Page 17 of She Belongs to Me

I sat down, nervous as a kitty cat. Suddenly, an employee appeared out of nowhere, removing the domes. There was enough food to feed ten people. My eyes were huge. I could eat everything, yet I tentatively selected a croissant, a few eggs, and one slice of bacon. Only then did I realize he was staring at me.

“When was the last time you had a decent meal?” he asked, steepling his hands over his empty plate.

“Medical students rarely eat a decent meal.” I nibbled on the croissant, eyeing the whipped butter. Did he eat like this all the time?

“Don’t placate me. Since the incident and other than chips and Cheetos, what have you eaten?”

“Nothing.” I didn’t need to think about it.

“As I told you, Alexandra, no pretenses here. You’re obviously hungry. I can hear your stomach growling from my seat. Eat. Please. That will make me feel better.”

I lifted my head, studying him. I almost burst into a wave of questions, but held off, instead, scooping up more eggs, the butter I’d relished, sausage, more bacon, and hashbrowns. I put cheese and chives on my scrambled eggs before going after the fruit. I poured a full glass of orange juice, gulping half before digging in. I was like a famished person who hadn’t eaten in weeks, not days.

His stare was evident, his amusement to follow, but he finally filled his plate. “Coffee?”

“Yes, pwease.” God, I had my mouth full. I must look like a barbarian.

He chuckled and poured us both coffee, pushing the cream in my direction.

I had a buttered croissant in my hand while I poured some cream, making slurping sounds when I took several sips. It was scalding hot, but oh-so good.

We both remained quiet while I chowed down. There was no other word for it. Meanwhile, he was elegant in his method of eating, taking his time while I was shoveling it in. It didn’t take long before my plate was finished and dear God, I burped.

I never did that. It wasn’t ladylike. I’d been taught that as a child.

After slapping my hand over my mouth and apologizing in a muffled voice, I dared look at him. He was far too handsome to watch me reduce myself to a Neanderthal.

He continued eating, saying nothing for a full two minutes. “I can tell you have questions.”

“I’m a curious girl.”

“Go for it.”

I could ask more about the Greeks or what he was going to do. Or just how much danger I was in, but I chose to go for the jugular. “Who are you?”

He seemed shocked by my question, almost choking on his sip of coffee. “Who am I? I think you know.”

“I know what little you and my aunt have told me.”

“Ah, your aunt doesn’t like me very much.”

“No, she doesn’t but I think that’s because you closed yourself off. You never said much about you and your life. She bought what the tabloids said over the years, that you were a very bad man taking after your father. I always shut her out and it irritated me that she took your money, but talked badly of you.”

“Your aunt always blamed me for what happened. I understood why.”

“It wasn’t fair.”

He cocked his head. “I assure you that Kim’s feelings were very fair. I don’t hold her feelings and attitude against her in the least. I’m extremely grateful she took such good care of you.”

There was a shockwave between us and we weren’t touching. I hated the awkward moments. But I had a feeling he was relishing them.

“I had no idea you lived in such a grandiose place or that you had dozens of people working for you.”

“I don’t brag, Alexandra. Not my style. Plus, this home has been in my family for almost three generations. My grandfather lived here before my mother and father. My mother still lives here. To answer your question, my family has been important in the world of business in Sicily for generations. Some of my wealth was handed down, inherited after my father’s death of a heart attack. Some I earned by launching our corporation into a different stratosphere.”

“Translation, you’re Cosa Nostra.”

I wasn’t certain if I’d pissed him off given his initial expression, but he eventually smiled. “Yes, I am. And yes, I am a powerful man.”