That’s when I felt someone watching me and turned to check. By now, I knew one thing for sure, no sane soul would dare step into Don Carlo’s room without permission. It was him, standing by the closed door. Jeans, a dark T-shirt, an envelope in one hand. Silent. Still. Watching.
The light was low, so I couldn’t see his eyes. But I didn’t stop moving. The glass slipped from my fingers and shattered on the floor. Still, I kept dancing, my hand reaching out to him. He hesitated for a moment, then tossed the envelope onto the bed and started toward me.
As he stepped into the light, I finally saw his face. His hair was longer now. The shadows made him look even sharper, more intense. I reached out, fingertips grazing his shoulders, feeling the heat and power beneath the fabric.
He raised an eyebrow and leaned in, his breath warm against my neck. “If I’d known six cocks would get you all hyped up, I would’ve set up a show sooner.”
I nipped at his ear. “I want to dance. I’m losing my mind in this prison.”
He pulled back a little, his thumb brushing over my cheek, eyes scanning my face like he was reading something between the lines. “I think I’ve got a solution for your mood tonight.” His gaze dipped to my breasts, then his hand settled firmly on my hip. “But first, we need to do something about this dress.”
“What’s wrong with my dress?” I frowned.
“Too American.”
“IamAmerican.”
He gripped my waist harder. “Not anymore. I’m taking you out tonight, to one of my clubs so you can dance till morning. But not dressed like this.”
“You don’t get to tell me what to wear.”
“We’ll see about that.”
***
An hour later, I was seated beside him in a sleek black car, dressed in a red, sleeveless dress that hugged my body and ended above my knees, and he was in a black suit. I was leaving that mansion after weeks. The rush of it drowned out everything else. I wasn’t angry anymore, I felt electric.
Like a kid sneaking out for the first time, I stared wide-eyed at the lights and crowds, soaking in the beauty of Rome at night. Carlo was working on his phone, fingers moving fast across the screen. Lorenzo drove. Maxim sat up front, eyes scanning the streets like a sniper waiting for trouble.
Two black SUVs tailed us, one in front, one behind, packed with armed men. It felt less like a club night and more like a presidential convoy. But then again, the Bruni family’s reach could rival any head of state.
When the car rolled to a stop, Carlo finally looked at me. “I’ve got a business meeting tonight. The club’s secure, I know everyone here. But just in case, Lorenzo and Giorgio will stick with you. Relax and have fun.”
I gave him a quick kiss and nodded. Inside, Carlo and Maxim headed straight for the upstairs VIP section with a few of the guards. I went with Giorgio and Lorenzo to the bar and ordered a vodka. Although I did my best to get them to drink with me, they stayed stiff and silent.
Fine. I wasn’t about to let a couple of human CCTV cameras ruin my night. A couple of drinks later, warm and buzzing, I slipped onto the dance floor. Lorenzo stayed back, watching from a distance. Giorgio, on the other hand, followed me in, but refused to dance. Which meant he kept getting jostled by people, and I couldn’t stop laughing every time he glared at someone for touching him.
Eventually, he’d had enough. He grabbed my wrist, dragged me to the edge of the crowd, and shouted over the music, “Stay here and dance all you want!”
People definitely noticed us, but no one dared lay a hand on me. Everyone in that place seemed to know exactly who they were. I should’ve felt awkward, like some drunk girl spinning around by herself. But I didn’t. I felt powerful.
Time disappeared in the pulse of the music. My hair was damp, my skin slick with sweat. I finally stepped off the floor to catch my breath and headed down a dim hallway toward the restrooms. Halfway there, a hand grabbed me from behind. I turned, startled, only to see Giorgio frowning down at me.
“Where are you going?”
“I need to pee, genius,” I shouted, half-laughing.
“Out of sight, out of reach. You’re not going in there. We’ll use the bathroom in the boss’s room” He took my hand again, pulling me back the way I came.
“Wait, Carlo has a room here?”
He opened the door and flipped on the light. It was an office, minimal but expensive. “Over there.” he nodded toward a narrow hallway at the far end. “I’ll wait here.”
I went in, did my thing, and when I came back out, the sudden darkness made me gasp in fear.
“Giorgio?” I called out.
No answer. My pulse kicked up. The door was closed, and the room was empty. Or… not quite. Something felt off. Like I was being watched. Someone was there, hiding in the shadows, and I had no idea what they wanted.
