Page 39 of His to Break

By the time Benny and I find a coffee shop we like the look of, my feet are aching. I flop onto a seat in a booth at the back and rest my head against the wall next to me. I wore perfectly sensible shoes with my jeans and t-shirt combo, but my sneakers are new and I haven’t had a chance to break them in yet. They’ve rubbed the back of my heels raw.

Our first stop was the Empire State Building because I wanted to visit an iconic landmark and I’ve always loved art deco. For me, nothing has really topped the glamor of the 1930s. The views were as breathtaking as I imagined they would be and Benny snapped photos of me in typical touristy poses, not that I have anywhere to post them. My father banned me from having a social media presence and I doubt Leo would be amenable to his wife sharing details of her life online, either.

The second visit we made was to Summit at One Vanderbilt, an experience recommended by Dino, who clearly wanted to torture me. The mirrored room has left an impression on me I may never shake off. It made me dizzy, and I felt disoriented for ages afterward. I guess I don’t like having my perceptions messed with like that. Benny, however, loved it. He’s a big kid at heart.

Dino trailed along with us as we enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the city, while Marc remained with the car. He’s parked outside now and I told Dino to join him. It’s comforting to have bodyguards, but I need some alone time with Benny.

I smile at my friend as he devours the donut I bought him in two bites.

“What do you want to do next?” he asks with boyish eagerness. He’s as excited to explore the city as I am.

“Take a paracetamol and soak my feet in warm water.”

A look of concern forms on his face as his eyebrows pull downward. “You don’t feel good?”

“Just a bit tired.”

“You want to go home?” Benny wears his disappointment openly. “It’s early.”

“We don’t have to do everything in one day, you know. We can…”

My voice trails off as a shadow falls across the table. I’m surprised when I look up to find my brother standing there. Wearing a dark suit with a black shirt unbuttoned at the neck and carrying an air of danger, he broadcasts his mob affiliations whether he wants to or not.

When I get over my initial reaction to his unexpected arrival, the next emotion that grips me is fear. How did he know I was here? What does he want with me? I look around and determine he’s alone. That’s good, I think. If he wanted to drag me out of here and take me to our father, he’d have brought backup. Or a gun, perhaps.

I cast an eye over him. Is he carrying a weapon? There’s nothing bulging beneath his jacket, but that doesn’t mean he’s unarmed. I guess I’ll just have to hope my brother loves me as much as I think he does, and he isn’t here to harm me.

Even if he doesn’t have ill intent, I’m worried about Daniele approaching me like this. Leo might not react well to me speaking to my brother when he’s not around. Although my husband has allowed me more liberty than I expected, he can’t possibly trust me yet. Meeting with Daniele, even if it turns out to be for an innocent reason, might be viewed as a betrayal.

I glance out of the window, toward the SUV where Dino and Marc are waiting. I can’t tell if they’re looking in this direction. Damn those blacked-out windows.

“Give us some privacy.” Daniele instructs Benny rather than asks him.

My friend looks at me for confirmation it’s okay. Benny is so sweet. Despite being terrified of men like my brother, he’ll stay right here if I need him to. I nod, letting him know it’s okay to leave me with Daniele. He eases himself out of the booth, grabbing his coffee as he goes. My brother takes the seat he vacated.

“How did you find me?” I demand.

“I tracked your debit card.”

Irritated, I purse my lips. I’m still using the bank account Daniele arranged for me back in London because Leo and I haven’t discussed finances yet. I know he said I could keep my inheritance, but I haven’t spoken to a lawyer about accessing it yet. When I do, I can open a bank account of my own.

“Tracking my finances is an invasion of privacy,” I grumble.

“I needed to see you.” There’s not a hint of apology in his tone.

“You saw me last night, and you threw me out of your club.”

Now he’s the one who looks pissed. I know he only wanted me to leave because of the potential confrontation with Jack Gallo. His attempt to protect me failed since we ran into the asshole on our way out of there, anyway.

“Volante shouldn’t have brought you there.”

“Who says it was Leo’s idea? Perhaps I wanted to see one of my brother’s clubs.”

Daniele narrows his eyes as he studies my face. No doubt he’s trying to figure out whether I’m lying to cover for Leo’s mischief-making or if it really was my idea to visit the club.

“Did you?”

“Perhaps.” I pick up my cup and sip my cappuccino, wincing because it’s hotter than I expected. I set my coffee down. “So, why did you need to see me?”

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