Chapter 1: The Woman Who Grabbed His Wrist
The most dangerous man in Chicago was sitting at table twelve of Lucia’s Ristorante when a waitress put her hand on him.
Not accidentally.
Not gently.
Isabella Rossi grabbed Alessandro Moretti’s wrist and stopped him from bringing a heavy crystal glass down on Salvatore Bianchi.
The entire dining room froze.
Vincenzo “Vinnie” Gallo was already halfway out of his chair.
“Get your filthy hand off him.”
Bella saw his hand disappear beneath his jacket.
She also saw the dark grip of a pistol.
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
“Vinnie.”
Alessandro spoke quietly.
Vinnie stopped.
Bella didn’t move.
She was twenty-seven, exhausted, behind on hospital bills, and wearing a white server’s jacket with a burn mark near one cuff.
The man in front of her controlled businesses across Chicago and enough men in dark suits to make everyone in Lucia’s suddenly fascinated by their dinner plates.
Bella knew exactly who he was.
She simply had something more frightening waiting for her than Alessandro Moretti.
A sick younger brother.
“Sir,” Bella said.
Alessandro’s nearly black eyes settled on her.
“We don’t allow that language in here.”
His scarred eyebrow lifted.
Bella tightened her fingers around his wrist.
“You’re frightening the customers. You’re terrifying my coworkers.”
Vinnie stared at her as if she had lost her mind.
She continued.
“And you’re about to cost me my job.”
Alessandro finally spoke.
“You grabbed my hand because you’re worried about your job?”
“Yes.”
A few diners looked at one another.
Bella glanced at Bianchi.
“I don’t care what he did.”
“You should.”
“That’s between you and him.”
She looked back at Alessandro.
“But you will not do it here.”
His expression hardened.
“You’re giving me an order?”
“I’m giving you the restaurant policy.”
Vinnie almost laughed from disbelief.
Alessandro leaned closer.
“And what happens if I ignore your policy?”
Bella’s fear became anger.
She had spent the morning arguing with an insurance company over Marco’s medication.
She had spent the afternoon sitting beside her brother while he pretended not to be afraid.
She had started her shift knowing another hospital bill was waiting at home.
She was finished being intimidated by powerful men.
“Don’t dare me.”
Silence.
The chandelier overhead gave a faint metallic tick.
Alessandro studied her.
He saw the fear in her eyes.
But he also saw something he rarely encountered.
She meant it.
Slowly, he lowered the glass.
It landed on the tablecloth with a heavy thud.
Bella released him.
Alessandro rubbed his wrist.
Then he turned toward Bianchi.
“Get out.”
Bianchi blinked.
“Alex—”
“Before I change my mind.”
Bianchi grabbed the envelope he had offered Alessandro.
“And Salvatore?”
Bianchi stopped.
Alessandro nodded toward the money.
“Take it.”
“But—”
“It isn’t enough.”
Bianchi didn’t argue.
He hurried through the restaurant and disappeared into the rainy Chicago night.
Only then did Alessandro reach inside his jacket.
Bella flinched.
He noticed.
Instead of a weapon, he removed a black leather wallet.
He placed several hundred-dollar bills beside his unfinished steak.
Bella stared at them.
“What’s that?”
“My bill.”
“Your dinner doesn’t cost that much.”
“Consider the rest compensation.”
“For what?”
Alessandro looked at his wrist.
“Touching me without permission.”
Bella pulled the money from the table, counted what he actually owed, added a normal tip, and pushed the rest back.
Gasps moved through the room.
Vinnie whispered, “You have got to be kidding me.”
Alessandro looked down at the cash.
“You’re refusing my money?”
“I’m returning your money.”
“No one returns my money.”
“Congratulations. New experience.”
For the first time that evening, Alessandro smiled.
It lasted less than a second.
Then he stood.
He was considerably taller than Bella.
The tailored black suit only made him seem larger.
Dark tattoos showed across one hand and disappeared beneath his cuff. More ink climbed the side of his neck beneath his open collar.
Bella forced herself not to step backward.
Alessandro leaned toward her.
“What’s your name?”
“You already know.”
“Humor me.”
“Isabella Rossi.”
“Everyone calls you Bella?”
“Yes.”
He nodded.
“Good night, Bella.”
She expected him to leave.
Instead, he added quietly:
“I’ll see you again.”
“That sounds like a threat.”
His eyes moved over her face.
“No.”
He turned toward the door.
“It’s a promise.”
---
At 1:16 a.m., Bella finally left Lucia’s.
Rain had begun falling.
She pulled her coat tighter and walked toward the bus stop.
Her phone rang.
ST. JUDE’S HOSPITAL.
Bella answered immediately.
“Hello?”
“Ms. Rossi?”
Her stomach dropped.
“Yes.”
“This is Dr. Patel. Your brother had another episode.”
Bella stopped walking.
“What happened?”
“His blood pressure dropped suddenly. We’ve stabilized him.”
“I’m coming.”
“There’s something else.”
Bella closed her eyes.
“What?”
“We received the results from the specialist.”
“And?”
A pause.
“We may finally know what’s wrong with Marco.”
Bella forgot the rain.
“Can you treat it?”
“We believe so.”
Relief almost knocked her over.
Then Dr. Patel continued.
“But the treatment is complicated.”
Bella understood immediately.
“How expensive?”
“We’ll discuss everything when you arrive.”
Bella lowered the phone.
A black sedan stopped beside the curb.
She stiffened.
The rear window descended.
Vinnie Gallo was sitting inside.
Bella backed away.
“Absolutely not.”
Vinnie frowned.
“What?”
“I’m not getting into that car.”
“I didn’t ask you to.”
“Good.”
“I came to deliver something.”
He held out an envelope.
Bella stared at it.
“No.”
“Take it.”
“If that’s money from Moretti, tell him where he can put it.”
Vinnie actually smiled.
“It isn’t money.”
“What is it?”
“Open it.”
Bella reluctantly took the envelope.
Inside was a business card.
No company.
No address.
Only a telephone number.
On the back, Alessandro had written five words.
If you ever need something.
Bella looked at Vinnie.
“Why?”
Vinnie’s smile disappeared.
“I’ve worked for Alessandro fourteen years.”
“And?”
“I’ve seen men point guns at him.”
Bella waited.
“I’ve never seen anybody stop him with restaurant policy.”
Despite everything, she nearly laughed.
Vinnie looked toward the hospital bracelet still wrapped around Bella’s wrist.
His expression changed.
“Someone sick?”
Bella immediately covered it.
“That’s none of your business.”
“Fair enough.”
The sedan began moving.
Bella called after him.
“Vinnie.”
He looked back.
“Tell Mr. Moretti something for me.”
“What?”
Bella held up the card.
“I’m never calling this number.”
Vinnie smiled.
“That’s exactly what he said you’d say.”
The sedan disappeared.
Bella looked at the card again.
Then her phone rang.
Dr. Patel.
She answered.
“Ms. Rossi?”
“Yes?”
“Please get here quickly.”
Bella’s smile vanished.
“What happened?”
“Marco is crashing.”
She started running.
And three blocks away, inside the black sedan, Vinnie’s phone rang.
Alessandro Moretti answered.
“Well?”
“She refused the money.”
“I expected that.”
“And the card.”
A pause.
“She refused that too?”
“She kept it.”
May you like
Alessandro looked through the rain-covered window.
“Then she didn’t refuse it.”"
