“I handle security concerns,” I say. “Of which you are presently one, Mr. Orloff. Welcome to Bellanti Vineyards, by the way. Now tell me: what exactly do you want?”
His smile broadens. “You know my name.”
“I like to know all of my enemies by name.”
Orloff lets out a laugh. It’s charming enough to make my stomach tie itself in knots. This man either has an abundance of natural charisma, or he’s a sociopath. Possibly both.
He puts a hand on his chest to indicate a fake wound. “Who has said we are enemies? I have not declared my intentions. Have you?”
I don’t respond.
Inclining his head at me, he wanders to an unoccupied four-top table in the corner of the room, and I follow behind him and his guard. We take our seats, and then a waiter comes over to drop off glasses of water. Before he can ask if we’d like to order anything, I shoo him away. It’s just the three of us now, pretending to have an easy, amicable conversation by the windows.
“This wine?” Orloff says, lifting his glass to admire the ruby liquid. “It is very…palatable. Your family does good work here.”
Again, I say nothing. He makes a show of drinking down the rest of the wine, then sets the empty glass on the table with a satisfied grin.
“Perhaps I will try another selection,” he says.
I can’t explain how or why, but this man is seriously getting under my skin.
“I’m giving you five more minutes inside my winery before I have security escort you out,” I tell him. “What do you want, Orloff?”
He shakes his head. “This is not how honorable men treat each other, Armani Bellanti. But I have heard this about you, quick to anger. Even quicker to strike recklessly.” His smile suddenly drops, replaced by a threatening sneer. “You are quick to strike, are you not?”
I give him a hard stare. “Get to the point.”
“You might have heard about this…accident that my fiancée found herself in. Yes?”
“Word travels fast among the established families in the area,” I say with a nod, ignoring the uptick of my heart rate at his mention of Candi’s friend. “Though perhaps you’re not aware of how tight we are here.”
My implication is obvious. I’ve got friends, and Orloff’s gang needs to watch their step.
Unperturbed, he goes on, “Lucky for you, she survived. Though she doesn’t appreciate that you delayed her wedding plans.”
A pang of relief goes through me to hear that she’s alive, because Candi has been worried sick. Not because there’s a chance that Juliana really might be my little sister.
“Please, give her my best. I hope she suffered no ill effects,” I say.
“Oh, is that what you hope? That she suffered no ill effects. I’ll keep that in mind when I come for you.” His voice drops low and menacing. “This will not be our last meeting, Bellanti.”
“I don’t doubt that,” I say, taking his threat in stride.
He nods to his heavyset associate, and they both stand from their chairs and leave. I watch them go, and I don’t take my eyes off them until they’ve made it out the front doors. My phone vibrates immediately.
“I’ve got eyes on them.” It’s Clayton. “They’re heading to the guest parking lot. Getting in the vehicle. Vehicle is moving down the driveway toward the main road.”
“I don’t need the play-by-play. Just make sure they go and they don’t come back.”
I hang up and stride back to the Bellanti offices.
My heart is racing, despite my best efforts to keep my cool. Dante rises from behind my desk the second I enter my office.
“What did Orloff say?” he asks.
I am reluctant to tell him. It’s not good.
“In so many words, we’re fucked,” I answer. “He knows we were involved, and I didn’t bother lying to him about it because it wouldn’t have changed anything. It’s war now with the Bratvaandthe Brunos. Also, Juliana survived.”
