Mafia Protection (Tomassi Series Book 1)

by AA Lee

  As Ella neared the front door again, Angelo opened it for her and waited. She did not walk through; instead, his gesture made her stare. Again, Angelo’s eyes met hers. She found a certain beauty within the severe dark color. It made the pit of her stomach knot as she realized an incredibly handsome man hid underneath the intimidating business suit. The gaze she thought seemed troubled before was not troubled at all. Was it an interest in her or simple curiosity? Ella did not know.

  “Thank you,” she said but continued to glance at him even after walking through the door. He was stern and yet a gentleman at the same time. Angelo must have had other matters, more important matters to attend. Santiago’s was on a much smaller scale in comparison to the hotel he had just purchased. He could not have been interested in the restaurant.

  “Well,” Ella smiled. “Here’s the bar—twenty feet long with another three feet around both sides. Solid hickory.” She knocked on the top and held out her arms wide. “And the strong glossy coating prevents the wood from ever being damaged by the sand and salt that might touch it. I think it’s absolutely beautiful, especially with the way the light shines off the top. I almost always sit at the bar.” She smiled with her words.

  “I like the display behind the bar,” Angelo pointed. “It looks like the owner keeps a well-rounded stock of liquors. There are plenty of choices for everyone.”

  Ella nodded and walked to the walls. “These are pictures that the customers donate. Mr. Santiago has them cleaned once a week. You should find no dust on these as you would in other restaurants. He takes really good care of the place.”

  Ella watched Angelo cross his arms and look at one. It was the shadow of a man looking out onto the ocean. Angelo’s eyes almost had the same expression as the man, a yearning for something yet nobody knew what. Maybe both got lost in their thoughts.

  “All right,” said Angelo as he turned away. I see the dining room is filling up. It is a good sign for the chef. I have seen the patio, so why don’t you show me that wine cellar that you raved about?”

  “Right this way, Mr. Tomassi.” Ella led him past several tables to the back, where a restored antique piano sat beside a tinted door. “This used to belong to Mr. Santiago’s grandmother. He has made some minor repairs, but he treats the piano like gold,” Ella said.

  “It is in pristine condition.” Angelo lightly moved his fingers over the polished keys as if hearing a silent melody. “It is a beautiful piece to have in the restaurant. Do any of the customers ever offer to play?”

  “Only a couple,” said Ella as she opened the door to the side. Angelo took a breath, briefly glancing at the piano and then following her inside.

  ***

  Ella walked around several dark oak pillars in the center of the cellar. An exquisite stairway led to the bottom, where bottles of wine were lined from the floor to the ceiling. “What do you think?” Ella asked and looked at Angelo for a few seconds before looking back at the stunning glass bottles. “The white wines and Rieslings are on the lower shelves.” She pointed. “And in the cubbies on top are the merlots and cabernets.”

  Angelo admired the manner in which she spoke to him. He actually felt like a person. Her attention was without selfish motives. She did not acknowledge his wealth or status, yet she still gave him the utmost respect.

  “Impressive,” Angelo emphasized as she turned back around. He smiled at her, hinting his interest that reflected back a curious stare. He found her intriguing—naïve. Ella never realized that he was not complimenting the wine cellar, although he did find the room attractive.

  “I like it too,” she said. “Do you drink wine, Mr. Tomassi?”

  “Yes, I enjoy wine if it is the right vintage.”

  “Do you have a favorite?” she continued. Angelo looked around and then back at her. Nobody ever asked him what he liked without trying to make a buck, but that could not be the case for Ella. She would not profit from his choice.

  “I have a few favorite years, but I doubt this restaurant carries them in stock.”

  “Maybe not, but they might. I want to give you a bottle. Besides, the wine is probably going to be sold in auction, so you might as well enjoy one.”

  Ella’s eyes lost their shine as she scanned the bottles from top to bottom. Angelo wondered where her attachment to the wine came from. She seemed young yet also informed. It was a strange combination to him.

  “I don’t mind the Dominus Estate,” he said quickly to sway her mind from whatever took away her smile. It was a decent bottle but at a much lower price than what they probably carried. He did not mind drinking it with dinner. He was not about to disclose his favorite bottle, one that cost just short of two grand.

  “You don’t mind it,” she said, “but it is not preferred, is it?” Ella glanced back and then started to look through labels, taking out the exact bottle. “I would have expected you to ask for the Chateau Ausone.”

  Angelo chuckled. She was right; he would have preferred the other. “What do you know of wine, Ms. Collins?” he asked, growing more interested with every word she said. He wondered if she had a genuine knowledge or learned it in books.

  “My father owned a wine cellar. He was so proud of it that it made me want to learn about wine too. I used to stand in front of the bottles completely mesmerized. I loved the different shapes and the labels and colors. As I got older, he would let me taste them. I guess that makes me a wine connoisseur.” Ella grinned, discrediting her knowledge with a smirk. “I’m not really an expert or anything, Mr. Tomassi, but I do know a lot about wine.”

  “I see that,” Angelo agreed.

  Ella smiled. She had the most amazing smile with the way her lips curved up and her eyes glistened. It was natural with no traces of deceit—real.

  “Here,” she said and handed him the Dominus Estate. “It is a gift. You can enjoy it here or after you leave.” Ella started toward the stairs but then looked back again. “Oh, were you finished with the viewing?”

  Hardly, he thought as she paused at the light switch, waiting for him to answer. Chills had started to form on her arms. Angelo wanted to talk to her more, yet he could not keep her in the cellar all night. It was far too cold with the thin-strapped dress she wore.

  “Do you have plans this evening, Ms. Collins?” he asked as they neared the exit of the cellar.

  “No, I don’t. I was going to go home and try to figure out how to keep those women from buying this restaurant.” Ella looked down and shook her head. “At least I can’t say that I didn’t try.”

  “Why don’t you share this wine with me? You have nothing better to do, and I have a full bottle of wine that I don’t want to drink myself.”

  “Mr. Tomassi,” Ella sighed. “I just said that I have to figure out how to keep this restaurant from being sold. That is very important to me.”

  “Yes, exactly, let’s talk about the restaurant while we have a glass of wine.”

  Ella’s mouth opened and then shut again. Angelo could see the flurry of thoughts run through her mind as she tried to reason what he wanted to talk to her about. Had Rafa been here, he would have advised Angelo against the entire idea. That is why he left Rafa back in Miami.

  CHAPTER 6

  This time Angelo led as Ella followed. He chose a table away from the chatter of the guests, a table opposite of the front door. His manners surprised her again. He pulled out her chair and waited for her to sit. Ella could not help but smile her appreciation at him. She enjoyed talking to him and felt more comfortable in his company tonight. Maybe his employment contributed to his stern disposition, but somehow she saw kindness behind his eyes. Maybe they were a touch sad—kind of like the painting on the wall.

  Ella quietly watched as he turned the bottle of wine over, inspecting it for imperfections. There was no dust. It had been stored properly and at the correct temperature. She knew he would find nothing wrong with it. All he needed now was an employee who would open it and give them some glasses.

  Then Ella re
membered that her friend Lila worked tonight. Ella shook her head as Lila started for the table. She wanted another server. Lila would surely say something about Ella being single again. Angelo looked up at her as she waved at Lila not to come. He must have caught the silent conversation out of the corner of his eye. Ella could only give a sheepish smile in return.

  “Good evening,” Lila greeted and set down two glasses. Angelo winced at the voice and Ella went quiet. She could instantly tell that Angelo had overheard Lila the previous week. Her cheeks grew pink all over again as she willed Lila to hold her tongue.

  “I’ll get that for you,” Lila said and opened the bottle for Angelo. Maybe having wine here was not a good idea after all. Ella should have recommended the back office to talk. “Would you like to see a menu?” Lila asked and set the bottle on the table.

  “No,” Angelo answered immediately. “We won’t need you any further tonight.”

  “All right,” Lila said. Ella exchanged looks with her. It was a desperate plea for Lila not to say what was on her mind. Lila started to open her mouth but seemed to catch on, and Ella exhaled a long, silent breath when she finally walked away.

  “How long have you been friends with the server?” Angelo asked and poured them both some wine.

  “Seven months,” she replied and took the glass he held. She was going to need the wine tonight, especially with Lila lurking about. “I met her here on the first day that I moved to Key Biscayne.”

  “Ah, so you aren’t from around here.”

  “No,” said Ella as she sipped a drink. “I am from the Orlando area. My family used to travel here twice a year. After I got my bachelor’s in business, I moved here permanently.”

  “And your parents don’t mind you being so far away from home?”

  Ella rested her chin on her hand as she looked to the side in thought. “I love Key Biscayne. I wanted to move here just for this restaurant. My father did mind at first. I don’t know what made him change his mind, but he did. He said I could live in the vacation home where we used to stay. It is not a big house, but it has everything I need. I wasn’t going to pass it up.”

  “I have never heard of anyone moving across state away from family just for a restaurant. What is your reason? It is clearly special.”

  “Mr. Tomassi,” Ella let out a breath. “Some things are just too hard to talk about.”

  “It’s okay. If you don’t want to talk about it, I won’t press you further.”

  She went silent for a minute. Ella looked down at the table in sad recollection. However, she would not cry about it—not again. Nothing would bring her mother back anyway. Yet even as she thought this, her mind resorted back to six years earlier to that dreadful day in October.

  Ella was two months into her junior year at boarding school. It was well past curfew when she heard the ding of the elevator door. She never noticed how loud that ding actually was until it echoed in the dead of night. Ella ran out of the elevator and down the hallway without making a sound. She had not meant to be late. It just took that long to complete the project. Her studies were more important than following a curfew. Her grades would be her ticket out of her sheltered life.

  The soft glow of the lights led her past the dean’s room and many others that lined the walls. She wondered how she ended up in a dorm room at the end of the hallway. Ella was relieved that they did not catch her coming in late again. Maybe they chose simply to ignore that she was late. It was obvious by now that she was not getting into trouble. They knew who her father was. They knew he was strict. It was not as if she could get into trouble if she wanted. Her father made sure of that. He always seemed to know what she was doing whenever she had tried. By now, Ella knew that she could get by with nothing without him knowing.

  “Melissa,” Ella said and shut the door behind her. “What is the matter?” Melissa was her roommate. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she did not speak a word. Melissa could only point.

  “Father?” said Ella. He was sitting on the sofa beside the dean. Ella looked at the book and notebook in her hands and thought it a little rash to expel her for studying hard. Then she noticed her father’s eyes. They were red as if he had been crying. His flushed face sent an instant chill into Ella’s chest. Something was not right.

  “Come here, Ella,” he said.

  Ella did not move. She had seen that look before except without the tears. It was when he told her he was sending her away to school in seventh grade. This was worse, much worse. She did not want to know the news.

  “Ella,” he said again.

  She shook her head. If he was here, hundreds of miles from Florida, the news was bad. There was no telling what he wanted to say.

  “Ella.” He started to stand. Ella had never heard her father’s voice so emotional. He had always been kind but also made of stone. Nothing made him waver.

  “It’s your mother, dear. I don’t know how to tell you.” Her father wiped his eyes as if not believing it himself. “The doctors did everything they could. I’m afraid she didn’t make it.”

  “What?” Ella mumbled. “How?” She saw words come out of her father’s mouth, yet she could not make out a single syllable. The room started to spin. A blur of her father, the dean, and Melissa merged with the small red sofa and the pale white walls. Her body pummeled to the floor. Even though her eyes had closed, Ella could see her mother’s smile as she sat next to her at Santiago’s. Her mother was real. Ella could hear her laugh. Her voice echoed in Ella’s head. This was only a bad dream. Her mother could not be dead.

  ***

  “Ms. Collins.” Angelo whispered her name and gently shook her arm. Ella looked at him but her expression still seemed dazed. “Ella.” He tried her first name, hoping it would bring her from whatever nightmare memory had taken hold. It worked. Ella shook her head and then looked around.

  “I’m sorry. I have not been pleasant company. It’s just that…this restaurant holds the last memories of my mother, and now I won’t even have that.”

  “I see.” Angelo now understood its value.

  “It’s all right, Mr. Tomassi. It’s been years since it happened. Maybe it’s foolish to hold onto the restaurant anyway. I know I should let it go.”

  “No, it’s important to you. There is nothing wrong with that. Why haven’t you asked your father for the money? Doesn’t this restaurant mean something to him too?”

  Ella shook her head again. “My father has pushed away anything that reminds him of my mother…including me. He made it clear that if I chose to move, I would be completely on my own.”

  “And you two don’t talk?”

  “No.” Ella slouched in her chair. “I have not talked to him since I moved. All I have is an emergency phone he gave me. I never use it. He doesn’t want to talk to me anyway.”

  Angelo thought about her father. How could a father push away his own daughter, especially one as sweet as Ella? She was the type of person who needed someone to watch out for her. She had a strong mind but still seemed a little naïve.

  “All right,” Angelo said and leaned forward. “Listen to me carefully. I have an idea that I want you to consider. Since the interested buyers want to sign paperwork tomorrow, that does not leave you much time. Are you with me so far?”

  “Yes, I am listening.”

  Ella looked at him with an unpresumptuous, serious expression. Her business-minded shift in demeanor almost made him smile. She must have known what he would propose, yet she did not jump to conclusions. She merely stared and waited to hear what he would say. If she felt that strongly about the restaurant, his money would go to a worthy investment.

  “I am willing to purchase this restaurant and let you manage it. It has a steady flow of business. I enjoyed the breakfast I ate last week. I haven’t tried anything off the dinner menu, but I see how this place is busy right now. That is a good sign to me. The owner has properly maintained the restaurant, so I will not need to remodel. It looks like an easy investment.”
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br />   Ella said nothing. He could see her thinking about what he said as her eyes looked at him and to the open dining area. Did his proposal shock her silent?

  “You want to buy the restaurant?” she asked.

  “Yes, that’s what I said,” he answered.

  “And have me manage it?” she mumbled, but her eyes started to shine at the idea.

  “Yes, that’s right. But I am going to have to see the books every few weeks at first,” he added.

  “I can’t believe that you would do that, Mr. Tomassi. You just purchased a hotel on the beach. Can this restaurant really benefit you?” Ella declared except she was not looking at him. She was thinking aloud.

  “Yes, it is not a big investment to me, but I will still see a return on my money unless you would rather it be turned into a gift shop. If you would like to see it stay a restaurant, you will need to manage it. I doubt there is anyone else who will give it the care that you have shown, and I don’t have the workers to have someone else run it with the purchase I just made. So, do you agree to the terms?”

  “The terms,” Ella started to stand. “Well I…” Her words faltered. Angelo was not sure if she would pass out or shake his hand. He stood as well in case he needed to catch her unconscious body. Angelo thought the news could have been more than she could handle. Having thought it would sell to now managing it was bound to take a toll on her mind.

  Ella did not move. She held onto the side of the table, looking at his face and scanning his clothes. If only he could put her thoughts into words. He considered how he might become more interested in her if he knew what she thought. Yet his patience was running thin the longer she waited to answer. He hoped that she would not be as absentminded when she ran the place. She could not lose her focus as manager.

  Angelo finally cleared his throat to snap her out of her latest thoughts, bringing her eyes immediately back to his. Then her lovely smile convinced him that he did the right thing to offer to buy the place. Ella did not give him time to admire her expression. She flung her arms around his neck and squeezed.