Tesoro

By Nicole Banks

Tommy worked hard to establish a life outside of his father’s legacy. Son to the infamous Delucia family, he’s the heir to a throne he doesn’t want. As loyalties keep pulling him back in, he struggles to obtain a clean break. Becoming a new man is just out of arm’s reach.

Naila is a sassy, headstrong entrepreneur with businesses in the Delucia territory. A chance meeting between the two has Tommy questioning everything about his life and what his future holds.

As circumstances keep putting them in each other’s paths, the two can’t deny the building chemistry between them. As passions ignite, so does the tension surrounding the Delucia family, catching them both in the crosshairs of an all-out war.

When the dust settles, there’s only one question remaining: how deep are they willing to go?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nicole Banks
• Release date: Jun 1, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463315736

Nicole Banks

Nicole Banks graduated with a Bachelor’s in forensic psychology from John Jay College. She was born and raised in New York. She loves writing, music and dancing. Shattered started as a school assignment for one of her free writing college courses and it has morphed into so much more. She is currently working on Volume 2 of the Shattered Series. Nicole's book won the 2012 Professional Publications Facebook Writing Contest.

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Copyright © 2018 by Nicole Banks.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, organizations, events, and products are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

Printed in the United States of America.

Editing by Rosemi Mederos

Formatting by: Champagne Formats

Cover Design by: Emma Rider at Moonstruck Cover Design & Photography

Photography by: Reggie Deanching

Cover Models: Shawn Joseph & Gianna Laposta

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Author’s Note

Acknowledgements

Dedication

Playlist

Glossary

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

Eighteen

Nineteen

Twenty

Twenty-One

Twenty-Two

Twenty-Three

Twenty-Four

Twenty-Five

Twenty-Six

Twenty-Seven

Twenty-Eight

Twenty-Nine

Thirty

Thirty-One

Thirty-Two

Thirty-Three

Thirty-Four

Thirty-Five

Epilogue

Author Information

This book is completely fictional.

It contains adult themes

This novel is intended for mature readers only.

To my usual suspects: my mom, my sister, and my wives, Short Stuff and Mama Gina.

My baby mama, Kris, and the little one cooking in your oven. Lol. Seriously, come adult for me, please.

As always, my readers. Thank you for being patient with me and showing me love. You guys rock!

To Evelyn.

I started this book when you got sick again.

And couldn’t bring myself to finish it after you passed.

Until now.

You showed me what it means to be brave with your life.

I love music and use it to pen all of my writing.

Check out the playlist for Tesoro on Spotify:

Tesoro

Some terms and sayings you’ll see throughout the novel.

Aspetterei una vita interna per te.—I’d wait a lifetime for you.

Ci vorra più di una note.—It’s going to take more than one night.

Di cosa ha bisogno il mio dolce tesoro?—What does my sweet treasure need?

Ero perso e ti ho trovato.—I was lost and I found you.

Figlio di puttana—Son of a bitch

Giochi a un gioco così pericoloso, Naila. Le cose che voglio da te. Mi fai impazzire di bisogno—You play such a dangerous game, Naila. The things I want from you. You make me crazy with need.

I tuoi occhi bruciano per me, amore mio.—Your eyes burn for me, my love.

Il mio dolce tesoro—My sweet treasure

La mia rovina—My undoing

Mangia—Eat

Mettimi fuori dalla mia miseria.—Put me out of my misery.

Mi ucciderai. Prima che I miei nemici lo facciano—You’re going to kill me. Before my enemies do.

Niente—Nothing

Sarai la mia distruzione. Perché spingi?—You will be my destruction. Why do you push?

Sarai la mia rovina.—You will be my undoing.

Sarai la morte di me.—You’ll be the death of me.

So che posso sognare, so che non ti avrò mai, ma so anche che non potro mai smettere d’amarti.—I know I can dream, I know I will never have you, but I also know I will never stop loving you.

Tu sei la mia distruzione.—You are my destruction.

Un assaggio non basterà.—One taste won’t be enough.

Un tale dolce tormento—Such a sweet torment

TODAY TURNED OUT TO BE the longest day possible.

It was one of those days that required a strong hug that would turn into a nice, sweaty fuck session. You know that type of session that has you gripping the sheets and leaving them soaked while you’re deliciously sore in all the right places?

Naila’s pulse picked up and her lips twitched into a small smile. Her boyfriend, Steve, was on his way to see her soon. He’d been away for quite some time, and she couldn’t wait to for the welcome home sex.

Steve worked in marketing. He produced commercial advertisements. It was a pretty sweet deal. Every so often, he’d travel to some disclosed location in the most remote part of the country or a tropical island.

In the beginning of their relationship, Naila always tried to carve out time to head with him wherever it was he was supposed to shoot. She’d turn his job into an extended vacation for the both of them. Naila had enjoyed those trips. But those trips had been short-lived with her hectic schedule.

Naila owned a huge chunk of small businesses throughout New York City. She owned a few restaurants and bakeries as well, along with a couple of after-school centers that offered special programs to parents and children. She was also in the process of opening up her own gym. There was a huge fitness boom coming to New York, and Naila wanted in on it.

Naila rarely had a chance to get away, so when the opportunities presented themselves to join Steve, she never hesitated to tag along. Though, lately, those opportunities were becoming few and far between. He stopped inviting her because she couldn’t find the time to take off, but the time apart did allow for them to have amazing welcome home sex.

He was due back yesterday, but the shoot ran late, which was fine, Naila had an insane day anyway. Steve told her to make reservations for Nova tonight at six, so he could wine and dine her. She would have preferred to meet him at his house with nothing but a pair of fuck-me heels on. Unfortunately, he had other plans and insisted they meet here first.

Whatever.

Naila would never turn down a chance to eat. She loved food as much as she loved sex. Those two things made the world a better place.

Naila looked over the menu once again, having a hard time picking between the porterhouse and the seafood platter. Decisions, decisions, she whispered.

The waiter came by with a water pitcher and refilled her glass. Are we ready to order, Miss?

She smiled up at him. I was waiting for someone to join me. Let me double check to see where they are.

Naila pulled her phone out of her bag and sent a quick text to Steve. Her phone buzzed instantly.

Steve: Sorry, Hun. Won’t make it. See you in the a.m. Put dinner on my tab.

Naila rolled her eyes as she put her phone down on the table, not bothering to respond. She wasn’t too surprised with the turn of events. This seemed to be happening a lot lately. It looked like it was turning into a ‘tiramisu and her trusty vibrator, BOB,’ type of night.

That poor thing was going to grow legs and run away from her soon with all the use it was getting recently. Naila was contemplating buying stock in batteries. At least that would get her some type of a return investment.

It was nights like tonight she wondered why she even kept Steve around. She understood business came first. She had the same drive, but she also knew what it took to make a relationship work. Naila was a little annoyed that what should have been a fifty-fifty partnership was turning into a ninety-ten one.

She let out a resigned sigh and closed the menu. Two slices of tiramisu and a beer, please. Naila cracked a smile at the waiter’s shocked face.

No food, Miss?

Dessert is food, she stated with a cheeky grin.

He smiled back at her. As you wish.

Oh, and make sure you put this on Steve Barton’s tab. Thanks.

The waiter nodded and walked away. Every time Steve picked this place, he never showed up. Naila picked up her phone and sent a quick text to her best friend, Cam.

Cam and Naila had been friends forever, and she was an amazing cook. It was one of the reasons she allowed Cam to oversee one of her restaurants.

Naila: Stood up yet again.

Her phone buzzed.

Cam: Don’t know why you put up with him. You coming over later?

Naila: I put up with him because his dick is amazing. Lol. And, no, I can’t, the guy working on my house is supposed to stop by tomorrow to give me an estimate. I’m having my dessert and calling it a night.

Cam: LOL. It’s really a crime that you stay so fit with all the cake you eat. But what good is an amazing dick if he never gives it to you?

Naila laughed out loud. A few other guests looked at her in annoyance. She rolled her eyes at them. She sobered quickly. Cam was right, unfortunately. It had been too long since they were intimate or even spoke for more than five minutes. She knew the inevitable was coming. She just couldn’t figure out why she was holding off on it. Her phone buzzed again.

Cam: Gotta go, chica. This new hire makes me nervous in the kitchen. If he doesn’t burn the place down, I’ll ttyl. Enjoy some cake for me.

Naila smiled and exited her messages. She started scrolling through the million e-mails she had. She was looking for a night off, but since Steve was M.I.A, it looked like it was going to be an ‘all business and no play type of night’ for her—as usual.

She continued to scroll, looking for anything that was urgent and required her immediate response. One e-mail did catch her attention. It was from Charlie, the manager who ran the Deliciously Sweet candy store in Bushwick, Brooklyn. There had been another break-in.

Naila cursed under her breath. Every week it was something new. This was the third break-in in a month. They hit one of her restaurants and another candy store earlier in the month. They didn’t steal anything, which drove Naila insane. Why break in? Why the candy stores? They never stole anything. They just kept causing a couple of hundred thousand dollars in damages, and left.

Money was never an issue for Naila. Her parents had lived comfortably, and she made sure she worked hard for every penny she earned. While these intruders weren’t stealing money from her, they were going out of their way to try and destroy something she put her heart and soul into. And, quite frankly, it pissed her off.

The only explanation she could think of for the break-ins was that someone was trying to send her a message. That area of Brooklyn belonged to the infamous mob boss of New York City, Mr. Delucia. The two had worked out a deal for the properties Naila owned without any bloodshed, and he always treated her with the utmost respect.

But she wouldn’t be surprised if either he was trying to get her out of his territory or one of his enemies was sending him a message by attacking what they thought belonged to him. Either way, both options were a problem for Naila. It needed to be known; those businesses did not belong to him. If this was him trying to push her out, she wasn’t about to take that lying down. She’d have to set up another meeting with Mr. Delucia and get to the bottom of this ASAP.

She sent a quick reply to Charlie, letting him know she’d be in tomorrow, late. She powered her phone off and threw it in her purse. Five minutes—all she wanted was five uninterrupted minutes, while she enjoyed her beer and dessert.

Naila closed her eyes and started massaging the back of her neck. She was tense; stress and lack of sex could do that to a woman. She made a mental note to squeeze in a fifteen-minute massage either tomorrow or the day after. It wouldn’t be what she needed, but it would be enough to ease some of the tension. She carried all the worries of the world on her shoulders, no matter how much yoga and de-stressing she tried to do.

The sound of a chair being dragged across the floor had her snapping her eyes open in annoyance. So much for quiet time. Her eyes narrowed as a massive body sat in the seat across from her with a smile teasing his lips. He had on a light gray three-piece suit, which fit him like it had been tailor-made for his body. It carved his muscular frame, showing the world there was a physical and raw power behind the man.

His hands were large and had calluses on them, like he worked with them often which set him at odds against his sharp suit. Most of the suits she encountered in her day-to-day business had soft, smooth hands, Steve’s included. They never felt the need to get their hands dirty when they had enough money to pay someone else to do it.

He had pitch-black eyes, and his complexion gave off a golden hue, like he spent most of his days in the sun. He wore his hair in a buzz cut and had a goatee.

There was something about him that screamed dangerous. Not the ‘I need to fear for my life’ dangerous. It was more like the ‘I like my women tied to my bed, torturing them with untold pleasure’ type of dangerous.

Naila licked her lips, surprised by her thoughts. The stranger continued to watch her with avid attention. His lips twisted up into a knowing smirk, and Naila mentally cursed. She knew by the look on his face he read the naughty thought that crossed her mind as clear as if she said it out loud.

I’m Tommy. His voice was a deep rumble that made Naila’s pulse quicken.

This man, Tommy, as it were, lit a match to something that had been buried deep inside her. It was something that went untouched for a long time, and if she was being honest, it was something she found herself wanting to explore.

She shook her head, breaking the spell she was almost caught under. This was what happened to a woman when she wasn’t getting laid on the regular by her boyfriend. A stranger’s voice reduced her to a puddle at his damn feet. The stranger looked like he knew exactly what to do with her in the bedroom.

He chuckled and Naila’s toes curled in her pumps, causing her to growl her frustrations. It pissed her off that this stranger, who hadn’t even touched her, made her body so responsive to him. She knew without a doubt if they were to fuck right here and now, he’d have no problem slipping inside her. That’s how soaked he already had her.

Naila was baffled. No one got her this open, not even Steve. It was always twenty minutes of heavy foreplay before she was ready for him, and on some nights that still wasn’t enough.

You don’t speak much, huh?

There was a twinkle in his eye, like he knew the exact effect he was having on her. It was enough to bring Naila’s head out of the haze she was under. She hated being bested. She always had to have the upper hand. It was how she thrived in business.

She leaned in, placing her elbows on the table. I don’t remember inviting you to sit down, she snapped.

He leaned forward as well, mimicking her moves. I saw you sitting by yourself and I—

She cut him off quickly. That doesn’t mean I’m lonely. Who said I was by myself?

Tommy smirked. He was impressed. He thought for sure he had her when she sat there sizing him up and not saying anything. Boy, was he happy to be wrong. Most females he talked to were left stuttering over themselves. He wasn’t arrogant, but the numbers didn’t lie.

He was mildly turned on by her quick and sassy comebacks. Now that she opened her mouth, he was sure she was the type of woman who wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. There was a confidence about her that drew him to her. He felt a need to be near her, and he couldn’t understand why.

He wasn’t even sure he’d actually be welcomed, but he knew he wanted her in his bed. Before he sat down, he thought he’d be able to charm his way into her pants. But going by the stubborn set to her jaw and the narrowing of her pretty eyes, Tommy knew he was going to have to try a hell of a lot harder.

He leaned back in his chair, loosening his tie. He watched as she arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow at him. She had a smirk on her face that was anything but friendly. Tommy knew right then and there she wasn’t going to make anything easy for him.

There’s no ring on your pretty, manicured hand. There’s also only one place setting that has a glass filled with water, baby.

She raised her hand and flicked up a finger for each point as she spoke. One, I’m not your baby, so remove that from your vocabulary. Two, the person I’m with could very well be on their way.

He smiled despite the shit she was giving him. He liked that she wasn’t giving in so easily. No one is coming.

You’re an arrogant shit, aren’t you? What makes you so sure no one is coming?

Tommy didn’t bother holding in his laughter this time. She really did say whatever she wanted.

Tommy wasn’t too surprised when he felt his dick begin to stir beneath his pants. He had been intrigued with her before he sat down. Hearing her speak sparked his interest in her even more. This woman seemed to have a New York mouth and wasn’t the least bit ashamed to use it.

There was nothing like a New York woman. They were tough and sexy all at the same time. They could chew you up and spit you out in one breath and in the next make you feel like you were king of the world. Needless to say, the banter between the two of them was turning into his new favorite pastime.

I know no one is coming because the waiter heading this way only has one plate of food and one beer. He smiled at her and at the risk of having his balls fed to him he tacked on, "Stellina."

Naila’s eyes narrowed impossibly further. She despised pet names. Absolutely detested them. If it wasn’t on her birth certificate, she wasn’t going to acknowledge it.

While she should be pissed off, and she was, there was a part of her that was insanely turned on. Every time Tommy opened his mouth to laugh or speak, it sent another shot of lust straight through her. Her core throbbed painfully, begging for his attention.

Who the hell was this guy?

Naila was currently plotting Steve’s death. Her being stuck in this lustful state was completely his fault. Had he shown up, she would be sitting across from him instead of Tommy right now thinking about the dirty images his voice alone was able to entice out of her.

Trying to get herself under control, she ignored his knowing laughter as the waiter set her food and beer down. Naila grabbed her spoon and took a piece of the tiramisu. She was here for this—dinner—not to engage in banter with a man whose voice and deep black eyes had her wanting to reach inside her pants and play with herself. She knew it would only take a few quick strokes and she’d cum right at the table.

Naila lifted her spoon, and as soon as it hit her mouth, she closed her eyes and hummed her appreciation. It was a sin for food to be this good—purely orgasmic.

This little slice of heaven was the main reason she loved coming here. No matter what she ate, she always had to have two slices. Hands down, this place had the best tiramisu she ever had the pleasure of tasting.

Naila tried countless times to get the chef into one of her restaurants or bakeries, but he wouldn’t budge. Naila respected his loyalty. Besides, it wasn’t a hardship to dine here, no matter how many times Steve stood her up.

Naila went in for a second a piece when someone cleared their throat. She looked up to see Tommy leaning his whole body over the table. His eyes had gone heavy, and she could have sworn she heard his pulse beat faster.

Or was that her own heartbeat she was hearing?

Tommy was close enough now that she could smell his cologne. He smelled like the outdoors, not the dingy New York City air, but the fresh air you could only find in the suburbs. He smelled like the first day of spring—all warm sunshine and freshly cut grass.

You don’t believe in personal space much, do you? That doesn’t even surprise me. She tried to sound put off, but she heard the husky undertone in her own voice. There was no way Tommy could have missed it.

Naila held her breath as Tommy reached out to cup her face. The second his rough hands made contact against her smooth skin, she had to bite her cheek to keep from groaning. His rough hands caused just the right amount of friction against her skin to send her pulse into a tailspin.

His hands were such a contrast to Steve’s. In comparison, Steve’s hands seemed much too smooth and delicate, and they never enticed the feelings she was having now.

Naila felt a small fire start to burn its way through her body as Tommy held her face in his palm. Now that she had his hand on her, she knew ‘dangerous’ was too tame a word to describe him.

If Naila were single, she knew without a doubt she’d want Tommy in her bed, but she also knew it would only be for one night. The vibe she was getting from him told her he brought nothing but trouble, the good kind and the bad.

Naila brought herself out of her lust-induced thinking. This was getting way out of hand. She should not be having this reaction to him—a complete stranger no less. She had to put a stop to this quickly.

Naila started to speak up when Tommy’s thumb traced a corner of her lips, removing a piece of custard she had there. Her breath hitched at the same time her clit throbbed, jumping to be touched in the same manner.

Naila wanted to stick her tongue out and trace the pad of his thumb.

Would that turn him on?

What if she sucked his thumb into her mouth?

Would that make him throb as much as she was throbbing now?

In a matter of seconds, Tommy went from half-mast to his cock throbbing painfully. He couldn’t believe his reaction to her.

He couldn’t even understand what prompted him to touch her like this. She gave him no indication that she welcomed him—hell, he still didn’t get her name. She was a nameless beauty with the most beautiful dark eyes he ever had the pleasure of staring into.

Yet here he was caressing her face in an intimate touch, a touch that, from the outside, looked very much like they were lovers and not the strangers they actually were.

An image of him peeling her out of her business suit flashed through his mind. He wanted nothing more than to get her messy. Her business suit and picked up hair made her seem prim and proper.

Every instinct Tommy had told him that was only for outward appearances. The way her eyes seemed to devour him told him she had a wild side—one he wished she would unleash on him.

A throat cleared again, breaking the spell on the both of them. She watched as Tommy reluctantly pulled his hand away. Naila mourned his touch and wished he kept his hand on her face or put it on other parts of her body.

She had to suppress an eye roll as she managed to get caught up in his spell, for the second time. She was going to murder Steve for leaving her unsatisfied and for not coming back tonight. She shouldn’t be sitting here panting like a dog in heat over this handsome stranger.

She knew exactly what signals her body was giving off. It was the only reason he was still sitting across from her with a smug smile on his face. He knew what he was doing to her body, and he was just waiting to call her on it if she denied it.

The waiter cleared his throat. Um, excuse me. I don’t mean to be pushy, but I have other tables. Are you ordering, sir?

Naila watched as Tommy’s lips split into a huge grin. There went her pulse again; it picked up like a jackhammer. He leaned over the table once more. "I don’t know. Am I staying, amore mio?"

The way he asked the question, Naila knew had nothing to do with him staying for dinner. There was an underlying invite to stay in her bed. While Naila’s body was standing at attention, waiting to accept the invite, she knew this was where their night would end.

Naila pasted a smile on her face and addressed the waiter. He’s not staying, so no need to take his order.

The waiter smiled back and hurried off to the next table. Naila turned to address Tommy. Last I checked, I wasn’t your love. That’s another pet name you should remove from your vocabulary.

"Your Italian seems to be pretty good, bella." He smiled.

I’m well-versed. You seem dense, though. Do I need to specifically tell you to remove all pet names from your vocabulary? Baby, beautiful, my love, are nowhere near what my name is.

Tommy chuckled. What else would you like me to call you? It’s not like you gave me your name.

Naila leaned further on the table. And I don’t remember inviting you to sit down either.

Tommy couldn’t keep the smile off his face. He couldn’t remember the last time he genuinely enjoyed the company of a female outside of sex, aside from his best friend but even then, this was different. He loved that she was giving him shit. Too often no one called him on his bullshit or dared to disagree with him.

Anyone who knew who he was, or who his father was, tended to kiss his ass. They didn’t want to get on ‘the Delucias’ bad side’, as the street put it.

He hated it.

It was why he took his mother’s last name. While his relationship with his pops was at one point relatively great, he wanted nothing to do with who he was or his business.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the way his father’s business worked. People would always associate him with his father no matter how much distance he tried to put between the them.

He watched his nameless beauty, even more intrigued by her. Either she was clueless to the goings-on of the city or she really didn’t give a shit who he was. Judging by the way she was treating him and her business attire, he doubted she was clueless. His respect for her managed to grow even more, especially as she continued to eat her dessert and drink her beer like he wasn’t sitting across from her, desperate for her attention.

He dated plenty of women who were either the salad type or were too scared to eat in front of him. It was probably why none of his relationships lasted. He liked a woman who could eat. Tommy was here long enough to know this was all she ordered. While it wasn’t healthy by any means, it was refreshing to see a woman who enjoyed dessert.

He watched attentively as she scarfed down the rest of the tiramisu and washed it down with her beer. He half expected her to burp and wipe her mouth on her sleeve.

She looked up at him and blinked in surprise. You’re still here? She shrugged. You’re more than welcome to the table, since you seem so fond of it. She rose and he did too.

She pulled out money and left it on the table. There’s an extra twenty in there for you if you want to get yourself something nice. She winked at him as her lips turned up into a smirk that said she was insulting him, just in case he wasn’t bright enough to hear the sarcasm in her tone.

She turned to leave and Tommy reached out, grabbing her wrist. He braced himself, expecting her to turn around and swing. While her body might be giving him the green light, it didn’t mean she was actually on board with it.

She turned to face him, her eyes narrowed. You must have a death wish.

He dropped his hand immediately and took a step back. He liked his body parts attached to him, and the look she was giving him told him she’d be all too happy to cut off his limbs with a rusty saw.

My apologies. Tommy got away with one touch tonight; he was pushing his luck thinking he’d be able to get away with more than that.

You’re really leaving? He asked the question before he thought better of it.

She looked at him like he’d sprouted two heads. Yes, that’s what one does when they’re done with dinner.

She tried unsuccessfully to keep the smile off her face. Tommy enjoyed her smartass mouth, maybe a little too much. He didn’t want this night to end yet.

You really do have someone? he asked curiously.

Her lips cracked into a genuine smile as she chuckled lightly. Even if I didn’t, I wouldn’t make it that easy for you. She winked at him. Night, Tommy.

Tommy suppressed his groan as he watched her walk away. His nameless beauty was as tall as he was. Sitting down he couldn’t tell much about her frame, he could only admire her decent rack.

Now that he watched her walk away, he could tell, even in her pantsuit, she was stacked. She had ass for days, which made his mouth water. He watched transfixed as the switch in her hips got more pronounced the farther she got.

He chuckled. He knew that extra sway was for him—her parting gift, as it were. He shook his head as the need to chase her down increased with each step she took. He wanted to take her into the nearest bathroom and show her why giving in to her body’s wants would be beneficial.

Whatever blood remained in his upper region kept his feet rooted in place. He already overstepped too much tonight, which rarely ever happened. He had no doubt she’d eat him alive if he went after her, regardless of what signals her body was sending him.

Tommy pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to Kat. She was his friends with benefits—more benefits than friends—but the arrangement worked for both of them.

He had a hard-on that a very intriguing dark-eyed beauty caused. While he would have loved to have gone home with her, he knew when to cut his losses. Kat would have to do.

He had a meeting with his pops tonight, which was why he was even at this restaurant in the first place. He sat back down and waited. His father was already late, and he prayed he’d get here soon. He had an early morning.

The busboy came by to collect the plates and the tip. He looked at Tommy and did a double take as recognition quickly hit him. The busboy stopped what he was doing and started apologizing.

I—I—I’m so sorry, Mr. Delucia. They said—

Tommy held up his hand, effectively stopping the stuttering busboy. He hated when people referred to him as Mr. Delucia. That was his father, and as much as it pained his father to hear it, he was nothing like him.

He reached into his pocket, pulling out a crisp hundred dollar bill. Mr. Delucia is my father, not me. No need to apologize for doing your job. Tommy placed the hundred on top of the money his dark-eyed beauty left. It really hurt his ego that he didn’t get her damn name.

That never happened.

The busboy took the money and continued to clean the table. I’ll send a waiter over right away.

There’s no need.

Yes, sir.

Tommy watched as the busboy scurried away. He probably thought if he stayed and offended him further, he’d be fitted with cement boots. He laughed to himself. Everyone who crossed his path assumed he had his father’s temper.

That Delucia temper had been what made their name legendary. When his father was younger, he was quick to shoot first. As he got older, even though he was still considered cutthroat, his temper didn’t flare anymore.

Tommy didn’t have his father’s temperament or his drive for that lifestyle. That was the point of this little sit-down. His father wanted him in on the family business, and Tommy wanted no part of it.

His father was having health issues that seemed to be worsening by the day. Their ask-no-questions family doctor thought it might be the early onset of Alzheimer’s disease or maybe even cancer. But without the right equipment and with his father’s refusal to go to a specialist, no one knew for sure what was wrong with him.

His father was getting desperate to make a shift in power because of his health. Naturally, the shift should have gone to Tommy; it was his birthright. But it wasn’t what he wanted. It was why Tommy was here at Nova tonight; he wanted to persuade his father to hand over the family business to someone else.