Page 135 of Vicious Games

“I don’t know. I think I just forgot how to talk.”

He grins. “Good. That means I did good.”

Good? Good?! This is a dream come true.

I manage to find my legs again as Chef Luca waves us over to a small table tucked right into the kitchen itself. It’s set simply but elegantly, and for the next hour, I watch the magic happen inches from my seat. Every dish arrives fresh from the line, handed to us by the sous chefs who take their time explaining what we’re about to taste like a sacred ritual. Each course is better than the last—creamy burrata with roasted figs, handmade gnocchi in brown butter, and steak so tender I swear it melts on my tongue.

And Lucky? He barely takes a bite. He just watches me, his chin resting on his hand, eyes soft, as if I were the star instead of Chef Luca.

“How did you pull this off?” I finally ask, wiping my mouth on a linen napkin and trying not to cry over my dessert.

Lucky just shrugs and says, “Let’s just say my family has a lot of friends.”

There’s something in his tone, playful but edged with meaning, but I don’t ask him the meaning behind it. Not tonight. Not when this day has been this perfect.

If I had ever imagined what it would be like to go on a date, I’m positive my imagination couldn’t concoct anything like this. It wouldn’t have had famous chefs or cinnamon rolls or Lake Michigan turning gold at sunset.

Lucky didn’t just give me a date. He gave me a day that felt like a dream.

And the terrifying, wonderful truth? I don’t want the night to end.

I want it to continue and add to the perfection by making it a night that Lucky won’t soon forget, either. And I know exactly what to do to make it memorable.

Even if that means that after tonight, my whole future might take an unexpected left turn, altering it forever.

Chapter 23

Luciano

After dinner, we end our date with a quiet boat ride down the Chicago River. The whole day played out exactly how I planned it. Maybe even better than I imagined it. After the fiasco that went down in Little Russia, I spent the entire week obsessing over every little detail, torturing myself about how to make this date unforgettable for Frankie. And now, seeing her smile under the city lights? Every second of stress and doubt was worth it.

But this… this right here, right now… is the best part.

Having Frankie curled up against me to keep warm, her head resting on my shoulder, and my arm wrapped around her is the perfect ending. The skyline glows above us while the soft ripple of the water carries us through the heart of the city, making it the highlight of my night.

If only I could make time stop right here.If I could just keep her in my arms like this forever.

“You’re doing it again,” she says, interrupting my sullen thoughts.

“Doing what?” I ask, forcing a smile.

“Making that face.”

“What, you don’t like my face?” I tease, feigning offense.

She giggles, the sound so soft it almost drowns out my melancholy.

“I like your face just fine. Just not when you get that look.”

“And what look is that?” I ask, brushing my knuckles along her cheek, causing her expression to soften.

“The one that says you’re scared I might disappear on you or something.” She leans in a little closer until her face is a hairbreadth away from mine. “I’m right here, Lucky. I’m not going anywhere. You have me for the whole night, remember?”

“I remember,” I say quietly, staring into her eyes, fighting the urge to kiss her.

I’ve been doing that shit all damn day, too. There were a hundred moments throughout our date that I could’ve kissed her—should’ve kissed her—but I held back. Because I knew once I had a taste of her, I wouldn’t stop. I’d forget the trip to the zoo, the fancy surprise dinner, the boat ride, the city lights. I’d forget it all in favor of scooping her up in my arms and carrying her to the nearest bed I could find.

As much as I’d give anything to spend the whole day tangled up with Frankie between bedsheets, I wanted more than that for her. I wanted to give her a memory. One she could keep and cherish, even if everything else fell apart.

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