“Easy there, cowboy,” I say. “It’s dark in here and I don’t need you accidentally pulling on my dick like that. It’s long enough as is.”
She palms my erection and then gives me a sultry look while she works the fastenings of my pants. Her soft palm grips my cock and she wraps her fingers around it, stroking the head with her thumb.
“Who knew there’s a man alive who actually doesn’t lie about his dick size?” she says.
A huff of laughter escapes me. “I lie about many things, but that isn’t one of them.”
Linda leans forward and presses her body to mine. I tilt her head and seize her mouth, feeling the vibrations of her moan on my lips.
“Don’t walk away from me when I’m talking to you!”
The man’s shout has me jerking up my head and seeking out the owner of the voice. Beyond the windows, a woman dressed in blue enters my line of sight with her curls bouncing around her neck and the material of her dress rippling from her hurried movements. She turns to look over her shoulder and I catch sight of her face.
Carina Nardone, daughter of Paolo Nardone; A dangerous man who’s on the Wolf Pack’s council and also an ally of my enemy.
“Don’t worry about them,” Linda says. She tightens her hand on my cock and that grabs my attention. All of it.
I take her wrist between my fingers and gently squeeze. Her gasp is hardly discernible above my words. “Thank you for the tour and I’ll be sure to know if I need a reservation.”
I’m quick to set my clothing to rights as I cross the room, my long strides eating up the distance in seconds. “I’ll be sure to give you a tip for your services,” I say without glancing back.
Linda’s grumbling reaches my ears, but I can’t make out what she’s saying and I don’t give a shit. Nardone has his daughter trapped in a corner, and from the stiffness of his spine, he’s likely to snap.
I slip outside, but I’m careful to make sure the door doesn’t slam behind me. Nardone isn’t aware of my presence and I want to keep it that way so I can observe him uncensored. And he is not holding back.
“Do you really think,” he sneers, taking another step toward Carina, “you can speak to me that way, andhereof all places?”
She lifts her chin. “I’m just talking to you the way you speak to me. If you find it rude, you should change your tone.”
“You will apologize, and you will do it now!”
Carina stands to her full height and it’s not much. However, her internal fire and unwavering pride make her appear taller than she actually is. And it’s impressive.
“No,” she says. “I’m done with you telling me what to do and treating me as though I’m nothing more than a means to an end.”
I slink in the shadows and slowly approach, my gaze never leaving the heated exchange. It’s hard not to stare at Carina. She’s fucking beautiful, but more so when she’s furious. I’ve only seen her once before this night and it was brief.
Yet, I’ve never forgotten her.
She jabs a pointed finger. “I’m not going to marry anyone, especially not the men inside. All of them are just like you and only see women as something to use and then discard. I value myself more than that and I won’t let you sell me for millions of dollars you don’t even need.”
“You will do exactly as I say, because if you don’t, you will suffer as never before.” He curls his hands into fists and my body tenses. “Get back inside and make yourself presentable before returning to the gala. If you can, target one of the Wolf Pack members for conversation. Only an alliance with one of those men will get you back in my good graces.”
“Fuck you,” she snaps. “And fuck your good graces.”
I break into a run.
Nardone seizes her throat and shakes his daughter while she frantically yanks on his hold, her body thrashing. He raises his other hand, fisted and ready to inflict damage. My hand shoots out to intercept the downward arc, catching him by the wrist. Both father and daughter swivel their heads in my direction, giving me the full weight of their stares.
“Pleasant evening we’re having here,” I say, my voice mild and cheerful.
Nardone drops his hands, but I position myself in front of Carina before letting go of him.
“Silvestri,” he grinds out between clenched teeth. “This is a private conversation between my daughter and me, so I’ll ask you to leave us.”
The venom in his voice indicates he’s not going to ask me anything. More like demand. For someone like me, I find that vastly annoying. However, I have no wish to piss off one of the most powerful men in the underworld, even if my family name could protect me.
I shift my stance, bringing Carina into my side view. Nardone can’t kill me on neutral territory, but that doesn’t mean he won’t. Now, or later on, somewhere else.
