Page 19 of Mob Boss Daddy

He nods and says, “Excellent, Sir,” before rushing to the kitchen. He returns moments later with a bottle of wine and pours us each a glass.

“To a lovely evening with a beautiful woman.” Jack raises his glass.

“This place is overwhelming. If the food comes even close to the atmosphere, it’s going to be the best meal of my life.”

Jack puts his hand on mine, squeezes, and asks, “Do you trust me, little one?”

“Yes, I trust you,” I mutter as his touch sends shivers up my spine.

“In my line of work, I eat in a lot of restaurants. I wouldn’t take you here if it wasn’t the best. In fact, I wouldn’t have bought it if it wasn’t the best.”

I almost choke on my wine. “Wait. You own this restaurant?”

“Among others.” He shrugs like it’s no big deal.

“So, you own restaurants and a helicopter. Is there anything else? Hotels, rocket ships?”

“I have a pretty diverse portfolio but no rocket ships yet.”

I don’t know much about money, but I have a feeling I’ve completely underestimated just how rich Jack really is.

The food comes in waves beginning with soup and warm crisp bread, then salad, then a tray of meats, cheeses, and fruit arranged in a floral pattern. Just when I think I can’t hold another bite, our entrees arrive.

He’s ordered smoked salmon with roasted root vegetables. It looks so delicious. We take our time eating and chatting for hours. Talking to him is easy, and I love how he listens to every word I say. And I mean, actually listen.

Finally, the waiter returns with a cart filled with cakes and pastries and sets it on the table.

“I want to eat it all but I don’t think I can hold another bite. I might need to take it with me,” I tell Jack.

“Alright. I’ll have the kitchen pack it up for you.”

“Is that okay?” I ask, unsure if doggy bags are acceptable for the upper class.

“You can have anything you want.” Jack snaps his fingers and the waiter rushes to our table. He whispers in his ear, and the waiter nods and returns the dessert cart to the kitchen.

“I noticed your choker. Did you buy that today?” He eyes me above the rim of his wine glass.

“Oh, yes, I did. Is it too much? The lady there said this dress needed something shiny to finish the look.”

“It’s not too much, baby girl. It’s just that it’s rhinestones. You should be wearing diamonds.”

“I would never charge something like that on your credit card. That is too much.”

“Then I suppose it’s a good thing I did it for you.” He smiles and pulls a long velvet box from his pocket. He opens it and shows me the diamond tennis bracelet inside. Overwhelmed by his gesture, my eyes fill with tears.

“It’s beautiful. I’ve never owned anything like that,” I choke out.

“Still not as beautiful as you.” He takes the bracelet out of the box and fastens it around my left wrist.

“Thank you. You didn’t need to. This night has already been the most amazing night of my life.”

“The most amazing night…yet. There’s more to come, sweetheart. So much more.”

9

JACK

Jessie seems to be on cloud nine and thoroughly impressed with our little dinner excursion.

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