Page 13 of Ruined By Protection (Feretti Syndicate #5)

Matteo

T he meeting with Damiano has gone on for nearly an hour now. I've walked him through every security detail for the casino event—staff positioning, camera blind spots, emergency protocols—but my mind keeps drifting back to the woman currently occupying a guest room in the east wing.

"The mayor confirmed his attendance?" I ask, though I already know the answer. No one declines an invitation from Damiano Feretti.

"Yes. Along with two city council members and the police commissioner." Damiano's mouth quirks up at the corner. "All very eager to support our charitable endeavors."

I can't help but smirk. Our ‘charitable endeavors’ certainly benefit the community—especially those parts of the community sitting in Damiano's pocket.

"We'll need to keep the commissioner away from the back offices," I note. "Even bought officials get curious after enough champagne."

"Agreed." Damiano closes the security file on his desk and changes the subject. "Are you staying for dinner tonight?"

The question catches me off guard. "Tonight?"

"Ettore is preparing carbonara. Your favorite. We have a guest as you already know."

My stomach growls at the thought. Ettore's carbonara is legendary. Under normal circumstances wild horses couldn't drag me away from that meal.

But these aren't normal circumstances. Not with Hazel under this roof.

"I'll stay for dinner," I say, keeping my voice neutral. Damiano doesn't need to know my real reason for accepting.

Something in my tone must give me away because Damiano's eyes narrow slightly. "Good."

He shuffles some papers on his desk before continuing. "Speaking of our new houseguest, I'm assigning security to her."

My chest tightens. "You think that's necessary?"

"Evelyn seems to think so. Says the girl is running from something—or someone." He looks up at me. "Until we know more I want eyes on her. For her protection and ours."

I nod, trying to appear merely professionally interested. "Makes sense. Who are you putting on it?"

"I was thinking Daniel. He's good with the delicate cases."

"Daniel's already assigned to Lucrezia," I point out, perhaps too quickly. "And he's stretched thin with the casino preparations."

Damiano raises an eyebrow. "You have a better suggestion?"

I hesitate, knowing I'm walking a dangerous line. Getting personally involved is exactly what I shouldn't do. Not until I figure out who Hazel really is and what she's doing here.

But the thought of Daniel watching over her—missing things, being careless—sits wrong in my gut.

"I can handle it," I say, the words leave my mouth before I can stop them.

Damiano's expression shifts to one of genuine surprise. "You? Since when do you volunteer for babysitting duty?"

I shrug, aiming for casual. "I'm already involved. I picked her up, brought her here. Might as well see it through." I lean forward slightly. "Besides, if she is trouble I'm better equipped to handle it than Daniel."

Damiano nods slowly. "Fair point. But don't let it distract you from your other responsibilities."

"It won't."

"Fine. She's yours to watch." He gives me a pointed look. "Just remember—we're protecting the family first. If she's a problem..."

He doesn't finish the sentence. He doesn't need to.

"Understood," I say, rising from my chair. "I'll see you at dinner."

As I leave Damiano's office I try to ignore the anticipation coursing through me. I tell myself it's just the thrill of solving a puzzle, of uncovering a potential threat.

But deep down I know it's more than that. Much more.

I step into the hall, my mind racing with thoughts of Hazel.

Before I can get too deep into these thoughts I nearly collide with Zoe rounding the corner. She's wearing a white sundress that makes her blonde hair seem even brighter against her fair skin.

"Whoa, sorry," I say, stepping back.

Zoe smiles, her green eyes taking in my expression. "No problem. You look like you're a million miles away." She glances at Damiano's closed door. "Did you piss off my husband in there? Just so I know what mood I'll find him in."

I can't help but chuckle. Zoe has that effect—cutting through tension with her directness. It's why she and Damiano work so well together. Where he's all controlled power, she's unflinching honesty.

"As far as I could tell he was typical Damiano." I shrug. "All business, minimal bullshit."

"So the usual," she says with a knowing smile. "Brooding but functional."

"Exactly. Though he did invite me to dinner. Ettore's making carbonara."

Zoe's eyes light up. "Oh, then he must be in a good mood. He knows that's your favorite. See you later then" She tilts her head, heading to the office.

I watch her disappear into Damiano's office, envying the easy relationship she and Damiano have built. Despite all the darkness in his past Zoe somehow found a way to his heart—and more impressively, got him to admit it.

Hazel

I don't remember falling asleep. The last thing I recall is sinking into the most comfortable mattress ever and my body finally giving in to exhaustion after days of fear and tension.

A sharp knock jolts me awake. For a terrifying second I think I'm back in Austin—or that Elliott has found me. My heart hammers my ribs as I sit bolt upright.

"Hazel? You in there?" Evelyn's voice filters through the door and relief washes over me.

"Yeah, come in," I call out, my voice still rough with sleep.

The door opens and Evelyn steps inside, looking perfectly put together in a navy blue dress that hugs her curves. Her dark hair falls in soft waves around her shoulders.

"Hey there, Sleeping Beauty." She smiles, crossing the room to sit on the edge of the bed. "You should start getting ready for dinner."

I rub my eyes, trying to clear the fog from my brain. "Dinner?"

"Yes, dinner. That meal normal people eat in the evening?" She smirks. "You must be starving. You haven't eaten anything since you got here."

My stomach growls on cue and I realize she's right. Between the stress of fleeing Austin and the shock of seeing Matteo again, food has been the last thing on my mind.

"What time is it?" I ask, glancing around for a clock.

"Almost six. Dinner's at seven." Evelyn stands and walks to the massive closet in the corner of the room. "Let's find you something to wear."

I push back the covers and swing my legs over the side of the bed, wincing as my bruised ribs protest the movement. The pain is a stark reminder of why I'm here.

"I brought clothes," I say, gesturing toward my small carry-on.

Evelyn glances at my bag with a look that's almost pitying. "No offense but I'm guessing you packed in a hurry. Besides, Lucrezia insisted I help you find something nice from the guest wardrobe."

She throws open the closet doors to reveal rows of clothing in various sizes and styles. "The Ferettis keep this stocked for guests who need something to wear."

"That's... thoughtful," I say, unable to hide my surprise. It seems excessive to keep an entire wardrobe just for visitors.

As Evelyn rifles through the clothing options a question that's been nagging at me since the airport finally bubbles to the surface.

"Evelyn," I start, keeping my voice discreet even though we're alone, "these people... are they criminals?"

Her hands pause on a hanger and she turns to face me. For a moment she just looks at me, her expression unreadable.

"They're mafia, Hazel."

My jaw literally drops. I knew something was off—the mansion, the security, the way Noah and Matteo carry themselves like men accustomed to, even looking for, violence—but hearing it confirmed feels like being doused in ice water.

"Mafia?" I repeat, my voice barely above a whisper. "Like, actual mafia? With guns and... and..."

"They're Italian," Evelyn says simply, as if that explains everything. "Well, except Noah. He's Mexican-American. But yes, the Feretti family is one of the most powerful crime families in New York."

I sink back onto the bed, my legs suddenly too weak to support me. "And you're... what? Dating one of them?"

"Noah and I are a couple, yes." She pulls out a dark green dress and holds it up. "This would look amazing with your coloring."

"Evelyn!" I hiss. "I don't care about the dress right now. You're telling me you brought me to a mafia compound?"

She sighs, laying the dress on the bed beside me. "I brought you somewhere safe. Somewhere Elliott can't reach you."

I can't argue with that logic. Elliott might be powerful in Austin but even he would think twice before crossing a New York mafia don.

"Who exactly am I about to have dinner with?" I ask, trying to wrap my head around this new reality.

"Damiano Feretti is the don—the head of the family. His wife Zoe is lovely, you'll like her. Enzo Feretti is Damiano's brother. He's... intense but he's fair. Lucrezia you met." She pauses. "And of course, Noah and Matteo."

Matteo. The name sends a flutter through my stomach that has nothing to do with hunger. Matteo Caruso—the man who gave me the most incredible night of my life three years ago—is mafia.

"What's Matteo's role in all this?" I ask, trying to sound casual.

Evelyn gives me a curious look. "He's Damiano's enforcer. Handles security, the things that need… handling."

The euphemism isn't lost on me. Enforcement. Handling things. Violence.

"And you're okay with all this?" I can't keep the judgment from my voice.

"It's complicated," she repeats, but her eyes soften. "Look, I know how it sounds. But these people—they've been good to me. And they'll be good to you too."

I take a deep breath. "Okay. I guess I'm having dinner with the mafia tonight."

I pick up the green dress from the bed, running my fingers over the silky fabric. It's beautiful—the kind of thing that would have cost me two weeks' pay back when I was bartending.

"Do you mind if I..." I gesture vaguely toward the bathroom, suddenly self-conscious.