When we walk into the dining room from the kitchen, I immediately locate my two men sitting at a table with my father’s two men in the crowded dining room. Luis makes eye contact with me and tips his head to the closed red curtain, indicating my father’s whereabouts.

When we enter the private room with a large round table in the center, my father sits right where I expect in one of the chairs facing the curtain. With a crystal highball of scotch in one hand and his other relaxed the table, he eyes us with a vague hint of disproval. It’s not often people arrive late to a scheduled meeting with him but especially not thirty-five minutes late.

I release Elianna’s hand and greet my father. “I’m sorry to have left you waiting, Father. Elianna wasn’t comfortable having someone else take care of her dog, so we were delayed while she took care of his needs herself,” I explain, careful not to imply it was completely intentional.

Eli walks to my father and leans down to kiss his cheek. “My apologies, Mr. Ruffinelli. Gatsby and I are just a little out of sorts, being away from home and all. Forgive me, please.” She smiles at him innocently. I actually want to laugh but hold back. The last thing we need is to involve my father in our issues as well.

“Cara mia, please . . . call me Tony. Family doesn’t need these formalities. Sit down, please,” he tells her. If he only knew how many times I’ve thought of really making her part of the family in the past few months, but in this case, it’s not what he means.

“Lucas, Elianna will make a good mother. If she cares for a dog this way, imagine her concern over her flesh and blood. It’s a wonderful quality. Don’t you think?” I try not to roll my eyes, but he catches the annoyance radiating through me regardless. My father chuckles, finding cause to be amused.

“To be young again. You know, sometimes the best relationships begin unexpectedly during times of struggles. That’s when you learn a person’s strength and loyalty. It’s a blessing the two of you have found each other. We should celebrate.”

He locates the two small buttons discreetly hidden in the center of the table next to a flower arrangement, which prompt the indicator lights outside the private dining space. The red button alerts the staff not to interrupt, and the green tells them we’d like service. If no lights are on, the staff knows they can come and go as needed to serve, refresh, or whatever may be necessary.

“Cara mia, I decided to come tonight because I received a call from your uncle. It seems he and your Aunt Luciana were concerned they’d not been able to reach you. I can only imagine their panic,” my father says with a mildly critical tone I’ve rarely heard him use with others. “You’re far too beautiful to be out in the world on your own at your age and not keep in close contact with your loved ones. I relieved some of their immediate concerns, letting them know that you and my son had decided to take a spur-of-the-moment trip. I’m sure you don’t mind. However, I do hope you’ll take some time to call your Aunt Luci tomorrow. I know she’s anxious to hear from you.” Eli doesn’t try to shield the resentment when she looks directly at me, glaring. She then turns back and addresses my father.

“I would’ve never intentionally avoided communications from Aunt Luci. However, your son took it upon himself to remove my cell phone from my belongings and leave it back at the nightclub without consulting me. With the Wi-Fi connections being down at the estate and no access to a phone, I’ve been unable to reach out to anyone and let them know I’m okay. Mr. Ruffinelli . . . I’m sorry, Tony, I really appreciate all your family has done to keep me safe, but I’d really like to go home and start my life in Boston. I hope you understand. Do you happen to know when that might be possible?” she asks my father.

She clearly intends to get answers one way or another, even if she has to climb over my dead body to get them. Unbelievable. This woman is relentless.

The waiter chooses the absolute perfect time to enter, and I couldn’t be happier with the interruption.

“Good evening, I see everyone has made it. Can I take drink orders and possibly interest you in an appetizer? The tuna is especially good tonight,” the chatty waiter offers.

If I were in a better mood, I’d be able to at least pretend I give a shit about what he’s saying, but I’m not in a better mood. Today has gone to hell faster than I thought possible. It’s not a fucking coincidence that everything on my mind or going wrong right now has something to do with Elianna.

She’s the biggest pain in the ass to exist and has no regard for her own well-being. Maybe I shouldn’t be fighting so hard to protect her when she’s made it clear she doesn’t want me. How the fuck am I supposed to handle the woman who’s so fucking guarded that she’s scared to let anyone close? The problem is, I can’t walk away.

I’ve seen parts of her heart that I’m not sure many others have, and I know how fragile she is, no matter how hard she tries to play tough. I’m not saying she’s not tough in some ways because she is; anyone who’s met her can see that. Only I know that front is there just to protect the parts of her that matter.

It’s hard to know where I stand anymore. One second, I’m ready to put it all on the line for her, and the next, I’m wondering if I need to sleep with one eye open. Elianna can be cold as ice, but it’s hard to forget how incredible the feisty princess is when she melts in my hands. That’s the part I can’t let go of. Trust has never come easy for me, either, so I understand her caution, but I thought we were on the same page, and maybe this thing between us could be what we both needed. But just when I think I’ve made a mark she can’t erase, she proves me wrong and drop-kicks me back.

“Lucas, you eat here often. Would you like to order for the table?” my father asks, interrupting my thoughts. Snapping back to the present, I nod my head in agreement, glancing over the menu.

“We’ll have the seared tuna loin, the Wagyu carpaccio crisps and the foie gras on toast, please,” I tell the waiter then look at my father. “Are you sticking with bourbon or would you like me to order a bottle of wine for dinner?” I ask. He looks at me questioningly.

“Son, why don’t you ask the lady what she’d like? I’ll just go with the majority on that,” he says decidedly.

“Princess, would you like a bottle of wine or do you need something a little stronger to kill the bug up your ass tonight?” I ask, looking directly into Eli’s beautiful blue eyes.

Watching her eyes transform from the color resembling the bright sky on a sunny day to the darker shade that reflects her anger and thunderstorms on the horizon doesn’t carry the same weight it once did. I’m not going to give up on her, but I’m also not going to back down. If she wants to create these thunderstorms when we could just as easily be enjoying the sunshine, then she can’t get pissed when she gets caught in the rain.

I hear the ice in my father’s glass clink. I should feel bad for the guy getting caught in my and Elianna’s crossfire, but I don’t. It’ll do him some good to know the challenges the family is dealing with in keeping the mafia princess safe in our territory. I’m doing my dad a favor by letting him see how hard we’ll have to work for this one.

Elianna gives me a hostile glare as she seethes. “Bestia, so kind of you to consider my health. I think I’ll take a Four Roses with ginger ale, please. Might be a good idea to go ahead and make it a double too. I’m suddenly parched and feeling like I could breathe fire at any second.”

I look at the waiter. “You heard the lady. I’ll have Bulleit with three cubes . . . actually, let’s make that a double as well,” I suggest.

The waiter thanks us in haste, not taking his time to get the hell out of this little room. Poor bastard. It’s not his fault, but I suppose the good news for him is that I tip well. If that’s not good enough, he can cry about it later, but my hands are pretty full at the moment, so I give no fucks.

“So now I see why Elianna is so anxious to get back home. I’d hoped things were going well for the two of you. Looks like that may not be the case. I guess it’s a good thing I’ve come with an update,” my father advises.

With our full attention, Elianna and I watch as he reaches to the center of the table, pressing the red button to give us a few minutes of privacy. “For now, the threat against Elianna is inactive. I saw ‘for now’ because there’s still a lot we don’t know, but I feel it’s safe to say there’s no immediate threat,” he announces, pleasing me greatly with the hope Lorenzo Bertoni is no longer breathing, but I wouldn’t ask my father to confirm that with Elianna here.

“So does that mean I can go home tonight?” Eli asks a little too eagerly, and my father laughs.

“Cara mia, your uncle took the liberty of having your cell phone tracked after not hearing from you and learned before even I was aware that it had unfortunately been left behind. Thankfully, he made me aware. Therefore, I’ve brought your phone to return to you. After a good night’s rest, should you wish to return to Boston tomorrow, Lucas will certainly make sure that happens. Tonight, we’ll eat and enjoy the company.” He reaches across the table once again and presses the green light, and Elianna doesn’t even attempt to question my father’s direction. Moments later, the waiter enters with a tray full of drinks followed by another waiter with the appetizers.

I know in cases like this with the family business I’m supposed to trust my father’s judgment, and I do, but right now, with everything I don’t know, being expected to trust blindly isn’t sitting well with me. I’m going to need a lot more information from him before I’ll willingly let this this feisty princess out of my sight to carry on her life. Also, I’d like to know where I fit into this life she’s so ready to start in Boston. We may not be a known couple, but we’re sure as fuck not nothing at all.

When she accepts her drink from the waiter, she finally makes eye contact with me, even if it was probably accidental. She thinks her pride is concealing her inner turmoil, but I see it clear as day. “Liability,” she mouths, nonverbally.

I smirk. “Not happening, sunshine,” I return keeping my voice level low and smooth.