Page 59 of Unrelenting
“What’s in there?” Her tone holds a note of suspicion as if she imagines it’s where I store dead bodies.
“Ah, that is my workspace.”
“Your workspace?”
“Yes.” I hold up a finger asking her to give me a moment. “Wait here. I want you to try something.”
Taking the key from my pocket, I unlock the door and step into the temperature-controlled room. I bypass the stainless steel vats which are empty right now and grab a small tub from the shelf. I lock the room up again and return to Lucia. She arches an eyebrow as I present the tub to her.
“What’s this?”
“The best mozzarella you’ve ever tasted.”
She shoots me a skeptical look. “I’ve tasted a lot of great mozzarella.”
She takes the tub from me and pulls off the lid. Plucking the ball of cheese out of the brine, she examines it before tearing off a piece and popping it into her mouth.
As she savors it, her eyes roll back, just the reaction I was hoping for.
“This might be the best mozzarella I’ve ever tasted.” She grins appreciatively. “You have an in-house cheese maker?”
“In a way. I make mozzarella and crescenza.” They’re not the most difficult cheeses to make but it takes skill to make them as perfectly as I do. “I’m thinking of trying pecorino next.”
Lucia’s mouth drops open. “You made this?”
“With my own two hands.” I hold them up to emphasize the point.
“Wow, Lorenzo. What other secret talents are you harboring?”
“My nonna taught me to make bread. I’m pretty good with focaccia, ciabatta, French baguette and English cob.”
“Wow, pan-European talent,” Lucia teases. Then her expression becomes serious once more. “Perhaps you should consider a career change.”
I shake my head. “Not going to happen.”
Even if I wanted to, I can’t just walk away from my family. Once you’re in our lifestyle, there’s only one way out and I’m not ready for that to happen yet.
“I know,” Lucia says a little sadly. “But it’s a shame because this is really good mozzarella.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
“I like everything you’re doing at Casa di Lupo.”
“Enough to become a part of it?” Though I said I’d give her a chance to think about it, I’d like to get some sense of how she feels about my offer.
“It’s tempting, but I can’t think about that until I know what’s going to happen with Gianetta’s.”
The situation at Gianetta’s is on my mind too. When Lucia told me about the derisory offer the lawyer made, I thought someone was joking with her.
As soon as she mentioned protection, I realized it was more serious. I need to find out which of the other Mafia families is behind the attempt to buy the restaurant.
If someone is trying to intimidate my woman, it’s up to me to let them know she’s under my protection.
There’s been a tentative peace in Tuscany since Damiano and I established our rule, but I’m willing to bang a few heads together to keep Lucia safe.
“I told you I’d deal with that.”
Lucia sighs. “You shouldn’t have to. It’s my problem.”
