10. Chapter 10
Chapter ten
Luciana
E milio and I were sitting across from each other in a steakhouse. I had never heard of the place, but Emilio insisted it was the best one in NYC.
“I can’t believe you wagered your wedding ring,” Emilio said.
“I knew I was going to win,” I said, shrugging.
“I don’t know if I should be upset or impressed by your confidence.”
“Impressed, obviously.”
“Alright,” he said, and I could tell he wasn’t upset. “Good work, Jaws.”
“Can you believe I won tickets to The Met Gala?!” I gushed.
I was freaking out. Only famous and talented people get invited there. Well, and people that donate an obscene amount of money to The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Emilio sat and listened to me gush. The dim lighting of the steakhouse cast a warm glow on his face as he leaned back in his chair, a contented smile playing on his lips. I couldn’t help but admire how the soft light accentuated the sharp angles of his jawline, making him look even more handsome than usual.
Despite my internal turmoil over whether I should be feeling this way about my husband, I couldn’t deny the flutter of excitement in my chest every time our eyes met. Emilio’s gaze held a warmth that I hadn’t expected when we first met, and now I found myself drawn to him in ways I couldn’t quite comprehend.
As the server brought out our steaks, I noticed Emilio’s eyes soften as he looked at me. It was in complete contrast to the facetious grins he normally shot me.
“What is it?” I asked.
Just as quickly as it had happened, his gaze vanished.
“Medium well? I figured you’d prefer it bloody.”
A freaking shark reference. Back to the normal Emilio, I guess.
“I prefer my food alive. I’m going to eat this idiot when I get home tonight,” I responded.
He laughed. “Sounds like a lucky guy.”
As we dug into our steaks, the savory aroma filled the surrounding air, mixing with the sound of sizzling meat that made my mouth water. Emilio cut into his steak with precision, savoring each bite as if it were a delicacy beyond compare.
“Oh,” he put down his fork and pulled out his wallet. “I forgot to give you this.”
He pushed an Amex black card across the table, with my name engraved on it.
“Oh, I don’t need it,” I said. “I have my own money.”
“Doesn’t matter. You’re going to take it.”
I resisted the urge to talk back. We were having a decent night together, and I could just shove it in the back of my wallet and forget about it.
“Alright.”
“That was pretty tasty,” I said.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” Emilio replied, a twinkle in his eye. “How about we take a stroll in the park to walk off that delicious meal?”
The two of us made our way to the park around the corner. We strolled down the path, the walkway poorly lit with broken street lamps.
I didn’t notice a protruding piece of concrete, and tripped. Before I could fall, Emilio’s hands were around my waist, making sure I stayed upright.
“You alright?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
He kept one arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me in so close I could feel the warmth of his breath on my cheek. Our bodies pressed together, every inch of us connected, the closeness was almost suffocating but also exhilarating.
“I think I’m good now,” I said.
“I know.”
I’m glad the streetlights were broken, because I didn’t want him to see how embarrassed I was right now.
We kept walking, and he started using his thumb to rub circles on my hipbone. I didn’t think it was possible for my heart rate to increase anymore, but apparently it was.
“You know-“ I began, but someone interrupted me.
A man jumped out of the bushes, holding a knife. A mask obscured his face.
“Fucking freeze!” he said. “Hand over your purse and wallet.”
I cowered against Emilio. It was like my body had forgotten how to move, and I couldn’t do anything.
Emilio let go of me, which I desperately did not want him to do. But, although we didn’t know each other well yet, I knew he could take care of this situation.
“It’s a shame you disturbed my wife and I,” he said.
I could barely tell what had happened because Emilio had moved so fast. He rushed the would-be robber, disarmed him, and pinned him to the ground. Emilio picked up the dropped knife and held it to the man’s throat.
“It looks like I’ll just have to take care of you,” Emilio told the man.
I would not let him kill this guy over an attempted robbery. From what little I could make out of the man, it seemed like he was pretty young. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy and sadness for this desperate, misguided soul standing on the brink of his own demise.
“Emilio!” I said, finally speaking.
“Yes?”
“Put the knife down. I think he learned his lesson.”
Emilio looked at me, back at the man, and scowled at him.
“You’re lucky to get off this easy,” he said.
He was trying to say it in a volume that was low enough that I wouldn’t hear, but I still overheard.
Emilio’s grip on the robber tightened for a moment before he lifted his upper torso and slammed the man into the ground. Dark blood oozed out of his hair down the sidewalk.
The tension between us was palpable as I stared at Emilio, trying to make sense of what had just happened.
“Did…you kill him?” I asked.
“Nah,” Emilio responded, standing up. “Knocked him out. I was accidentally a little too rough.”
“Oh.”
“Sorry you had to see that,” he muttered.
“It's alright.”
I knew what he did for a living, after all. He might be all smiles and sarcasm for me, but when he wasn’t around… I could only imagine the dark things he was up to.
Seeing “The Butcher” in action differed completely from theory.