Page 2 of Darkest Kiss

I've never gotten a good look at him because he stays in the shadows. But I've seen him once or twice a week for the last few months.

He's tall, from what I've glimpsed, and he seems to have an unruly shock of bright blond hair. I'm not even sure that he's handsome or even close to my age.

But he makes my pulse pick up.

Is he spying on me? Why doesn't he introduce himself?

Maybe he's got anxiety too.

Ducking my head, I focus on the street. When I'm absolutely sure that there are no cars coming, I cross. My follower hangs back, down the block.

He never comes closer than this.

I push in the glass door of Nonna's. Instantly I'm surrounded by warmth and noise. Twelve booths packed in on top of each other, filled with patrons. As the server and busboy dart around the room, silverware scrapes and dishes clatter. I don't wait to be recognized by the waitress, Sherrie. She knows me by name.

Instead, I head to the second-best table in the place, always held for our family on the third Thursday of the month. It's one of two circular booths at the back of the room.

As I scoot into the empty booth, I glimpse the other Vitelli brother. Andreas. He's older, has lost most of his hair, and is a bit shorter than Leo. But the eyes are the same. Cold, dead, assessing. He sweeps his gaze over me and I keep moving before I have to meet it.

Something in my gut tells me that I want nothing to do with him. I certainly don't want to draw his attention in any way.

"Noemi!" Sherrie says. "Thought you weren't going to show, hon. You're always fifteen minutes early!"

I flush. "Sorry. The bookstore," I explain vaguely. "You know how it is."

"Sure. You want your usual order?"

Over her shoulder, I see the door open and my aunt and uncle enter. "Give me a few, please?"

"You got it." Sherrie sets down a pile of menus and hurries off.

I steel myself for the onslaught of Aunt Kathleen and Uncle Marc. Kathleen was my mother's sister and looks very like me. Long dark hair, pretty light brown eyes, and a petite frame. She always wears low-cut dresses that emphasize her cleavage and platform heels to make her appear taller. My uncle Marc is all surface. Capped teeth, salon hair, a suit tailored close enough to hide that he skips the gym. He looks like a man you'd trust to hold your coat and not your secrets.

They swan in, Kathleen scooting into the booth first, Marc on the outside.

"Noemi." My aunt doesn't hug me. She looks me up and down. "How are you?"

I open my mouth to answer, but she is already talking again. "You know, my friend has a son who is a neurotic. Justin, I think? He's so incredibly shy that his mother is afraid he'll be alone forever. I think we should introduce you."

"I.. um... maybe?" I answer. I look at Marc for help. He's my ally anytime Kathleen gets the urge to set me up with someone.

Historically, Kathleen hasn't been very picky about sending me out on blind dates with mouth-breathers, mama's-boys, and aspiring podcasters. It's been an unending parade of men with flat personalities. I'm not boring. I'm just shy.

There is very much a difference.

Marc clears his throat. "Enough about Linda's boy. Nobody came here to talk about somebody's shut-in son." I could kiss my uncle. "I've got bigger things on my plate." He shoots his cuffs, which is the tell that he's about to hold court on the subject of himself. "The campaign's coming together. We lock in the donors this spring, get the fundraising solid, and the mayor's office stops being a someday."

“That’s great, Uncle Marc,” I say. He’s always been ambitious and I prefer a happy uncle to an unhappy one. “It sounds really promising.”

“Yeah, right.” Kathleen snorts into her drink. "Donors."

"You have something to add?" He arches a brow.

"Nobody else gets to pay for your campaign, sweetheart. You know how this works." She gives him a catty little smile. "The Vitellis don't like to share a politician with anyone else."

A look crosses Marc's face that would curdle milk. He says nothing, because Sherrie picks that exact moment to come back with her pad out, but the silence makes my breath catch.

The Vitellis again. First Marc announced they were going to take over the offices above the bookstore. Now they’re his only campaign donors? That’s super sketchy.