Chapter 1
Three Years Earlier.
Alexandria's POV
"Thank you both so much."
"There is no need to thank us Allie." My cousin Christian says with a sigh. "You are family and you are welcome here anytime."
"And we love our gorgeous nephew!" Frankie squeezes my five year-old son Noah who giggles at his Aunt's antics.
We have been in New York with them for the last two months. Christian and Francesca DeLuca and their two daughters Claudia and Ellena live six months of their lives in New York and six months in Sicily, of course, that is easy to do when you are billionaires.
"Do we have to go home mama?" Noah asks in his charming Italian accent.
"Si, il mio amore. Your Nonno needs us back at the restaurant."
I smile down at my gorgeous boy. My happy place. Noah is my everything. He certainly wasn't planned but that doesn't mean I love him any less. I shouldn't make him pay for my shitty decisions. Shitty decisions that included sleeping a sexy guy I met in a club on New Years, a guy of whom I don't even know his name.
I do remember his striking green eyes but walking down the streets of Sicily they are everywhere including on my Noah.
"Why you thinking so hard?" Christian asks concern marring his features.
"Am I doing right by him?" I ask and Christian sighs.
"Of course you are. His father was an idiot looking for a one-off thing-"
"I didn't exactly-"
"Not done. He is an idiot because he didn't realise what a good thing you are. You are amazing Allie, just raising Noah all by yourself proves that."
Two Years Earlier.
After leaving Noah with Christian and Frankie I make my way to the only place I want to be right now. My family restaurant, the pride and joy of the Romano family.
"Oh papa." I sigh into my hands as I rest on the bar. I thought my father would live forever he was stubborn enough and yet here I sit with unshed tears in my eyes after sitting through his funeral.
I look around at the silent empty restaurant, my silent empty restaurant. With a sigh I rest my forehead on the bar.
The front door jingles and I don't even look up.
"Sorry, we're closed." I say in Italian automatically.
"Alexandria Romano?" A male voice asks.
"I said we are-"
"Closed. I heard." He cuts me off and my head snaps up as I turn to face the intruder. "Are you Alexandria Romano?"
"Who is asking?"
"I'm Sylvester Ferraro." He stretches out his hand but I don't move. I have heard of the Ferraros and not because of the multimillion dollar company or their fancy hotels.
"Get. Out."
Sylvester holds his hands up in surrender with a slight smirk gracing his lips.
"I come in peace. Your father and mine had an arrangement and well, it is that time of the month."
"My father is dead."
"Which means our arrangement now falls with you."
"No."
"Excuse me?"
"Get. Out." I repeat myself and Sylvester just smiles.
"I'll be back in a few days Ms Romano."
He stalks out without another word and I move in a daze locking the front door to avoid any more encounters.
"What did you do Papa?"
...
"Did you sleep here?" Christian's voice wakes me and I almost fall of my bar stool.
"Apparently." I mutter.
"What happened Allie?" He asks staring at the empty scotch bottle in front of me.
"Did you know if dad was having money troubles?"
"None that he told me."
"Me either. Which is why I found it weird that Sylvester Ferraro visited me last night."
"Did he hurt you?"
"No. Just said he'd be back in a few days."
I lead Christian back into my father's office and the two of us poor over the books. The restaurant is struggling, no struggling is to nice of a word, it is failing.
I bite back a sob and Christian sighs.
"You didn't know?"
"N-No, he never said anything."
"Maybe he was too proud."
"Well look where that got him." I snap. "You idiot Papa!" I scream at the roof and my emotions get the better of me.
"You need some real sleep Allie, and not just drunk sleep."
"But I need to-"
"Sleep. The restaurant isn't going anywhere. Open tomorrow night right now you are going to sleep."
"What about the Ferraro's?"
"I'll handle it."
I allow Christian to put me in the town car that takes me back to the DeLuca's Italian estate. My family home could fit within its walls at least a hundred times over.
"Have a good day Ms Romano." Christian's driver says as he opens my door.
"Thank you." I say softly as I walk towards the house. There is little movement in the house making me think that most of the occupants are still in bed.
"Christian told me to expect you and send you straight to bed." Frankie's voice surprises me.
"I should check on Noah."
"He is fine."
"But-"
"Bed."
"You remind me of my grandmother."
"You are welcome." Frankie winks before pointing up towards my room one more time. I sigh and follow her instructions.
Maybe I do need sleep.
...
Sylvester's POV
Alexandria Romano was not what I expected. I didn't even realise old man Romano had a daughter until the poor bastard died. I could have walked away, hell, I should have walked away. What the Romano's owed was peanuts but I wanted an excuse, any excuse to be in the presence of someone so shockingly beautiful.
Her face when I said my name told me everything I needed to know. She knows exactly who I am, who my family is. She knows what we stand for and she detests it.
Her face screwed up, her nose wrinkling slightly and it would have been cute had she not been pointing her disgust at me.
"Did the Romano girl pay?" My brother Jonathan asks as I walk in.
"Nope. Yelled at me."
My other brother Maximus laughs.
"Well don't worry then. We don't need it, his debt was almost paid." Jonathan says with a shoulder shrug.
"Nah." I argue. "What would that look like? You die and your debt is just null and void? Sets a bad precedent." My brothers eye me curiously.
"So how hard were you?" Max asks.
"What?"
"Just wondering if you are thinking with your dick." Max smirks and before I can slap him upside the head Jonathan's phone rings breaking the tension. We all recognise that ringtone.
The Don.
Marcelo Morretti was born Don of his own faction and when he married our cousin Anna, operations combined.
"Ferraro." Jonathan answers. He nods along with whatever Marcelo says before turning his phone on speaker mode.
"We are all here." Jonathan says in English.
"Which one of you just cost me one billion dollars?" Marcello roars across the line and the three of us look at each other honestly dumbfounded.
"Ah...we have no idea what you're on about." Max says softly.
"Christian DeLuca just pulled one billion dollars from a new Sparrow Industries resort because we, to quote him, messed with his family. Which one of you is responsible?"
Again we stare at each other for a moment.
"None of us have had anything to do with the DeLucas." I say.
"I didn't realise they were in town." Jonathan adds.
"No, not DeLucas. His mother's family, Romano."
"Fuck." I mutter as my brothers glare at me.
"Well?"
"I just went to collect. The old man borrowed and it was time to pay." I explain.
"How much?"
"A couple of thousand."
"You cost me one billion for a couple of thousand? Are you fucking kidding me Sly?"
"I was just doing my job."
"Well I'm giving you a new one. Your number one job is to suck up to Alexandria Romano and have her convince Christian to reinvest. I don't care what you do. Treat her like a goddam Queen!"
Marcello hangs up before I can argue.
"Told you." Jonathan says and Max laughs.
"Fuck off both of you."
...
The Romano is buzzing when I arrive. After being closed for a few days it looks like the locals are supporting the family business. A young hostess greets me as I walk in.
"Good evening sir, did you have a booking?"
"No but I was wondering if Ms Romano was available?"
"Allie?" She clarifies and I nod. "Does she know you are coming?"
"No."
She is quiet for a moment before she pulls out her phone. Her fingers fly across the keypad and about a minute later she looks up.
"She is on her way."
"Thank you." I step to the side allowing her to greet the next customer. I watch as from the back of the restaurant Alexandria emerges. She moves elegantly through the room smiling at the customers. Her smile disappears completely when she sees me.
"You are not welcome." She snaps at me in a low voice.
"I simply wanted to talk Alexandria."
"Ms Romano." She corrects me, I ignore her.
"Could we talk in your office?" I ask and her brow furrows.
"Outside." Without any notice her small, cold hand wraps around my around wrist and she is dragging me outside.
It is fairly cold outside and I notice her shiver. I make a move to offer her my jacket but she holds her hands out stopping me.
"Don't."
"You're cold."
"I'll live."
"I was trying to be a gentleman."
"Good for you."
"You don't like me."
"Well spotted. What do you want?"
"Your debts have been wiped."
"Excuse me?"
"You no longer owe my family."
She nods and I notice the corners of her lips tugging up slightly.
"Good. Well goodbye." She moves towards the door but I grab her hand.
"Wait."
She looks back at me curiously. She doesn't walk any further but she tugs her hand from my grasp before easing an eyebrow and waiting for me to talk.
"Dinner."
"What about it?"
"Let me take you to dinner."
"No."
"Lunch?"
"No."
"Coffee?"
"No."
"I want to make it up to you Alexandria. I want make things right."
"Ms Romano." She corrects again. "And no need. No hard feelings."
"Friends?" I asks with a genuine smile and she gives me a small one back.
"Sure."
"Are you saying that so I will go away?"
"Yes."
"Well at least you are honest."
"That makes one of us." She quips and it hurts more than I show.
"My friends call me Sly."
"How appropriate."
We stand in silence before Alexandria shivers again.
"I should get back to work."
"Do you have a table available?"
"Why?"
"Well I'd like to eat what else would one do at a restaurant?"
Alexandria rolls her eyes and I can tell she is holding back her temper. Without saying a word she spins on her heel and marches back through the front doors. Unsure what else to do, I follow her.
By the time I'm through the door I see her talking to the young hostess.
"Lucy, please see that Mr Ferraro has his choice of table."
"Of course Allie."
I stare dumbfounded as Alexandria retreats back into her office and I'm left with Lucy the young hostess fluttering her eyelashes.
"If you'd like to follow me?" She picks up a menu and obediently I follow her out on to the restaurant floor. I look back over my should at the direction Alexandria went and sigh.
Why am I so flustered over some woman?
