"You truly have no shame. Do you know this skirt barely covers my legs?" She challenged trying to make sure that he knows he pushed her out of her comfort zone. But of course, he knows his smirk was an answer enough.

"Those are very pretty legs, Clara, why would you hide them from me?"

"Y-you're impossible"

"Thank you"

"That wasn't a compliment," she said, taking an angry bite of her bruschetta topped with cherry tomatoes and parmesan.

"I will take it as one," Lorenzo said, sticking on his fork a slice of marinated eggplant. "Why are you so upset?"

"What do you mean, why? Isn't that obvious? I am jobless because of you and if you weren't aware I have bills to pay by the end of this month"

"Your father is a billionaire and you're worried about bills" Lorenzo stated. Without judgment, he simply didn't understand.

Clara knew her father would give her the money if she asked. But she didn't want to ask him, she didn't want to depend on him.

"I don't want his money"

"I wish I knew why but it feels like something we should leave for later. Don't worry about the bills I will cover it" Lorenzo assured.

After that, the waiter served them gnocchi with pesto as a first course. Clara closed her eyes with pleasure at the moment.

"Okay, so you're going to leave a good review I believe," Lorenzo said amused at the face she was making.

"One star. This taste is addicting, it should be illegal to sell something this good"

"Oh? But I don't mind doing illegal things" he said in a husky voice.

"Speaking about business," Clara said looking around the interior "It's not your only restaurant, right? As I told you before, little to nothing can be found about Vincenti family or your business. Just some vague wiki media and PR press releases.

"We're taking privacy very seriously. But as you know Rafael, my older brother has the majority shares in our family corporation. Practically, he's dealing with real estate and I am dealing with the hospitality industry. In recent years especially the food is in my interest. That being said the business is booming, I will be soon opening the new restaurant in Palermo"

Palermo? Like in Sicily? Woah. Clara would love to visit that place sometime.

"Have you ever been to Palermo before?" She asked, her eyes glimmering with curiosity.

Lorenzo smiled "My family is from Palermo. Our grandfather still has a business there. Me and my brothers would spend every holiday with him. He always wanted at least one of his grandchildren to come back and take over the business. Rafael, since he's leading our US-based company can't just come back there. Technically, I do. And that's what grandfather asked me to do" Clara sensed hesitation in his voice. As if he wasn't really keen to leave the city.

"What's stopping you?" She asked curiously, taking the last bite of her food.

"My family. I have two younger brothers. Leaving to Sicily would also mean seeing them less often. I like being around people I care about the most"

"Wait. There are two more Vincenti brothers?!" Clara looked shocked and Lorenzo started laughing seeing her surprised face.

"Remi and Milo. I told you our family likes privacy, especially when it comes to our younger siblings"

Lorenzo really sounded like someone who cherishes his family. When he was speaking about his younger siblings the softness appeared in his eyes, she never saw it before in his expression. A wave of sadness washed over her. Would Sante be like that to her if her parents hadn't divorced? She missed having a brother. That feeling of longing frustrated her to no end.

Suddenly, Clara realized something. Her eyes widened and she looked up at Lorenzo "Wait... is this why you accepted my father's offer? Because you don't want to come to Italy alone?"

"I had a lot of time to play around with women. But since I was asked to come back to my motherland I want to take someone with me. I can't take my family so why not make one? The opportunity arose when your father asked if I wanted to marry you. It's funny that I didn't have to spend a day to look for my wife"

Since the conversation naturally shifted to her father.

"Now I understand why my father was so eager to get me engaged to you. He wants to export abroad whatever shit he's doing" Clara stated.

"Be careful dolcezza. Don't stick your pretty little nose where it doesn't belong" Lorenzo warned and Clara met his eyes with an unspoken challenge. She was not going to sit quietly.

"I wasn't the one who got me involved but since I'm here I have the right to know," she said stubbornly. Lorenzo clearly did not share her opinion.

"Women can't work for us or with us. That's the rule. Your father follows it and so do I. Every honorable man does" Lorenzo stated.

Clara had a strong urge to throw something at him but she stopped herself last minute and took a deep, calming breath. The delicious meal in front of her tasted a little more bitter now.

"You intend to keep in the dark while you're doing business together only because of me?" Clara asked angrily. Those paranoid men could not trust people who were outside of their "families" so they came up with that stupid arranged marriages thing. But Clara was not about to just let them use her without getting something out of it. She didn't want to be a pawn.

"You know you can't be involved Clara, this discussion is over"

"This discussion is over when I say it's over"

Lorenzo laughed. "You're such a feisty little thing"

"Is this funny to you?" She asked, looking irritated at his brown eyes filled with amusement.

"It's a little funny that you think you can decide when the conversation ends, you won't learn anything from me about the business especially not now when you can quit our deal any time"

Suddenly Clara didn't want to argue anymore. "I want to go home"

"Antonio will take you. He's waiting outside" Lorenzo said, he regretted that he couldn't do it himself but he had a lot of work to do.

He didn't mean to make Clara sad but the sooner she learns that she can't be involved the better.

His world was dangerous and he would do anything to protect his family. Especially her.