Chapter 2 - The Name Everyone Feared
Three nights passed.
Sofia assumed she would never see the stranger again.
Then, Friday evening, Bellini's front door opened.
Mr. Romano dropped a wineglass.
It shattered across the floor.
The restaurant went silent.
Sofia turned.
The man from the rainy night had returned.
Same dark hair.
Same controlled expression.
Same black suit.
The tattoos across his fingers were clearly visible tonight as he adjusted one cuff.
But everything else was different.
A black SUV waited outside.
Two men in suits stood near the entrance.
Mr. Romano's face had gone white.
"Mr. Moretti."
Sofia looked at him.
"Moretti?"
Mia grabbed her arm.
"Don't stare."
"Why?"
"Because that's Luca Moretti."
Sofia frowned.
"Should that mean something?"
Mia stared at her.
"You seriously don't know?"
"No."
"Hotels. Casinos. Shipping companies. Half the luxury properties downtown."
"So?"
Mia lowered her voice.
"And supposedly a lot of things that don't appear in newspapers."
Sofia looked back.
Luca was already watching her.
Then he walked directly toward her.
Every employee suddenly found something else to do.
Luca stopped three feet away.
"You really didn't know."
Sofia folded her arms.
"Apparently not."
"Not even my last name?"
"You never gave me one."
A faint smile appeared.
"Good."
"Good?"
"Everyone else sees my name before they see me."
He glanced around the silent restaurant.
"You didn't."
Sofia lowered her voice.
"Why is everyone acting like you're about to fire them?"
"I don't employ them."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"No."
She studied him.
"So what do I call you?"
"Luca."
"That's what I would have called you three nights ago if you'd bothered introducing yourself."
His smile grew.
Mr. Romano approached nervously.
"Mr. Moretti, our private dining room is available."
"No."
"We can prepare anything—"
"I want the same table."
Mr. Romano blinked.
"The window?"
"Yes."
Luca looked at Sofia.
"And the same waitress."
Sofia's eyebrows rose.
"Do I get a vote?"
Luca paused.
"Yes."
That answer surprised her.
She picked up a menu.
"Fine. Sit down."
Mia nearly choked.
Luca simply obeyed.
Later, Sofia placed water on his table.
"You've caused a problem."
"What problem?"
"Nobody's breathing."
Luca looked around.
"They'll recover."
"Why are they afraid of you?"
"Maybe you should ask them."
"I'm asking you."
He leaned back.
"Some people think power makes a man dangerous."
"Does it?"
"Sometimes."
"And are you?"
His gaze sharpened.
"Would the answer change how you treated me?"
Sofia considered it.
"Depends."
"On?"
"Whether you're dangerous to people who deserve it or people who don't."
Luca stared at her.
Then he said quietly, "That's a complicated question."
"Most important ones are."
Sofia turned to leave.
"Sofia."
She stopped.
Luca stood.
The restaurant watched.
He stepped closer.
"You are the first person in this city who looked at me and asked if I was okay."
Her expression softened.
"You looked terrible."
A few nearby employees visibly panicked.
Luca laughed.
"You still aren't afraid of me."
"I'm reconsidering."
"Why?"
"Because apparently you own half the city."
"Not half."
"That wasn't comforting."
He lowered his voice.
"I came back because I wanted to thank you."
"You already tipped me."
"Not for the service."
"For what?"
"For seeing me."
Sofia didn't answer immediately.
Then she shrugged.
"You were sitting right there."
Luca smiled.
But before he could respond, one of his security men entered.
"Mr. Moretti."
Luca's expression changed instantly.
"What?"
"We need to speak."
"Later."
"It's about DeLuca."
Luca went still.
Sofia noticed.
The guard whispered something.
Luca's jaw tightened.
He turned toward the exit.
Then stopped.
"Sofia."
"Yes?"
"I'll come back."
She gave him a skeptical look.
"People usually make reservations."
Luca almost smiled.
"I'll remember that."
He left.
Outside, Marco waited beside the SUV.
"We confirmed the leak."
"Who?"
Marco hesitated.
"Anthony Vescari."
Luca's oldest business partner.
One of the few men Luca considered family.
Luca's expression became stone.
"Proof?"
"Enough."
"Then why are we standing here?"
"Because there's something else."
Marco handed him a photograph.
Luca looked down.
Anthony was sitting inside a coffee shop.
Across from him was a young man.
Luca narrowed his eyes.
"Who's the kid?"
"We're still checking."
Luca examined the photograph.
Something about the young man's face seemed familiar.
Then Marco spoke.
"His name is Noah Bennett."
Luca slowly raised his eyes.
"Bennett?"
"Sofia's younger brother."
Behind him, Bellini's windows glowed warmly against the rain.
Luca looked back through the glass.
Sofia was serving another table.
Marco lowered his voice.
"You need to stay away from her."
Luca folded the photograph.
"No."
"Luca—"
"Find out why Anthony is meeting her brother."
"And Sofia?"
Luca's eyes remained fixed on the restaurant.
May you like
"Nobody touches her."
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