Chapter 66 The date
Jason’s POV
I arrived at Rossi’s twenty minutes early.
The restaurant was upscale …white tablecloths, soft lighting, a wine list that cost more than most people’s monthly rent. I’d reserved a private corner booth where we could talk without being overheard.
The hostess led me to the table, and I ordered a scotch while I waited.
I checked my phone, the time was 7:58 PM. I took a sip of scotch and stared at the empty seat across from me.
I didn’t understand it. This attachment I felt to her.
Yes, she was beautiful. Devastatingly beautiful, actually. She had this quality about her…like a siren and an angel somehow mixed together. Dark brown hair that caught the light. Eyes that saw too much. A mouth that was made for sinful things even though she seemed completely unaware of it.
But it wasn’t just her beauty.It was the little things.
The way she played with her hair when she was nervous, twisting strands around her finger. The way she took pictures of everything…sunsets, coffee cups, random architectural details…like she was trying to capture the world before it slipped away. Her excitement about small things. The way she bit her lip when she was thinking.
The way she’d looked at me in my room earlier, anger sparking in her eyes, threatening to hit me with her iPad.
It made me want to chase her. Made me want to crack through that careful control and see what was underneath.
I checked my phone again. 8:03 PM. Then I saw her.
She walked through the restaurant entrance, and every head turned. She wore a simple black dress. It was modest and elegant, with long sleeves that covered her neck.
Her long brown hair was down, falling in loose waves past her shoulders. And her eyeliner. God, that sharp wing that made her eyes look mysterious.
She was stunning.And she looked annoyed.
I smiled despite myself.
She spotted me and walked over, her heels clicking against the hardwood floor.
“I didn’t know if you’d come,” I said as she slid into the booth across from me.
“Well, here I am.” Her voice was clipped. “I want answers.”
Straight to business. I liked that about her.
“Would you like a drink first?” I gestured to my scotch. “The wine list here is excellent.”
“I don’t want wine. I want information.” She leaned forward slightly, her eyes intense. “You said you’d tell me the truth. So tell me.”
In my mind, I knew I couldn’t tell her everything. The Five Families operated on secrecy. Revealing too much could get us both killed.
But I could give her enough.
“Alright,” I said finally. “What do you want to know first?”
“Start with Lord Zeus. Who is he?”
“My grandfather. Gavin’s father.” I took another sip of scotch.
“He built an empire from nothing. Started in Greece decades ago and expanded across Europe, then into Asia, then here. Now he controls more wealth and power than most small countries.”
“What kind of empire?”
I smiled. “The kind that has its fingers in everything…shipping, real estate, finance, politics. The kind that makes kings bow.”
Her eyes widened slightly. “And Gavin… he was part of this?”
“He was supposed to inherit all of it.” I leaned back in the booth. “Zeus groomed him from birth. Trained him. And shaped him into the perfect heir..”
“But he left,” she said quietly.
“He abandoned it.” I let a hint of bitterness creep into my voice. “Abandoned the empire. Abandoned Zeus. Abandoned everything for… hockey.”
I watched her face carefully. Saw the flicker of emotion there. Confusion. Sympathy.
“Why?” she asked. “Why would he walk away from all that power?”
“Because he’s a coward.” The words came out harsher than intended. “Because he couldn’t handle what it took to rule. So he ran. Built himself a nice, clean life with his sports team and a cozy family. Pretended he was something different.”
“That doesn’t sound like cowardice.” Her voice was soft. “That sounds like… choosing himself and it takes so much strength to do that.”
I fought back the irritation that flared. She was defending him. Of course she was.
“Maybe,” I conceded. “Or maybe he just couldn’t handle the pressure. Either way, Zeus never forgave him. And now…”
“Now what?”
“Now Zeus is dying.” I let that sink in. “With cancer. And has six months to live, maybe less. And he wants Gavin back. He wants him to take his rightful place before it’s too late.”
Her hand came up to her mouth. “Oh my God.”
“That’s why the symbols appeared last night,” I continued. “That’s why people were chanting. Zeus sent a message. Reminded everyone who Gavin really is. Where he comes from. What he owes.”
“But Gavin doesn’t want to go back,” she said. It wasn’t a question.
“No. He doesn’t.” I swirled the scotch in my glass. “He’d rather let his own father die alone than return to that world. Kind of cold, don’t you think?”
She was quiet for a long moment, processing.
I’d given her just enough truth.
“What about you?” she asked suddenly. “Where do you fit in all this?”
“Me?” I smiled. “I think my father is a coward, and I want him to go back.”
The waiter appeared, breaking the tension. “Are you ready to order?”
Melissa hadn’t even looked at her menu. “I’m not hungry.”
“Two of the specials,” I told the waiter. “And a bottle of Bordeaux.”
When he left, Melissa was staring at me. “I said I wasn’t hungry.”
“You need to eat.”
She opened her mouth to argue, then closed it. Sat back in the booth with her arms crossed.
“Is there anything else you want to know?” I asked.
“Yes. But I have a feeling you’re not going to tell me.”
Smart girl.
“I’ve told you what I can,” I said. “The rest… you’ll have to figure it out on your own. Or ask Gavin directly. Though I doubt he’ll be honest with you.”