Velvet Lullabies

Vinny huffed.

“Non-negotiable.” Lucian said before Vinny could argue.

“Fine.”

“I’ll handle her enforcers.”

“No.” Vinny snapped. “Roberto knows her, her schedule, and he works for me.”

“Not anymore. If you want this arrangement, Roberto will report to me until her schooling is over and I’ll assign someone else to her as well.”

Lucian heard a glass slam on the other end of the line. “Fine. But when will this problem be handled.”

The “problem” he was referring to was the Irish.

“Soon.”

Vinny sighed again. “Not giving me much to work with.”

“I’m telling you I’ll get it done. That’s all you should need.”

Lucian had an excellent track record of getting shit done. He was a problem handler.

“Fine.” Vinny finally said.

“Nice talking to ya.” Lucian tapped the end button and tossed the phone on the couch.

He wasn’t about to get pissed off now when he had a beautiful woman in his bed.

He would make this work.

Adelina DeMarco was going to be safe.

Chapter Nine

“He’s here!” Angelo shouted.

Adelina smoothed her hands down the silk red dress, the ninth grade Christmas dance was waiting and so was Theo Maranzano. This was the first time Adelina was old enough to attend one with Theo, and she was nervous. She hadn’t realized that Theo was every girls dream man. He was far enough ahead of her in school that they hadn’t been in the same building since elementary school, but now they shared a building with 500 high schoolers.

Another boy had asked Adelina to the Christmas dance first, Eric Bentley. Theo was angry when he found out, angrier than Adelina had ever seen him. Within thirty minutes Eric was no longer interest in going to dance with her. Then the rumors started.

Adelina Lucille DeMarco was off limits.

She found Theo at the bottom of the staircase standing next to her father, who was beaming at the site of her. “Mi bambina, you’re beautiful.”

She kissed him on the cheek, “Thank you papa.”

“You look great, topolina.” Theo told her.

And that was the beginning.

???

Be ready at 7.

That was all Lucian’s text said.

So much for not being demanding.