“Dante? Is that you?” Bethany replies.
“Who else would be calling you from my phone?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t think it was you because I know you haven’t lost your mind talking to me like that.”
I snort. “You’re a funny one now? My daughter is at home in tears, looking for her mother and you want…what? Terms of endearment and sweet greetings?”
“Well, it would feel nice to hear you talk sweet to me.”
“Fuck your feelings, just like you’re fucking over our daughter’s feelings. All she wants is to spend time with her mother and you’re too much of a monster to care. Let me show you what a monster really looks like,” I fume.
“You’ve done an amazing job of that.”
I nearly stumble back. I can be an extremely cruel man, but I’ve never been unkind to this woman. I’m starting to question her sanity or if she’s on drugs. She has to be on something.
“Excuse me?” I say in disbelief.
“Forget it, Dante. Look, I need to get in the chair to finish my hair. What is it you want?”
“Nothing, nothing at all.”
I hang up and storm back into the restaurant. The sight of Lizzy laughing with her head thrown back brings me a bit of calm. She wipes at her tears and looks at Gio with such joy. I want someone to look at me that way. Bella hasn’t seen what love looks like between a mother and father. I remember vaguely the way my father used to look at my mother.
I take my seat and the waitress comes to take our order. I’m not surprised when Gio orders for Lizzy. My interest is sparked. I have so many questions. Some I have no right to want to ask. Lizzy is my employee and I’m still very married.
“How did you two meet?” I blurt out, not able to help myself. “If I’m right, you did know each other before you applied for the job.”
“Yes, we did,” Gio says with a smile. I get the feeling there’s more to it. Not in an intimate way. I know what Gio’s dolls look like. It’s hard to miss the relationship and bond my brother has with his collection.
“We met at a roller derby paintball event. Gio walked up to me after I slaughtered his team and told me I owed him twenty grand for beating the crap out of his girls. My options were to join his team or spend a night in his bed.” Lizzy snorts and gives a small chuckle. “I clearly wasn’t going to sleep with him, so I played a few games for him and the rest is history.”
Gio winks at her and my blood starts to simmer. The thought of Lizzy sleeping with my brother induces anger I have no right to. Until last night, I never even thought much of my assistant other than being grateful to her for her hard work.
Lizzy was one of Gio’s hires. I never know what my brother is thinking when he hires. What I do know is if he hires you, he trusts you.
The higher up he allows you to get, the more he trusts you. I’m sure Lizzy has been vetted and proven. Trust is everything for my brothers and me. We don’t give it easily.
Gio tilts his head to the side as he takes me in. I try to ignore him as I watch Lizzy while her burger and fries are placed in front of her.
“Interesting,” Gio murmurs before digging into his steak.
I reach for my bourbon and narrow my eyes in warning over my glass. I can see Gio’s thoughts running across his face. I give a subtle shake of my head to tell him to drop it.
Whatever he plans to say will make this lunch uncomfortable for at least two of us. I’m not in the mood for it. I have enough on my plate, and I don’t want to lose such a great assistant.
“This is so good,” Lizzy moans and wipes her mouth with her napkin.
“I told you the chef here was great. Now you see why I want to poach him.”
“When you promised me the best burger ever, I thought you were exaggerating.”
“When have I ever exaggerated?”
“When Dario and I were like ten and you told grandfather you caught a ten-foot fish. It was more like five inches, if that,” I reply and chuckle.
“Eat your pasta,” Gio grumbles.
Lizzy laughs. “No, no. Keep going. What was it like growing up with this guy?”
My heart swells and sinks at the same time. I love my brothers and would love nothing more than to reminisce about our younger days. However, I’m not sure if Lizzy wants to hear this because of interest in Gio or interest in our past as a whole.
I’m starting to feel like an ass. I stab at my pasta and lift the fork to my lips, taking a bite. I’m not prepared for the explosion of flavor that hits my tongue. I swallow the story I had planned to share and turn to Gio.