"Oh."
A slight red flush blossomed on the pale skin at the neckline of her dress. I watched, fascinated, as it spread up her throat to her cheeks like a fog creeping across an open field.
She cleared her throat and picked up her drink again. "Guess we'll just stand here awkwardly until my owner gets back then."
I frowned, disliking her choice of words. "Your owner?"
"Yeah. That's what he is," she told me. Then she shrugged one shoulder. "But I did it to myself, so I can't even be mad about it. And that's what really irritates me the most."
"What did you do?"
"I lost," she said with a self-deprecating smile. "That's what I did. I lost the bet."
So what Luca had heard was true.
"But I didn't lose everything. Just myself." She gave me another strange smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I'm kinda used to that."
I wanted to ask what she meant, but we were out of time to talk. Luca and Gino were returning. I tried to read Luca's expression as they rejoined us, but he was locked down tight. That couldn't be good. Gino, on the other hand, was all smiles as he signaled to the bartender for a refill. I felt, more than saw, Luna's entire body stiffen at the return of Gino, and her words echoed around in my head.
I narrowed my eyes as he wrapped an arm around her waist and dropped a kiss on her shoulder, images of him sliding her dress down and pressing his wet lips to her bare skin making my skin hot and prickly.
"Tristan."
It took me a moment to realize Luca was trying to get my attention. "Hmm?"
He stepped closer, blocking my view of Gino. "I mean it," he said, so low I could barely hear him. "Leave her alone."
I wondered idly if Gino was treating her well. By the stiff set of her spine and shoulders, I would guess the answer to that question would be no. It made my skin itch to think of his hands on her, and I frowned...
"Tristan."
Luca's tone had changed. "Yes?"
"I need you to relieve Paulie outside. Watch the gate. All of the guests are here. No one else should be coming in."
I nodded once to indicate I understood, then strode purposefully across the room to the front door, checking my weapon discreetly as I went. I never thought to question the order. And I didn't look back at the woman with Gino again. But I didn't need to. Her image was seared into my brain.
Besides, I would see her again soon. Very soon.
CHAPTER 2
Tristan
It wasn’t easy to get onto Gino’s property, but I managed, and I only had to take out one of his guards to do it. Later…much later…it would occur to me that Luca wouldn’t be happy about that. But in the moment, the only thing on my mind was seeingheragain.
Luna.
She’d taken up a permanent residence in my head since I’d left the wedding reception earlier that evening to watch the front gate, per Luca’s order. And even though I knew Gino would want to show off his winnings every chance he could, and I’d have plenty of opportunities to see her again, it wasn’t good enough. I couldn’t wait. Something drew me to this woman. Something that tugged at my ribcage deep within my chest. And I found myself standing outside of Gino’s house mere hours after we’d met, searching for a glimpse of her like some kind of fucked up stalker.
The old house where Gino resided was a sprawling one-story with a high wall surrounding it that took up nearly half of the two-acre lot and gave the occupants a false sense of security. Ideally, Gino should have twice as many guards as he did. More men on the wall, and at least four more patrolling the property. And where were his cameras? It had been ridiculously easy for me to scale the wall in a darkened corner of the yard and stay in the shadows as I snuck up to his home.
As ornery as Gino was, it was a miracle the man was still alive, being so exposed. He might as well be standing in the middle of a field, an open target to his enemies. As was anyone else in this house. There was no way in hell I would’ve been able to sneak onto Luca’s estate, and I was tempted to knock on Gino’s front door and inform him of how easy it was for me to get past his guards. But for now, this suited my purposes. Perhaps after, I’d offer to help Gino improve his security.
After what, I didn’t know. Just…after.
Gino’s home also had an obscene number of windows, no drapes or blinds hiding what went on behind closed doors, and it took me under a minute to locate her in a room on the left side of the house.
The next thought that came to my mind was that he was puttingherin danger by being so lax with his security. What if it wasn’t me sneaking onto his property but someone who wanted to fuck Gino up and didn’t give a shit who they went through to do it? A flash of anger scorched through me, so icy cold it burned within my veins, and my hand hovered over the pistol strapped to my side.
