“I believe these women reside in New York,” Salvatore stated, his voice implying all sorts of things that scared Francesca.

Her gaze jumped to his face. “Emmanuelle took care of it,” she reminded softly. “She beat the crap out of them.”

Stefano shook his head. “No one touches you, Francesca. Not ever. The three of them won’t have a fucking thing left when we get through with them.” His hands ran over her, as if inspecting for damage. “Fucking bitches. They knew the score. They wanted publicity, and they got it. They’ll be getting more than they can ever handle now.”

He looked at his cousin Enzo and nodded. Just once, but Francesca was certain Stefano was giving his cousin an order. Enzo walked a distance away, punched in a number and put his cell phone to his ear.

Stefano curled his palm around the nape of Francesca’s neck. “I haven’t been with any of them for over a year.”

“But they kept trying,” Francesca pointed out. “The first night I was in your apartment, they called you. Sent you pictures.”

“Mostly Janice. She was the worst of them. I should have known it was a mistake to hook up with her.”

Francesca winced and looked down at her hands. This was all too much for her. Life in the fast lane wasn’t for her. She wasn’t in their league with their fast hookups and casual sex. She didn’t work like that. The music pounded a beat in her head. The lights moved in a variety of colors throughout the room. Bodies swayed or danced to the beat while the sound of conversation and ice clinking in glasses felt like shards of glass pressing into her head. Why had she ever thought she had a chance with a man like Stefano Ferraro? It hurt to think of him with women like Doreen, Stella and Janice. It didn’t lessen the hurt because the encounters were casual.

“Il mio piccola bella amore, I can’t change the past as much as I’d like to,” he said softly. “I can only tell you that you have my future. Only you.”

He said it out loud. Right in front of his family. His blue eyes held hers captive and she couldn’t help but read the sincerity there or hear the honesty in his voice.

“I’m sorry these women tried to hurt you, dolce cuore. I’ll take care of it. You need a female bodyguard to accompany you into dressing rooms and restrooms, Francesca. I’ll get on that immediately. Emilio and Enzo have a sister, Enrica . . .”

“No.” She shook her head. “I’m not going to have a bodyguard. I won’t, Stefano, and there’s not a single thing you can say that will change my mind.”

His eyebrow went up and his mouth settled into a hard line. “It’s a matter of your safety, Francesca,” he reminded quietly.

He didn’t argue, she remembered. She sighed. “Let’s just drop it, Stefano. The three of them are hiding out in the restroom and probably will remain there until we leave.”

Stefano shook his head, looked to Emilio and Enzo, who was back. “The police have been called.”

She went white. She knew she did. She felt the color draining from her face and she shook her head adamantly. “No. I don’t want to make out a report or bring charges against them. I won’t talk to the police, Stefano, not ever again.”

Salvatore’s white teeth flashed and he nodded approvingly. “Good girl. This is a family matter. We don’t talk to the police—not ever.”

She didn’t understand what he meant by that, because already she could hear sirens above the music, which meant the police were right outside. Enzo must have called them on Stefano’s orders.

“You aren’t going to press charges, Francesca,” Stefano said gently. “The police have been notified that the attendant in the ladies’ room observed three women using and selling cocaine in large amounts. The police will find plenty of evidence to back this charge up. No one will mention an assault, especially not Janice, Stella or Doreen. They can kiss their careers good-bye.”

Her hand went defensively to her throat as bouncers escorted six police officers along the edge of the dance floor back toward the ladies’ room. Ricco, at Stefano’s nod, followed Emilio and Enzo, she guessed to represent the Ferraro family as owners.

“Stefano, actresses and actors and singers tend to do better whether publicity is negative or positive.”

“Not in this case. My family has an investment in several entertainment fields, including their record label. Every contract has a clause for certain types of behavior. It’s never exercised, but it’s there in case it’s needed.”