Under Pressure [IAD Agency] (Siren Publishing Classic)

to, but I don’t know if I could handle the work.”
    “ Impossible ! You will do the work. And how could you fail with me by your side! A small place, si ? Intimate. Keep them waiting for our genius, panting, begging for more. I will not accept any other answer but yes!” He made a slashing gesture in the air as if she had no choice in the matter.
    Jason continued to rub Bella’s back slowly in comfort as he considered the idea thoughtfully. He knew from personal experience that Bella was a master at her craft, and he begrudgingly had to agree that Giovanni Cossi was quite talented. Jason had eaten at Gio’s restaurant, Perfetto , in Italy, and it had been a very memorable meal. How could he begrudge this man who was trying to make Bella’s dream come true?
    “It’s a brilliant idea.”
    Bella turned to Jason in shock. Unguarded doubt shone from her eyes, and it left an ache in his chest. “Darling, think about it. A small place where you can change the menu at will. Imagine how much fun you could have. Plus you can hire a brilliant staff so the workload would not be that bad.”
    “Not too small,” Adrian argued with an encouraging smile. “You would need enough space for all of us. You know, tables for your regulars.”
    Gio looked him and his brother up and down before saying, “As long as you pay. We would go broke in no time flat if we gave you free food regularly.”
    Rock scoffed at Gio’s dry tone.
    Bella trailed her fingertips along the counter, ignoring their banter. She had wanted this for so long. Was it really possible? “Give me some time to think about it, Gio.”
    Gio wanted to argue but he conceded with a quick nod. Getting Bella to think about it without her flat out turning him down was a small victory in itself.
    “Good, good.” Gio’s smile was back. “I am staying at your apartment, or should I say your old apartment. Antonio let me in. Now what is this about a party the delectable Jenna was telling me about?”
    Both the Savage brothers tensed, and Gio winked at Bella. Of course he had noticed the interest the twins had paid to her assistant. As jovial and carefree as Gio acted, Bella knew he never missed anything. She laughed as tried to figure out how to con Gio into helping cook for her army.

Chapter Nineteen
     
    “No, no, no! Too much basil in the sauce!”
    “Shut up, you arrogant swine! Do not tell me how to make my sauce! Don’t touch it! I’ll kill you, I swear. You philistine! You overrated line cook! Go finish the ravioli dell'aragosta over there. Stay away from me or I’ll take a meat cleaver to your head, you crazy bastard!”
    Slade and Finn sat in absolute shock, watching as Gio reached over and smacked a kiss on Bella’s snarling mouth. Tony, Danny, and Liz simply smiled as they were used to Bella and Gio’s volatile nature while in the kitchen.
    Jason fought the need to shift in his seat, restraining the urge to go pound on the man cooking in his kitchen as he did every time Gio touched her. The urge had weakened as Jason watched them bicker like siblings or bitter enemies throughout the day and he saw firsthand the lack of physical intimacy involved. Sure, Bella and Gio were both passionate people who obviously loved each other, but that love was similar to the love between Bella and her brothers.
    As the day continued, Jason found himself ridiculously pleased each time Bella’s voice rang out a dire warning of the promise of violence. He hated having any man’s hands touch Bella but his own. It was an uncomfortable feeling for a man who had never before suffered the pains of jealously, but he tried to hold back the need for violence every time he saw another male come into contact with her. She was naturally affectionate to those around her, and he knew without a doubt she would have a great deal to say if he voiced his opinions on the matter out loud. Hell, she was likely to take a meat cleaver to his own head and accuse him of having another stupid male moment as she called it when she thought he was being unreasonable.
    He smiled at the thought.
    Although Bella had lived through a horrible situation, she was no one’s pushover. With her fiery temper and zest for life, she shone like the sun in the dark shadows of his world. She was his match in every way. Jason’s attention was brought back rather abruptly in the form of a sympathetic grimace as Bella threatened to cut off one of Gio’s rather favored appendages.
    “Ouch.” Tony grimaced.