Their leader is calledthe Don, right?
Pulling my phone out, I do a quick search for ‘Italian Mafia family in Palm Springs’.
And right there, in the first image I see, is Mr. Moretti standing next to a man all of Palm Springs knows.
Spike.
The Iron Shadows MC president.
“Spike hates that picture.”
Screaming, I drop my phone and spin toward the voice.
Mr. Moretti stands a few feet away, looking far too amused for a man who just scared ten years off my life.
“I was just…” I start, then immediately stop because my brain has decided words are optional again. “I mean, I didn’t mean to—”
“It’s alright,bella,” he says with a soft chuckle, bending to pick up my phone. He hands it back to me. “There’s nothing wrong with gathering information.”
“My name is Mia, not Bella,” I tell him. “Or Amelia, if you prefer.”
His mouth curves.
“So it is,” he murmurs.
Before I can decide whether that was an apology or a promise, he turns his attention to our girls.
Well, his girl.
“Eric is to be expelled, and your daughter can return to school first thing Monday morning,” he informs me.
“I’m sorry?”
“I donate a large sum of money to this school, Ms. Moore. They have been encouraged to seek the truth and have discovered that Eric did, indeed, spit in Sabrina’s face.” His expression remains calm, but his eyes do not. “All it took was for them to actually watch the feed, which they lied about doing.”
My fingers tighten around my phone.
Of course they lied.
Of course they were ready to punish Livy before doing the bare minimum to protect the little girl who had actually been hurt. The boys' family probably brings them a lot of money as well.
“Call me Mia,” I say. “And, um, thank you. I wasn’t sure where to go from here.”
He nods once.
“Your daughter is very strong-willed.”
“You have no idea,” I say with a smile.
He chuckles and takes a step closer.
Not close enough to be inappropriate, but close enough that I notice the clean, expensive scent of him. Something dark and warm, like spice, leather, and trouble wearing a tailored suit.
“Thank you for watching my niece,” he says. “I look forward to seeing your sanctuary tomorrow.”
“Oh, you don’t have to come simply because she asked,” I say, feeling heat rush into my cheeks. “My daughter can be forward, and it sometimes makes it hard for people to say no.”
“Tomorrow,” he says.
