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“I look nothing like that.”
“Really? How about you turn to face Luca with that look and see how he reacts? I bet he won’t see you picturing fucking his little brother as entertaining as I do.”
“Shh. You’ve looked the same damn way plenty of times. I know why you’re not listening to me and thinking about Maks instead.”
She shrugs unrepentantly. Before either of us can say more, the server takes our order. Then Mila chatters, and Konstantin drops both crackers on the floor. They keep us amused until the food comes. We catch up on our families. Her sister, Madeline, is getting married soon. She’s a nurse up in Rochester, so the ceremony will be there. Laura’s excited, but I know she’s worried about people asking too many questions about Maks. I notice Luca and Bogdan striding toward us, and neither looks pleased. Is it because they’re near each other?
My potential future brother-in-law speaks first.
“Michelle, we need to go now.”
“You too, Laura.”
Bogdan’s already packing things into the diaper bag, and Luca’s putting money on the table. I help Laura get the twins buckled into the stroller before Bogdan, Niko, Aleks, and Luca hustle us out of the restaurant. I try to stop to say goodbye, and Laura reaches for me, but the men give us no chance. Laura’s rushed toward an SUV while Aleks pushes the stroller. Luca’s practically dragging me to a sedan. He’s careful as he helps me in, but he slams the door. I hear him get into the front passenger seat before the privacy glass lowers.
“I need to take you to my parents. Something’s come up.”
“Is it the same thing that came up with the Kutsenkos?”
“It’s about us. When Aleks saw me getting ready to go to your table, he demanded to know what was happening.”
“What is happening?”
My heart is racing, and all I want to do is reach into my purse, pull out my phone, and call Enzo. I want his voice to explain what’s going on. I don’t want to listen to Luca. I want to listen to my boyfriend. But that’s not an option, so I try to make sense of what Luca’s telling me.
“Whoever made the threat to you knows you’re with Enzo now. They broke into your place and trashed it. I’m sorry, Michelle. There’s no nice way to say that they left next to nothing unbroken. We’re certain they know you’re with him because they left a box of pasta and a bottle of chianti on the table.”
“That’s — bizarre.”
“It is. But it doesn’t get much more stereotypical about Italians. They want us to know they know.”
“Are you taking me to your parents’ place because Enzo’s going to be gone longer than three days? He said that’s when I would need to go over there.”
“I don’t know how long he’ll be away, but no one feels comfortable with you being anywhere that doesn’t have a full contingent of guards. Even Enzo’s place is vulnerable compared to where Mama and Papa live. It’s similar to Uncle Salvatore’s.”
“Similar?”
“Yes. There are guards that patrol the property, and there’s a twelve-foot wall around the entire place. Everyone wants you safe.”
“Was it Enzo who called you?”
“No. It was Marco. Enzo’s busy.”
That’s not at all cryptic. Busy doing what? Shit I probably never ever want to know and refuse to allow myself to imagine. I have nothing else to ask since I doubt Luca will tell me much more. He volunteers nothing, so I sit back and watch the buildings go by as we cross over to Queens. I try not to gawk as we pull up to the home where Luca and Enzo grew up. It’s a fucking castle like Salvatore and Sylvia’s. It might even be bigger, which would make sense since there were four children growing up here at one time.
Luca opens the car door for me, and I try not to walk to the house looking like I’m catching flies. My family is more than comfortable, and I grew up in an affluent neighborhood in northern New Jersey, but this is some next level shit. I didn’t even know there were homes like this in Queens. It’s even more impressive with each step I take. I follow Luca inside and look around the foyer. I feel like little Orphan Annie waiting to meet Daddy Warbucks. Make that Daddy Enzo. That makes my lips twitch, but I stifle it as Massimo and Nicoletta approach.
“Michelle, are you all right?”
“Yes, Mrs. Mancinelli. Thank you for letting me come over.”
“It’s Nicoletta and Massimo. We’re happy to have you here. We feel better knowing we’re able to keep you company.”
Keep me company. Or babysit. Or keep me alive from some crazy asshole that’s decided to wage a vendetta through me.
Fucking hell. That makes me want to see, or at least hear Enzo. Something in my expression must reveal at least some of my thoughts because Nicoletta steps forward and offers me a hug. I don’t hesitate, but I’m unsure. That is until she wraps her arms around me. It’s the most maternal hug I’ve ever gotten. It rivals any my mom’s given me, and her hugs are amazing. I give in and rest my head on her shoulder. Enzo, his brothers, and his sister are lucky to have her if this is how she comforted them.
“Did you have time to finish lunch?”
