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Luca scowled. “She dug up a bunch of shit involving Matt and my uncle Renzo. I was with Tony and Liza the day we confronted him about the gambling markers he’d bought.”
Harper’s eyes widened. “Matt bought gambling markers? That belonged to your uncle?”
Luca nodded, while Conor grimaced, forced to confess, “Matt planned to use the markers to drive Renzo and Moretti Brothers Restorations into bankruptcy.”
“You guys don’t mess around when it comes to family feuds, do you?” she said.
Luca laughed, and even Conor grinned as he shook his head. “I guess we don’t. Anyway, I was supposed to open a restaurant in one of the Eddington hotels. We’d been in talks for several months. Sage has been successful, so?—”
“That’s an understatement,” Harper interjected. “Sage is the premiere restaurant in Philadelphia. It’s got two Michelin stars, for God’s sake. Why do you think I was so thrilled when you agreed to a partnership with me?”
Conor was clearly pleased by her compliment, proud of his restaurants. In addition to the upscale Sage, he also owned Chives, a comfy American-style restaurant.
Conor continued his explanation. “Richard wanted me to open a Sage Too in one of his casinos in Atlantic City, wanted to capitalize on the name and success of the first. I’d seriously been considering entering into business with him before all the stuff went down with Patricia and Matt. After that…”
“You pulled out?” Luca asked.
“Yes. Told him I wasn’t interested in a partnership with him.” Conor looked at Harper. “I think he misinterpreted that as I wasn’t interested in any partnerships, unaware that you and I were already working together. A few weeks later, we did that interview with the local reporter where we discussed opening our restaurant together. Richard called me, pissed as shit that I’d formed a partnership with you, while I’d bailed on one with him. He made a bunch of empty threats until I got fed up and hung up on him. Maybe he’s seeking revenge.”
Harper pushed herself up until she was sitting crossed-legged between them. “You really think the Eddingtons would try to destroy Harper’s Dining Room?”
Conor shrugged. “I’ve since discovered from Matt that Richard is struggling to hold on to his position within the Eddington Group due to a string of poor business decisions. The board of directors want him out, so losing what he’d obviously considered a feather in his cap must’ve stung.”
“Even so,” Luca mused. “Was he pissed enough to set a fire? To try to flood the place?”
Conor have Luca a half smile. “You think like a Moretti.”
Luca narrowed his eyes. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“It’s not,” he said. “But in my world… Well, let’s just say while I haven’t torched a building—mine or anyone else’s,” he added, alluding to Luca’s accusations the night of the fire, “I may have done other morally gray things to destroy my competition.”
Luca shot him a look that the other man interpreted correctly.
Conor put his arms up, his hands under his head, drawing Luca’s attention to his bare, sexy chest. “Yes, Luca. When it comes to business, Russos are still assholes. Those attributes didn’t die out with my father and grandfather.”
“Fine,” Luca conceded. “So the Eddingtons are on our list of suspects.”
“We have a list?” Harper asked.
“We do now,” Luca joked.
“I’m suffering from the wrong emotion again,” she admitted.
“What do you mean?” Conor asked.
She pushed her hair over her shoulder. “I told you the night of the fire I was happy. And now, even though we’re discussing serious shit, I can’t stop thinking about how much fun I’m having.”
“Fun, huh?” Luca latched onto that word, hating that he’d dampened their relaxing weekend with talk of work and sabotage and enemies. “Seems to me we haven’t scratched the surface on all the fun we could be having. Which reminds me…”
“Yes?” Harper leaned forward, eager for him to continue.
Luca knew exactly how to put them back on the right track. “You said you had a list of kinky fantasies, sunshine. Tell us one. Let us make it come true.”
Harper, honest to God, blushed, which told Luca not only did she know what fantasy she wanted, but he sure as shit wanted to do it.
Conor ran the back of his fingers down her cheek. “Are you blushing?”
Harper covered her cheeks with her hands. “No. Don’t be silly.”
