“Hey, Felix.” Dino seemingly materialized out of thin air next to me. The man was disgustingly good at it, and I had no idea how—six and a half feet of lanky muscle, all long lines and quiet power. You’d think someone that tall would be impossible to move unnoticed, but somehow he managed it effortlessly.
Fuck. I did not feel like dealing with him right now.
“Dino,” I said curtly. “Is this an emergency?”
He grinned, tilting his head like he’d just spotted a secret no one else knew. “Emergency? Maybe. Depends on who you ask… or who’s asking,” he drawled, letting the words hang in the air as if teasing me.
I narrowed my eyes, not bothering to hide my irritation. “If it’s nothing, I don’t have time for your games, Dino.” My gaze flicked to Tessa for a moment, sharp and protective, before returning tothe lanky man at my side. “And if it is something, then make it quick.”
“Oh, I just thought I would check in to see how you were doing with that information I provided you.” He paused, eyes flicking to Tessa, one of his dangerous smiles spreading across his face. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Dino, but you can call me—”
I stepped slightly forward, letting the subtle shift in my stance do the talking. “—Dino,” I finished for him, leaving no room for his teasing.
“All the other men’s wives call me Tall Dino,” he complained, grinning like it was the funniest thing in the room.
“Felix and I aren’t married, so I guess you’ll have to stay as Dino for now,” Tessa said, her voice light, teasing, but with an unmistakable spark of defiance.
Marriage. The word hit me like fire. My chest tightened, my hands itched to pull her closer, to mark her as mine so completely that no one could ever claim her. Panic flared, but it was laced with something darker: the thought of waking up to her, seeing her smile meant only for me, feeling her under my control every second of every day. I couldn’t let anyone else have her, couldn’t let the world touch her. She wasn’t just mine tonight—she had to be mine always.
But let’s face it. I wasn’t a “marriage” type of guy. Dark, dangerous, and always prioritizing the cruel world I lived in. That was who I was. Nothing, not even her, could change that. And yet, the thought of her, mine in ways no one else could claim, lingered like a dangerous temptation I couldn’t shake.
“Alright, Dino,” I said, my voice leaving no room for negotiation. “I will talk to you later.”
“Ok, ok,” he said. “I hope things are going well with that information I gave you. Let me know if you want any help.”
Just as quickly as he had appeared, Dino disappeared, his body slinking through the crowd as liquid as water.
“That was… interesting,” Tessa said, a confused look on her face.
“Dealing with Dino is like dealing with the human version of the Cheshire Cat.” I let my gaze sweep over her, slow and deliberate, noting the way her cheeks flushed slightly at my tone. “Always grinning, always teasing, and impossible to take seriously.”
“Dino doesn’t seem too scary, for a man in the mafia. Just messing around all the time,” she said, tilting her head.
“You should fear him more than anyone else here,” I said, letting the weight in my voice settle over her like a warning she couldn’t ignore. My eyes flicked to hers, and I saw that spark of curiosity and defiance that made my chest tighten.
She didn’t flinch. Instead, she leaned back in her chair, studying me as though testing the limits of my control. It made my blood burn hotter. If she wasn’t afraid of Dino, if she wasn’t afraid of me, then I’d have to remind her who held the power between us.
I slid a stack of chips toward Tessa, the soft clink breaking the tension. “Let’s play,” I said, my voice low and deliberate. “But not just for money. I want something that matters.”
Her brows furrowed, suspicion flickering in her eyes. “What kind of something?”
“A wager,” I murmured, leaning close enough that my breath brushed her ear. “One you won’t forget. If you win, you’ll earn yourself something you’ve been wanting. A little freedom, perhaps. But if you lose…” I let my gaze drag over her body, slow and deliberate. “You’ll belong to me for the rest of the night.”
She hesitated for only a breath before squaring her shoulders. “Deal.”
The game was quick, her eyes darting from my hands to her cards, determination tightening her features. When she finallyslapped her cards down and realized she’d won, a triumphant smile broke across her face.
I let the corner of my mouth curl, hiding the fact that I’d played my hand deliberately weaker. I wanted to see that fire in her, wanted her to believe for a moment that she could beat me.
“Looks like I win,” she said softly, her confidence threading through each word.
“Yes,” I drawled, leaning back in my chair, my gaze never leaving hers. “For now.”
I watched Tessa savor the small, private victory and felt something like approval knot with the possessive pull in my ribs. Let her taste it; let her think she could take me. It made her more dangerous, more tempting. I let my fingers toy with a chip, rolling it between thumb and forefinger, slow and deliberate. Around us the room hummed on, but the rest of the world narrowed to the set of her jaw, the way her lashes dipped when she blinked, the small rise of her shoulder when she shifted in her seat.
“Drink?” I asked, voice casual, though the question was a holding pattern, a way to stretch the moment. When she nodded, I signaled for two glasses and ordered something sharp.
The next round would be different. I’d stop letting her win little things. I’d test the edges she’d shown me, press until the line between defiance and surrender blurred. For now, though, I let her confidence sit between us like a tiny flame and I kept my hands off it, savoring the inevitability of what came next.
