Lucian (Filthy Marcellos #1)(29)

Something wicked and tantalizing teased Jordyn. Lucian was right, she liked his jealousy, even if it didn't make a whole lot of sense.

Two fingers slipped under her chin, drawing her gaze up to his. Lucian's other hand came to rest on her thigh, his fingers digging rough and good into her flesh, waking her desire up all over again. "Don't be jealous, Jordyn."

"Because I don't need to, or because you're not mine?" she asked quietly.



       
         
       
        

"Because I haven't seen that girl in a decade. But I am looking at you every day."

"The same could be said for you, then."

Lucian laughed roguishly. "Sorry, sweetheart, but it doesn't work that way for me. When it comes to you, it probably never will."



• • •



"Come here, bella."

At the bar, Jordyn sat on one of the many stools, legs crossed and head lost in one of the books she'd brought along. Lucian had work to do at Cazza, one of his many restaurants, and he also had an important meeting later with a city official. Instead of leaving her to her own devices for the entire day back at his condo, he offered for her to come along.

Sure, she'd be safe in Manhattan without him, at least for a little while longer, but Lucian didn't like to see her too far from his side.

The little black dress, silver pumps, and light makeup she wore looked superb under the specialty lighting in the dining room. Especially as she walked across the hardwood floor to meet him at the table he had set up with papers and desserts.

"Sit, I want you to try these with me," Lucian said, nodding at the tray of specialty desserts the chef brought out five minutes earlier. "I need a woman's opinion. I think women have a better palate then men, honestly."

Jordyn's laugh was almost like wind chimes. "You think?"

"Sure. Women tend to focus more on the taste and texture than simply filling, chewing, and swallowing when they go out for dinner. Besides, I'm distracted, so expecting my full attention on this is pointless today. You might as well enjoy these. Cory needs my final say for the new dessert menu by tonight. I've been putting it off for a couple of weeks."

Lucian was glad Jordyn didn't ask what his distraction was because it revolved entirely around her. It hadn't helped he'd been too busy that morning trying to get a start on his day to wake her up like he wanted to. Between her thighs, tasting her sex on his tongue, and driving her insane.

For now, Lucian's insane infatuation was being satisfied in the way she propped her chin up in her palm when she read, or how she tapped her left foot when she reached a passage that interested her more than the rest.

Really, he just liked watching her.

Jordyn didn't disappoint with the tiny fork and fifteen samples of desserts for the next half an hour, either.

Needless to say, Lucian got absolutely none of his orders completely finished for the restaurant. Cazza was his favorite of all his businesses. It was the place he spent most of his time when he worked, usually, since he didn't need a fulltime office.

Not to mention the Cosa Nostra side of things. 

Unlike the past couple of weeks in Brooklyn, collecting smaller payments from his street associates, having a place like Cazza was much better for the bigger deals. It was high class. Most of the men who walked through the doors to see him were of the same caliber. They certainly didn't want to meet with a mafia capo in some dingy bar or back alley shop.

It needed to look on the up and up, after all.

"So, I have a meeting in ten minutes," Lucian said, gaining Jordyn's attention from the last dessert she was sampling.

"You want me to disappear in the back for a while?"

"Jesus, no. Why would I want that?"

"I don't know. You're the one who brought the meeting up."

Lucian waved it off. "First of all, I was well aware of what I would be doing today, so if I thought you shouldn't be involved, I could have asked someone else to keep you company."

"You mean babysit," Jordyn said, her nose crinkling at the thought.

"Jordyn, my mother doesn't leave the house without two enforcers trailing close behind."

Jordyn's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Really. They've been her personal bodyguards ever since Antony became boss. She rarely ever notices them, and they've only needed to step in a handful of times to deal with something. So no, I don't consider it babysitting. Dante wasn't busy today, and he likes your company."

"He likes teasing me, Lucian. Mostly about you."

"Because he's my brother. It means he likes you."

"Fantastic," she replied drily.

"Anyway, the point is, I had this meeting set up for a while. I don't mind you being here for it. I'll introduce you, but after that, just let me do the talking. Smile, because you're beautiful and I like to see it, and try not to get bored."

Jordyn pushed her plate away. "Anything else?"

"Just a little thing, nothing big," Lucian muttered. "You might hear things that won't seem right, and you'll know it isn't. This man coming here is a high ranking city official. The last thing he should be involved in is the Cosa Nostra. Everything and everyone is corrupt in one damned way or the other, especially in New York."

"So, turn cheek?"

"I'd appreciate it. I get why you wouldn't want to have a front row seat to this if you don't. It's not exactly the same thing as people dropping off an envelope and going without you hearing much or understanding what's happening. If that's the case, and you don't want to, you're more than welcome to go chat with the chef while my guest is here."

Jordyn tipped her chin up, a defiant glimmer in her gaze. "Hearing and not telling of a crime makes me an accessory, doesn't it?"

Lucian snorted under his breath. "No one said anything about a crime happening, sweetheart."

"You didn't say it wasn't, either."

"No, I didn't. I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

Jordyn rested back into the chair. "I think I'll stay with you."

Inside, Lucian's confidence in this woman might have swelled more. "Good. I want you on this side of the table with me, then."

She was slipping in beside him without any more encouragement.

Lucian took the next ten minutes to call the head chef of Cazzo back into the dining room. The table was cleared of the tray and leftovers, the dessert menu sorted, and a request for two tumblers of Grey Goose and red wine ordered to be brought out when his guest arrived. Lucian's attention was back on Jordyn for the short time they had left alone.



       
         
       
        

As expected, Lucian's guest was on time as the man always was. Punctual to a fault, Frank Deveroux was never late. Like their arrangement always had been, the chef let the man in through the back entrance to minimize Frank being seen walking into a restaurant owned by a known Mafioso. In his early fifties, Frank didn't look a day over forty-five, as he was fit, tall, and always smiling. It was why the public liked him as much as they did. It was hard to find fault in a charismatic man.

Lucian stood to greet him, keeping his hand firmly seated in Jordyn's to urge her up with him. "Frank, it's good to see you."

"Lucian." Frank grinned, shaking the hand Lucian offered. "You know you're my favorite of all the Marcello boys."

"Liar. Gio is, and we both know why."

"Well, he does know how to provide a good time. Who's this lovely thing?" Frank asked, sticking out his hand to Jordyn.

She took it immediately.

"This is my Jordyn," Lucian said. "And she is quite lovely, thank you."

Jordyn waved the compliments off, smiling. Lucian could see it in her curious stare, though. She recognized Frank, but it wasn't clicking straightaway. "Hello."

"Sit, yeah?"

Frank nodded, pulling off his suit jacket before joining Lucian and Jordyn in their seats. The city pin on his tie glinted under the lighting, and Jordyn noticed it immediately. While the chef brought out the tray of drinks Lucian asked for earlier, Jordyn finally seemed to pick up on just who exactly this man standing across the table from them was. She squeaked low under her breath like a little mouse, her hand in Lucian's tightening in her surprise.

"Jordyn, meet the Mayor of New York City."

Jordyn took a moment to speak, glancing between the two men watching her inquiringly. "I think I missed something here."

Frank chuckled. "No, I can assure you that you have not."

Lucian did say the man was a high ranking city official.

You couldn't much higher than the Mayor.

Lucian gestured towards his guest. "Frank has just about everyone in his pocket that he can. Judges, city officials, high-profile families, NYPD Captains all across the city. His family has a long legacy in New York, they've long been involved in the shipping district, and own a great portion of it. That helps in certain aspects of our business, needless to say. We've found while working together what works for us, often works to his benefit as well. We fund certain campaigns, help to keep the city out of debt, and in return, Frank keeps us  …  well, kept. It's a good arrangement."