Page 46 of Revenge & Truth

“Tonight, you’re all mine, and I don’t plan on sharing any of your attention with others,” I explained. “Plus, you need to be aware of your status in Springmont and what being the boss of the biggest company in the state means. Not everyone is going to have your best interest at heart.”

The smile on her face since seeing the car dimmed just a little. “You’re right, we might be pretending to be average people without any worries, but I shouldn’t ever forget I’m a Caprioni.”

Pausing, I caught her chin, gently forcing her to meet my gaze. “No, Astin, it’s not you who needs to remember who you are or the place you hold in this world. That is a task for everyone else around you to worry about. I said be aware of that status and how you interact with others, meaning hold that head up high and be the queen I know you are.” I brushed my lips over hers in a featherlight kiss before tucking her arm through mine and entering the restaurant.

Ivory was a classy tapas restaurant that believed their food should be the star of the show. It was this belief that led them to create an entire restaurant with only shades of… you guessed it, ivory. People milled about in the lobby waiting to be seated or for the valet to bring their car. We walked right up to the host stand bypassing three other groups waiting to speak to the gentleman behind the small desk.

When the maître d spotted me, he smiled and completely ignored the man speaking to him. “Mr. Cohen, I’m so delighted to have you and your lovely guest joining us this evening.”

“It’s good to see you, Parsons,” I greeted. “Allow me to introduce you to Lady Astin Caprioni, the newly appointed head of Caprioni Enterprises after her father’s passing.”

Parsons’ eyes widened, and he was momentarily dumbstruck with the bomb I’d dropped on him. For about a year, he’d been trying to get me to bring the Boss here, but Colmazio wasn’t a man who liked being out in public unless it was absolutely necessary. When I made the call, I told him I was bringing someone important, but I didn’t want to spoil the surprise for the man.

“Excuse me, I’ve been waiting for an hour when our reservation this man lost was for five o’clock,” the man who had been speaking to Parsons grumbled. “You’re gonna have to wait your turn just like the rest of us.”

Parsons looked like he was about to be sick with the way this man was speaking to us, but before either one of us could say a word, Astin spoke up, “Is this a first date?” she asked the woman standing at the man’s side, refusing to look at any of us, embarrassed.

At Astin’s question, she looked up and shook her head. “No, it’s our five-year wedding anniversary.”

“Congratulations to you both,” she offered a genuine smile that faded as she stepped into the man’s personal space. “However, I’m sorry to tell you that your man never made a reservation here and is making a scene to try and pressure this man into giving you a table. I’m also gonna take a wild guess and say he totally forgot what today was until the secretary he’s been fucking behind your back mentioned it to him. Save the money you’ll be spending on this dinner and get yourself one hell of a lawyer to take him for everything he’s worth.”

Reaching into her clutch, Astin pulled out a card and gave it to the woman. She took it reluctantly, her gaze shifting wildly between her husband and Astin. “What’s this for?”

“In case you have trouble finding a lawyer or if this prick even thinks about laying a hand on you again. Call me, day or night, and I’ll make sure he understands what it’s like to be on the receiving end of such affection,” Astin explained. “You two have a lovely evening.”

“Fucking bitch,” the man snarled and made a move toward Astin.

I yanked Astin behind me, but before I could break this man’s face, a hand wrapped around his neck and yanked him back. There stood Boykov, a thunderous look on his face that caused the cheating man to pale and a wet spot to appear where he peed himself. “Lady Astin, please find your table while I take out the trash.”

“Thank you, Ralph, but please make sure he’s still alive when you’re done. His poor wife doesn’t need the stress of planning his funeral,” Astin added with a sweet smile, then gestured for Parsons to lead the way.

Instantly, the man ushered us forward to the restaurant’s second level near the windows that overlooked the botanical garden next door. “Your server will be over in a moment, but can I get the table started with a complimentary bottle of champagne?”

“I think that would be lovely,” Astin agreed.

Parsons gave a small bow and scurried off to the kitchen.

The section he’d seated us in had the tables scattered with a much larger space between them than was common. It gave the sense of having more privacy even if all the other tables were full. The sound of conversation was a soft hum accented with the gentle notes of instrumental music. Within a few moments, our waiter arrived with the bottle of champagne and poured us each a glass.

“Is there anything else I can get you?” he asked.

“No, thank you. We just need a few moments to look over the menu,” I answered.

“Very good. However, I’d like to offer you the chef’s choice option,” he suggested. “It’s an exclusive menu curated only once and displays the best we have to offer. If you choose this option, I’ll only need to know if there are any dietary restrictions to make the chef aware of.”

I looked over at Astin with a raised brow. “Your call, babe.”

“Is there anything on this menu you recommend over doing something like that?” Astin questioned. “Also, how often does this menu rotate?”

The waiter gave a surprised smile. “I see the lady is an experienced foodie. Our normal menu changes with the seasons based on what ingredients are available. As for your other question, I’d never skip the chance to do a chef-curated menu. They are some of the most amazing dishes you’ll ever eat.”

“Sold. We’ll let the chef decide our fate,” Astin decided. “Oh, and I have no allergies.”

“Neither do I,” I added. “If you could also choose a wine that would pair with the meal, that would be appreciated.”

“Excellent, I’ll get that all squared away,” our waiter assured us and was off.

I picked up my glass of champagne and tilted it toward Astin. “I propose a toast.”