Page 70 of Dark Breaker

“You mean in bed?” I ask playfully.

He laughs. “No. I mean for real. I’ll break out the guitar and you’ll play.”

“You have a guitar?” I ask. “So you play, too.”

“A little,” he replies.

Our meals arrive. As I guessed, my portion of pumpkin ravioli is minuscule, about the size of my fist. It’s in a huge plate though, as if to mock and emphasize how small the portion really is.

Fabio’sPasta alla Normaisn’t any better.

“I’m going to have to eat again after we get home,” I mutter.

He smiles widely. “I picked up a couple of burgers at McDonald’s before I came.”

I laugh out loud at that. “You don’t strike me as someone who regularly eats at McDonald’s.”

“I don’t,” he says. “Except when I’m coming to a restaurant like this.”

That makes me chuckle even more. I’m actually really starting to like Fabio. He’s not bad, once you get to know him.

I dive into my ravioli. That’s when I notice a new couple being seated a few tables away from us.

Gina, dressed in a white cocktail dress, and Pietro, the alderman. As usual he’s wearing a suit that seems too tight, and I’m surprised the buttons don’t tear off the jacket when he sits down.

I nod at the couple. “Look who just waltzed in.” I allow a slight accusation to creep into my tone, as if to imply it’s Fabio’s fault that they’re here.

He turns toward them and his face turns beet red. “Excuse me a moment.” He wipes the tomato sauce from his lips and slams his napkin onto the table.

He gets up so fast that the chair nearly falls over. He stalks over to Gina. I decide to follow. I want to hear this.

Pietro stiffens when he sees Fabio and raises his hands defensively, apparently not liking the look on my husband’s face. Gina, meanwhile, only smirks.

“Why the fuck are you following me?” he hisses.

She throws her head back and laughs. “Please. This was a coincidence.”

He slams his fist down onto the table and their cutlery jumps. “I’m not kidding. I don’t want you following me around. First you show up at my apartment, and now this. I’m not going to fucking sleep with you.”

She glances at Pietro nervously. “What are you talking about? I don’t want to sleep with you.”

Fabio looks at Pietro. “Oh. She didn’t tell you? She showed up inside my luxury apartment this morning and begged me to fuck her. I told her to piss off because I’m a married man now. But I guess she didn’t get the message.”

Seemingly mortified, Pietro looks at the other tables, whose occupants are openly staring at him. The alderman quickly gets up and heads for the door. He accidentally hits the back of some woman’s chair along the way, and she curses, but Pietro keeps going, not looking back.

Gina is staring daggers at Fabio. “I’ll get you back for this.”

She stands in a huff and follows after her date.

“Good riddance,” Fabio calls after her. She ignores him and increases her pace to catch up with Pietro outside.

“You didn’t have to be so… confrontational,” I tell Fabio.

“I did,” he replies. “I don’t want her stalking me again. I was serious when I told her I don’t want to fuck her. Maybe it’s finally registered. I also wanted to make sure the alderman understands just who it is he’s sleeping with.”

I’m beaming inside. Literally beaming. Fabio isn’t going to fuck Gina to get to the Jackal after all. I’m so happy and relieved at the same time.

As we walk back to our table I can’t help but wrap my arms around Fabio from behind. I rest my cheek on his back.