AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Nope. I still want to do it.”
I sigh and shake my head. It’s exactly as if I’m listening to my sister. “How about a new haircut? I can take you next week. We could do our nails too.”
Rosa’s gaze snaps to me, her eyes wide. “Really?”
“Sure.” I nod. “I’ll call my stylist and tell her to book another spot. Do you have a specific hairstyle in mind?”
Rosa fidgets in her chair, then shrugs. “I want it short,” she says, then looks up at me. “Do you think Dad would let me?”
“If you explain that you’d really like to have it short, of course he would.”
There’s a sound of footsteps approaching, and Luca rounds the corner, coming into the dining room.
“Dad!” Rosa jumps in her chair, “Can I cut my hair short? Isa said she’ll take me with her. Can I? Please?”
Luca stops behind Rosa and places a kiss at the top of her head. “Sure, piccola. Now, go to the kitchen and help Viola with food. I need to speak with Isabella and Damian.”
“I want to hear, too!”
“It’s business stuff, Rosa. Go. Please.”
Rosa scrunches her nose, gets up from her chair, and leaves reluctantly.
As soon as she’s gone, Luca turns to Damian. “Salvatore Ajello requested a meeting,” he says. “Who the fuck is Salvatore Ajello?”
I stare at Luca while panic starts gathering in the bottom of my stomach. “When’s the meeting?”
“Tomorrow,” he says. “Who is he?”
“The don of the New York Family,” Damian says. “Do you have anything on him, Isa?”
“A ton of gossip. Nothing useful. And I don’t know anyone who does.” I don’t think many people even know what the don of the New York crime family even looks like. If you need to contact the New York Cosa Nostra, you call Arturo DeVille, the underboss. Never the don. I turn my eyes back to Luca. “Did he call you personally?”
“Yes. He just said he wants to discuss business, no other details.”
“I know they mostly deal with drugs. I heard my grandfather mention it once, but that’s it. My father might know more.” I look at Damian. “Did Luca meet with Ajello before?”
“Not as far as I know. And he would have mentioned something like that.”
“Then it’s safe to ask Francesco,” Luca says. “I’ll call him to let him know we’re coming over for a coffee.” He bends and bites my ear lightly, then whispers, “Go, change. That pink dress I like. I’m taking you with me, and we can go somewhere for lunch on our way back.”
I stand up from the table and head toward the door, but then stop and look at Luca over my shoulder. “I think I’m going to wear the navy one.”
“Isabella.”
I smile inwardly at his tone. It riles him up no end when I decline to follow his orders. “Yes?”
“The pink dress.”
“If you insist.” I smile and resume walking.
I’m halfway to the dining room door when I hear Damian whisper, “You need to loosen up your reins, Luca, or she’ll flip out.”
I smile. If only Damian knew how much his brother’s commands turn me on . . .
* * *
When I get inside the car with Luca twenty minutes later, wearing the pink dress, of course, he’s unusually quiet, seemingly focused on his thoughts. I let it slide, but when he doesn’t say a word until almost halfway to the Agostini mansion, I decide he’s brooded enough.
