing in front of me. “Let’s get you sorted.” She took my hand, and the small tremor that moved across my palm had me glancing down at her fingers locked with mine. She probably didn’t mean anything by it, but I couldn’t shake the quick sensation of liking how it felt to touch her. What the hell was I saying? Ava nodded in front of the display case before she held up a finger. “Give me a sec.”
When she disappeared into the kitchen, I shot a glare at Dimitri’s men. “Did you at least stiff her on the bill? That was the whole point of coming in here, remember? Fuck with her a little bit?” Even as I said it, the guilt bubbled in my gut.
“Ugh, man, I know. We aren’t gonna pay her, and it’s killing me,” Ricky said, not looking up from the tart. “Great pastries and this woman, Madonna, she’s a fucking doll—” Ricky went quiet when Dino slapped his shoulder.
“Boss told us not to pay, but she hasn’t mentioned a bill.” Dino’s gaze moved back to the kitchen as Ava came out, holding a warmed tart.
“This way,” she told me, nodding to the seating area near the furnace in the back of the bakery. “It’s quiet over here.”
Her focus went to my mouth as I dug my fork into the tart and the weight of that attention followed me after I stuffed the thing past my lips. To my left, Dino, and Ricky, all the guys watched between bites. Narrowing a look at those assholes, I readied an insult, but the flakey crust and sweet apple flavor landed on my tongue and my head went stupid.
“Merda…” I whispered, blinking as I jerked a look at this woman. “The hell?”
She sat up, resting her hands in her lap, her pleased smile dropping. “You don’t like it?”
“Are you crazy? This is fucking delicious.”
She relaxed and moved a smug smile across her lips. “You had me worried for a minute.”
“Nah, darlin’, it’s the best I’ve ever had.” That smile got bigger when I winked at her, diving in again for another bite.
“Bet you’ve said that before… and a lot.” She laughed at her own comment, then widened her smile when I gave her an evasive shrug.
“No complaints to speak of.” I closed my eyes, ignoring the heat I felt on my face, holding back a groan as I put another bite in my mouth. “This shit is…”
“Not shit, thank you very much.” She crossed her arms but kept smiling.
“No, cara, it’s definitely not.” A noise from a few of the guys brought my attention to them, to the low mutters they made and the side eyes I got as I flirted with Ava. Manny and the assholes at his table jerked their gaze away from my frown when I caught them watching.
“Don’t worry about them,” Ava said, leaning closer toward me, her hand on my wrist. “Them taking up space here is frustrating, but they’re harmless.”
“Harmless?” I said, not able to keep the laugh from bubbling out of my mouth. If Dimitri heard anyone call his boys harmless his head would explode.
“Yeah, it’s…stupid.” She waved, dismissing the explanation.
“Who are they?” Shame rolled in my gut like a rock, and I caught a few glares from the men who had to have heard my lie. “There some kind of bouncer convention in town I don’t know about?”
“This man…Carelli, hell you know about him, I’m sure. You said you’ve lived in Cuoricino a long time.”
“Did I?” I liked her laughed way more than I should. This was getting complicated and unnerving, but if I wanted to convince her to settle up with my brother, I had to steer the conversation.
“You did.” A quick shake of her head and Ava glanced at the men before moving closer to me. “These are all his men. Angelica says they’re harmless and that Smoke Carelli sent them to make a point.”
“And what point would that be?”
She exhaled, looking tired. “He wants me to pay a protection fee.” Ava looked into the lobby and for the first time since I walked in here, she didn’t smile. “I’m not giving anyone a penny of my money unless they work for me.”
Nodding, I thought for a second how to play this. She kept her attention on the men, like staring at them would make them scatter. Like she might have thought killing them with kindness and softening them up with pastries might do the same thing and she was disappointed it hadn’t.
“I know what you’re talking about.”
Ava looked back at me, sitting straighter in her chair. “You do?”
“Yeah, but it’s
a community fee, not a protection fee. It’s for the town.” Before I could finish speaking, Ava started shaking her head pulling a frown from me. “What?”
“Without giving away all my secrets, I can tell you I’ve been around people like Carelli. I thought he might be…” She trailed off then pressed her lips together like there was something she almost said that would have loosen some of the things she kept well hidden. I dropped the napkin in my hand, nudging her foot with my loafers. Ava inhaled, letting the breath whoosh out with her words. “Let’s just say I’m figuring things out about this town and seeing some of the same things I have with other…” She looked up, as if she thought she’d find the right word somewhere around the beams along the ceiling before she looked at me again. “…other towns. Other bullying businessmen. Smoke Carelli doesn’t look any different than them.”
“You…ah…sure about that? That he’s a bully, I mean?”
We hadn’t always gotten along because Dimitri could piss me off like nobody else, but my brother was only a bully when it served some greater good. There wasn’t a person in this town who hated him. My temper started to simmer, but I pushed back the sensation, reminding myself that Ava was new, and she had no fucking clue about my family.
Or me.
Shit.
“What else would you call someone who makes business owners fork over five hundred a month for doing nothing?”
“Well, that might not be fair.” I picked up the mug Ava had given me, disappointed when the lukewarm coffee hit my tongue.
“Why not?” she asked, sitting back.
“Don’t they…I dunno, monitor the businesses for thieves and slackers wanting freebies?” When she didn’t answer, I forced that coffee down my throat to avoid the small glare she gave me.
“Do you know him?”
No way to avoid that one. So, I didn’t bother. I just bent the truth a little. “Yeah. I been around him a few times.”
“And you agree with his rules?”
Ava lifted her hands, like she couldn’t believe I wasn’t annoyed by how Dimitri ran the town.
She drummed her fingers against the arm of her chair, watching the men then me again. “My expectations were different than this.” Dropping my eyebrows together I waited for her to elaborate, but she went quiet, her expression distant before she said, “What kind of family raises a man who would do that?”
“Do what?” I winced when my tone went sharp. The anger warmed my insides, and I gripped the armrest. She was treading on thin ice, though there was no way for her to know that. Clearing my throat, I pushed a smile on my face, hoping it would relax her. “So far as I hear, he takes care of the town; always doing this and that for people who are down on their luck.”
“And pockets the money from business owners for…what? I read the town charter. And my realtor looked up Mrs. Watson’s tax records. Things don’t add up, and no matter what Carelli or his family has done for the town, you can’t force people to fall in line.” I opened my mouth, ready to argue, but Ava jerked a glare at me, a look that felt like a warning. “This isn’t the Carelli Kingdom, Marco, and I’m not a loyal subject.”
Damn. This woman had no idea how wrong she was. She’d come to a place that might not want her, expecting things she refused to provide. I liked her. She was beautiful. Clearly, she was talented, and kind and I wouldn’t mind seeing were this went, but Dimitri wanted to keep order and maintain a presence. If Ava didn’t agree to that, then he’d push her out of town no matter what I thought of her.
“This isn’t something you need to worry about,” she said, grabbing my empty plate before she stood. “I don’t mind standing up to bullies. I’ve done it before.”
“Who?” I asked, my foot bouncing when Ava ignored the question.
“Let me wrap up another tart for you.” She moved toward the kitchen, and slowly I got up, ready to follow her, spotting the way Dimitri’s men avoided looking at me.
“You don’t have to do that,” I called, hearing her move around back there and then, the slow whine of a door opening and closing.
“Psst, D,” Ricky called, glancing toward the kitchen door. “I’ll take your tart if you don’t want it.” He ducked when Dino swatted the back of his head, then jerked his attention toward the kitchen at my back, his eyes going wide.
“You lost, Carelli?” I heard, turning to face Angelica as she walked in, holding a tumbler with my parents’ restaurant logo on the front.
“Shit—”
“Who’s a Carelli?” Ava asked, coming back into the lobby with a small white pastry box in her hand. She looked at Angelica, the expression on her face confused, hinting with a bit of concern before she followed Angelica’s gaze right at me.
“You’re looking at him,” the older woman said putting one hand on her hip. “You send them?” she asked, nodding to the crowd behind me.
“Is that your business?”
“Marco, what’s she talking about?”
When Ava spoke Angelica jerked her head, mouth dropping open. “This is ‘Marco?’” Her features straightened, expression going rigid as she glared at me. “Oh, that is low even for you, asshole.”
“Wait, what’s happening?” Ava stood closer to Cora, still clutching that box.
“Hon, this isn’t Marco or whatever he told you his name is.” She set her tumbler onto the counter, her expression softening when she looked down at Ava. “This is Dario Carelli.”
“Dario?” Ava said, her tone hardening.
“Smoke’s younger brother.” Angelica shook her head, a glare returning to her face. “He’s been in prison for five years, just go out.”
“Fucking hell—” The anger swelled in me again.
Next to her, Ava’s jaw clenched, and something flickered in her expression, something that made her look away from me. I knew people. How to read them, sometimes, how to tell what they were thinking. A flash of what I thought might be guilt moved over Ava’s face. It disappeared completely with Angelica’s next revelation.
“He’s also the bastard who screwed my little sister and our cousin about two weeks apart.”
“That was fifteen fucking years ago.” I balled my fists, refusing to feel bad about something I did when I was a stupid, horny kid.
“My sister was a sixteen-year-old virgin.”
“Fuck this day,” I muttered, not looking at Dino when he stood behind me.
“You…lied to me?” Ava said, coming around the counter. The box shook as she glared at me, her cheeks turning pink. “I’m such a twit.” That came out in a low mutter and the guilt that had only been a twitch earlier, now pulsed like a cut artery. Ava shook her head, lifting her chin before she stood in front of me. “You did this to get me to pay your brother?” Her voice was sharp, her top lip curving.
“It’s…just business.” But that explanation sounded cruel even to me. If Ava was hurt by my lie, I couldn’t see it in the glare she gave me. Right. This was over. Time to set her straight. “Fine,” I told her, reminding myself of the insults she’d flung at my family just a few minutes ago. It helped to keep me from focusing on her mouth and the curve of her cupid’s bow. “Every business owner in town must pay a community fee.” When she opened her mouth, I shook my head, silencing her. “It’s non-negotiable.”
“It’s not legally binding,” she argued.
The small pink patches on her cheeks reddened and fleetingly, I wondered if that only happened when she was pissed. Did other sensations make her go all flushed like that?
“This is, darlin’—”
“Do not call me that,” she bit out, the muscles around her mouth hardening.
I pushed one eyebrow up, deciding to ignore her anger. “The only other legally binding shit we worry about are the assholes speeding in the school zone.” I returned the grin Dino gave me as he laughed at my little analogy, then stared down at Ava. “You’ll pay it, or you won’t have a business here.”
“Yeah? Well, you tell your brother to hold his bre
ath.” Ava’s voice was louder now, her expression even tighter, giving her mouth a pinched, angry look.
“You have no idea how things are done here.” She moved her hand in a dismissive wave when she turned back to Angelica. The women smiled at each other, and I shook my head, talking over them when they began to mutter to each other. “We can make things difficult. We can bankrupt you with a few rumors. We can have your license revoked with the slip of some cash to the county health inspector. You don’t want to mess with my family, Miss Anderson.”
Ava was defiant, confident, and part of me respected her gall and the fierce way she stared at me, daring me with one cool look. “You got that wrong, Carelli. You got no idea who I am.”
She wasn’t wrong. She could be anyone, from anywhere. And just in that instant, watching the glare she gave me and the “bring it on asshole” expression on her face, I silently made it a priority to split apart all those well-hidden secrets Ava kept to herself.
She didn’t blink, didn’t let a flinch break the hard look she gave me, and the challenge percolated deep in my gut. It made me bold. Cocky, fucking turned on. Half a second later that sensation drifted lower. “You angling for a fight, sweetheart?” She was beautiful, proud, fierce and I knew me giving her a once over, taking my time to absorb the contours of her body, the sweet curve of her round ass and the high set of her breast would only piss her off. I did it anyway. “That’s a shit storm you don’t want.”
Ava took a step closer, her hold on that pastry box firm as she returned the look I gave her, only her expression wasn’t impressed. It was annoyed. Then, she grinned, moving her head in a shake like she thought I was a kid not worth her attention. “Do your worse.”
Christ, she was waving a red flag at the bull. Her defiance, the dark, simmering look in her eyes had me thinking about how I wanted her to play nice…so we could get to the making up part of our non-existent relationship. “I can do bad things to you.” Another slip of my gaze over her body, then back at her mouth, and Ava stepped back, as though she wasn’t interested in what I was thinking. “But I think I’d rather get down to the good things.” She’d focused on my piercing during our date, as if she wondered how it would feel against her skin so to tease her, I slid my tongue against it, grinning when Ava’s attention shot straight to my mouth. “All you have to do is say please.”