An Aria in Venice: A Musical Interlude Novel by Kasonndra Leigh Page A

Luca answers, even
though Giovanni continues to ignore him.
    There’s
some kind of male testosterone, emotion thing or something going on here and
it’s already making me feel uncomfortable. I’m almost relieved Luca has made his
way to my side of the table and took a seat beside me. I was beginning to feel
like I should be looking for a path to the front door. And what’s the redhead
girl’s deal? She’s staring me down right now. Standing at a model’s height and
wearing four-inch stilettos, a yellow halter top, and a pair of ripped blue
jeans that I can’t help but wonder if they’ve been painted on, gives her no
reason to be insecure whatsoever.
    “You
should know this wasn’t my idea, Giovanni,” Rafe says to the man I formerly
knew as the Cruiser. “If I had my way …”
    “Good
thing this wasn’t your idea then, huh?” Giovanni responds. If I thought the
evening was hot before, it’s nothing compared to the way it feels out here
right now. Giovanni’s gaze slides toward Luca next, and then me. I get a
narrow-eyed glance, along with a hint of a smile, from Giovanni that makes me
want to crawl under a rock and hide.
    “Moving
up in the rankings, I see, little brother,” he says to Luca as he eyes me. No,
I think the better term would be he’s undressing me with his eyes. Suddenly, he
moves over to embrace him. The movement seems forced on Giovanni’s part, and
I’m not sure if Luca is going to return his brother’s hug. Eventually, his
hands move up and encircle his brother’s well-toned body. Almost as soon as
they release each other, Giovanni’s analytical gaze returns to me.
    “Do
I get to meet your friend?” he asks, giving me the once over, the kind that
makes me want to run home and grab every piece of clothing I can find to cover
myself. I choose to cross my arms tightly instead.
    “Do
we get to meet yours?” Luca asks, holding his brother’s gaze. A silent
conversation passes between them.
    “Forgive
my manners. This is Elle, my arm candy of the week,” Giovanni explains.
    “Ciao,
Elle, and welcome,” Simona says to the girl.
    “Nice
to meet all you good folks,” Elle says in a Midwest American accent.
    “This
is Adriana Dostovsky. Luca’s girlfriend,” Simona explains, taking my hand in
hers. “She’s coming with us to Venice.”
    “Dostov
… Dostov,” Giovanni repeats in such a way that makes me feel as though I just
got name fucked. His lips turn up in some type of smirk, the kind that’s a
cross between sexy and dangerous and maybe even a little borderline psychotic.
“As in the Dostovskys? You’re joking, right, Mama? Why don’t we invite the
Stalins over since my baby brother’s now fucking the daughters of Russian crime
lords?” This time I’m not imagining things. I get a narrow-eyed glare from the
Cruiser, and suddenly, I don’t want to be around this particular brother anymore.
I don’t care how sexy he looks. There have been times when I’ve thought about
getting married just so I could change my burdensome last name.
    “Back
off, Giovanni,” Luca warns, standing. His brother laughs, but the look in his
eyes doesn’t reflect his grin. The way Luca’s fists are clenched, the tension
in his arms, and the way he doesn’t back down from his brother’s
glare—although, Gio is the more muscular of the two men—tells me that the
designer who everyone considers a player can easily go from poetic to kick ass
in zero point no seconds.
    “It’s
all right, Luca. I’m used to people who enjoy making small talk about my
family,” I assure him as I glance at Giovanni and narrow my eyes, holding his
gaze that has now drifted to me. So this brother wants to be a challenge as
well. Not a problem. Trials and obstacles are the story of my life. He has no
idea just how well I can give him exactly what he wants. I am a Dostovsky.
Controversy runs through these veins of mine. I don’t know why I expect things
to be different with Luca’s family, but I’m