Ciao Bella Read online

  * * * *

  Bella knew something was wrong the moment she arrived back at the restaurant. Her father was talking to her brothers in the hallway and the conversation was heated. She felt conflicted right now because the feds warned her about the danger they were all in and the potential to see jail time if she didn’t help them. Yet, family was number one and most important. She couldn’t lie to them, nor would she keep them in the dark.

  “What’s going on?” she asked and they all turned to look at her.

  “Are you okay?” her father asked her.

  “Yes, why?”

  “You were gone a long time.” He glanced at her brothers.

  “It takes time to go to Fayetteville and then come back. I still don’t know why the driver left those boxes,” she added, kind of feeling them out to see any exchange. Then she felt guilty. Was she assuming that her father and maybe her brothers were doing something illegal? That maybe Costano forced them to?

  “You can’t be going off like that on your own. No more, Bella. Understood?” Her father raised his voice. She squinted at him.

  “Is there a specific reason why I shouldn’t? Am I in danger?” she asked, feeling him out. He looked like he was biting the inside of his cheek. “Just abide my rules, Bella. I need to get back to the kitchen. We’ll talk later tonight and go over things,” her father said to her brothers and he walked away. She could tell by their expressions that they were concerned.

  “What is really going on?” she asked them.

  “Just do what Dad asks,” Cordero warned.

  “When you spoke to the driver of the truck, what was his excuse for missing those packages and leaving them behind?”

  “He said he had another pick up or drop off for another store in a different town. I knew we needed those boxes, so I went to get them.”

  “Don’t do that again. One of us will go if need be,” Ricardo said and Frederick was inhaling and exhaling like he wanted to say more.

  “We need to get back to work. Let’s go,” Cordero stated firmly and they all headed back to work. She went into the office and felt even more confused and frustrated. Why did it seem that her family was up to something suspicious? What was she going to do? She had to talk to them. Had to make them come clean, to tell them about the agents, but how could she if they were doing something illegal? They would try to cover it up, or they would run, or tell her not to help the agents, and then they would all go to jail. The restaurant once again would be destroyed and her family torn apart. This was a mess!

  * * * *

  “When will you hear from Track’s informant?” Slane asked Vince after they got a table at Ciao Bella’s and ordered some food.

  “Hopefully any minute. It makes me feel a bit uneasy knowing that there is a person or people in this town that are part of this case. That they could be helping to transport illegal product across the state, and even aid some piece of shit terrorist.”

  “Agree with you completely. It’s just so crazy the way this information is coming out. I mean it all seemed on the small side of things, aside from Asid’s involvement. Could still be a small operation, but these types of little set-ups combined across the US and it has the makings for serious crime,” Slane said.

  “It sure does. Just think about it. About how if a guy like Asid could ultimately compile small groups of men and organizations like this across a certain area and then set up a simultaneous hit. Jesus, we’d all be fucked. It would be an attack on US soil,” Chord added.

  “It sure as shit would be. The only thing making me think that it isn’t something like that are the records of what specifically is being transported. It’s guns, ammo, drugs, not explosive devises or even the ingredients to making something,” Vince said to them.

  “Maybe because of our military background and what we normally bring to the other cases we worked on, that perhaps we’re focusing on the wrong person and the wrong intentions. What if this is just coincidence that Asid is involved, or maybe his connection to Valderez and Vasto is just that? Valderez and Vasto have continuously engaged in similar illegal activity over the years,” Lucky told them.

  “You could be onto something. I suppose since the feds are involved, those two assholes we all love so much, to be specific, are running that aspect, we should focus on these warehouses and trucking company and who is in charge of those. That way when we get the okay we can raid the places and arrest these pricks,” Slane said.

  “Excuse me a minute.” Chord stood up and Slane followed his line of sight. Bella was smiling and talking to a few people at a table and making her way, doing the rounds to see if the patrons were happy. When Chord approached her and placed his hand on her hip, Slane felt his heart race and his cock throb.

  “Jesus, anyone else feel that?” he asked.

  “Look at them. He towers over her,” Vince said.

  “Hell yeah I feel it. Fuck, he’s pulling her over,” Lucky said and Slane could tell that Bella wasn’t so willing, but she didn’t want to make a scene while she held on to Chord’s arm and he pulled her along with him, his arm around her waist. When she got to the table with him, she smiled at them.

  “How are you all doing this evening? Is there anything you need?” she asked.

  “You,” Chord said against her hair as he pressed up against her back. She placed her hand over his forearm that was wrapped snug around her waist. “Chord, please, we’re in the restaurant.”

  “Then let’s go outside, or down the hallway,” Chord said and Slane’s heart beat faster. It was so crazy how the sight of his brother holding her close, saying the things he said to her, aroused Slane.

  Vince’s cell phone rang and he stood up. “I need to take this,” he said but gave Bella a wink, and as he got up he caressed her arm before walking past her. Belle’s jaw dropped slightly and her cheeks flushed. “Come sit down a minute,” Lucky suggested and patted Vince’s empty seat.

  “I can’t, I’m sorry.” She looked over her shoulder. Slane caught sight of a tall guy, kind of husky, and his eyebrows furrowed as he headed toward them.

  Chord caressed her back. “Just for a few minutes. I want to make some plans.”

  “Bella.” She turned and stepped from Chord’s hold. Lucky stood up and Slane did too.

  “Are these guys bothering you?” he asked and moved her behind him. She held on to the guy.

  “No, Cordero, they aren’t bothering me.”

  The guy looked at them and then narrowed his eyes at Chord.

  “Any reason why your hand’s on my sister?” he asked.

  “Cordero, stop it. They’re friends of mine, of Van and Stoli. You’ve seen them here before,” she scolded.

  “I know who they are, I want to know what’s going on,” he continued.

  “You’re making a scene. Now stop it. Please.”

  “We mean no disrespect. We were asking Bella to join us for dinner,” Chord said with his hands on his hips. Slane knew that look and that stance. He was ready for whatever her brother threw Chord’s way. Cordero eyed him over, and then looked at Bella.

  “You didn’t eat because you were out getting that delivery. go ahead and join them.” Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

  “Excuse me? It isn’t your decision if I sit here and join them or not. It’s mine,” she told her brother. “Excuse us,” her brother said and took her arm and then turned away with her and whispered to her. Whatever her brother said she looked taken aback but then exhaled. She turned around and took the seat next to Lucky and Slane, but she looked pissed off.

  They all gathered around except for Vince who had taken a phone call and hadn’t returned. Slane inhaled the moment she took a seat next to him. She smelled so good, something light, fresh, and appealing to his senses.

  “What would you like to drink?” Lucky asked her.

  “He’ll bring it over,” she said and she seemed ticked off.

  Chord took the seat next to Lucky and partially across from her.

&
nbsp; “What did your brother say to you?”

  “Nothing,” she snapped at him.

  “It didn’t seem like nothing,” Chord said holding her gaze. Cordero brought over a glass of wine and a tray of other drinks, beer, bourbon, and wine for the others.

  She reached for the glass, they took theirs, and she tilted it toward them. “Thank you for the invite,” she said and then took a sip. Slane watched her, and Chord leaned back and kept one arm over the empty chair as he took a sip from his bourbon. “So, what did your brother say to you?” he pushed. She held the glass of wine and shook her head.

  “Come on, talk to us. We aren’t the bad guys,” Slane said to her. She turned slightly to look at him. “No, you aren’t the bad guys, and I shouldn’t let my brother get under my skin. I’ll be fine in a few more sips,” she said and smiled softly. Slane looked down at her. She was so feminine and petite, sitting in the chair, legs crossed, skirt lifted higher but not too short, and her blouse hung open slightly, revealing her deep cleavage and a small gold heart pendent that lay right between her breasts. Everything about her was sexy, and she was classy too, yet he just got this feeling like she wasn’t too experienced. He didn’t know why he thought that. Maybe the statement about having a few sips of wine would make her be okay. He didn’t know. He placed his arm over the back of her chair.

  “You have three brothers, right? I think that was what Stoli said that day we met one of them, Ricardo.”

  “Yes, I have three brothers. The other one you didn’t meet is Frederick. He’s over there tending bar.” She nodded toward the main bar area. Sure enough Slane saw all three brothers there watching them.

  “They going to give you hell for having dinner with us?” Lucky asked her.

  “Are you kidding me? Cordero just pushed this. He said you’re all soldiers and big guys, that you have great reputations and I would be safe sitting here with you instead of heading out to hang with friends.”

  “Was that the plan? To go hang out with friends?” Lucky asked her.

  “Maybe,” she said to him. Lucky reached out and touched her chin with the pad of his thumb and pointer. “I think it was a better idea to sit here with us.”

  “I don’t know about that,” she said to Lucky.

  “Do you want to get to know us?” Lucky asked her, and Slane felt like he was holding his breath.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Sure you do, sweetie. You and I in the park was the beginning of things,” Chord said, and she glanced at him and then lowered her eyes. Lucky stroked her jaw.

  “Let’s enjoy dinner together and then see what happens.” he suggested.

  “Okay,” she replied and then they started to talk about the upcoming events this weekend in Warriorville, and she mentioned a party here tomorrow evening, and a very full restaurant.

  * * * *

  Vince clenched his teeth as he listened to Track give him an update.

  “Are you fucking kidding me? Who is this guy?”

  “His brother owns Ciao Bella’s. I’m trying to get confirmation on Antonio Puchenzi, and so far he has a small trucking company that do lumber deliveries and stuff. People can rent the trucks. His brother Luigi keeps his truck at the brother’s place, and it was seen on surveillance picking up products at the warehouses on our list, as well as dropping off at places that were not on their route. Everything is coming together on that end, and it seems they are involved with transporting goods.”

  “Bella’s father and uncle, how about the brothers?” Vince asked and he was seeing red. His brothers and he all liked Bella. In fact he had a feeling when he walked back in there she would be at their table. When the McCantry brothers set their eyes on something they went after it. What if she was involved too, or what if she didn’t know her family was involved?

  “This is bad. I want more concrete evidence, and we can start by putting surveillance on each of the family members.”

  “Already in the works. I think I’ll cover Bella. You know, feel her out see if she is part of this,” Track said to him. Instantly Vince was jealous and pissed off. Plus he had some questions for her, but he knew he couldn’t exactly go interrogate her. At least not yet.

  “It’s a sticky situation, but considering she’s sitting at my table with my brothers right now I guess the one who is going to be doing surveillance will be me.”

  “Ah shit. Are you serious? You’re eating there tonight and Bella is with you guys?”

  “Yeah.”

  “How are you supposed to remain professional? What if she is involved, then what?”

  “We’ll handle it,” he said and he told Track he would get things going and see what else they could find out about this family and their connections to Asid.

  * * * *

  “So what exactly do you do here for the restaurant?” Vince asked Bella as they all enjoyed their meals.

  “I mostly take care of the bookkeeping and waitress as needed. I can tend bar. I can even cook in the kitchen if there is a crisis.” She smiled. It seemed to her that Vince was really asking a lot of questions and some different ones that made her feel a little on guard.

  “You had a place in New York, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Where was it?”

  “Brooklyn, why do you ask?”

  “Just wondering. How was business there? Seems to me a restaurant in the city would be booming with all the people traffic,” he asked.

  “The neighborhood was going downhill. Too many criminals. Plus my dad’s brother lives out here and they hadn’t seen one another in years. They both wanted to make amends after not speaking for some years. Anyway it all worked out.” She took a sip of wine. She tightened up when she felt Lucky’s hand on her knee, and then he was caressing it along her thigh then back over her knee. It was crazy but when one of them touched her or looked at her, she felt an instant attraction. When they all looked at her as one of them touched her, her body heated up.

  Vince continued with his questions, and then she decided that she had enough,

  “Well, I enjoyed dinner, but I really need to head out.”

  “Where are you going?” Lucky asked.

  “Home.” She dabbed her lips and then put the napkin down.

  “We’re all done. We can walk you out. Maybe talk you into a drink at Mulligan’s or something?” Slane asked her as they stood up and paid the bill.

  “I need to go grab my things from the office. You really don’t need to walk me out.”

  “I’ll follow you to your office,” Vince said before his brothers could. She could tell they picked up on his interrogation, and they were being cautious now too, and kind of looked at her in a way that made her feel like she was guilty or something.

  As she walked down the hallway, his brothers went out the front door to wait.

  She glanced over her shoulder as she opened the office door. He looked at the boxes on the floor, and that guilty feeling hit her again. She really needed to talk to her brothers. She reached for her bag and then felt Vince take her hand. She turned around to look up at him, and he had her caged in against the desk. She inhaled and stared up into his dark blue eyes. He looked very serious and he was intimidating. He stood as tall as the others, six feet four, maybe five.

  “You’re very beautiful, Bella, and it would be great if you would continue the night a little longer with us and have a drink at Mulligan’s.”

  “I don’t know. I’m pretty tired and it was a long day.”

  He reached up and stroked her hair and cheek.

  “Why was it a long day?”

  “I worked and was doing the books, then the guy who picks up our supplies forgot four boxes at the warehouse in Fayetteville. I had to go there today and pick them up then drive back and—”

  He stood straighter and slid his arm around her waist.

  “You were at some warehouse alone today? Why didn’t your father or brothers go?”

  “They were all busy. It’s okay, Vince, I
’ve had to do things like that before. It isn’t a big deal.

  “No, it is a big deal. You never know who might be hanging around places like that.”

  “Oh, you don’t need to tell me,” she said in retort. He was staring at her lips.

  “We should head out.”

  “In a second.” He seemed like he wanted to say something or ask something, but then he continued to caress her cheek, slid his palm under her hair and head as he held her gaze, and she didn’t turn away when he lowered closer and kissed her.

  Bella was shocked. Not only by how this was happening but also how much she needed this. To be held by such a large capable man and after the day she had. She kissed him right back and felt him explore her body. He cupped her ass and pulled her snugger against him. He moaned into her mouth and thrust his tongue in exploration. She gripped onto him, and the feel of muscle and steel beneath her palms and fingertips made her moan too. This was insane, yet it felt right, despite the trouble that could lie ahead for her and her family. If she could have this moment, this time tonight with these men, then she was okay with that. It felt incredible, and she had this overwhelming sensation and feeling of safety.

  As he eased his mouth from her lips he continued to suckle against her neck, and he nipped her shoulder bone and then finally slowed down.

  “Holy shit, Bella,” he said as he stared into her eyes and cupped both of her cheeks. He held her gaze and looked deeply into her eyes, at her lips, her face. His expression affected her entire body. She worried her bottom lip. “We’re in serious trouble here,” he told her then kissed her one more time.