Laughter, shouting, and pounding rock music blasted from the bar room. I paused outside the door, pressing my hands to my cheeks, trying to calm the heat rising in them.
“You’ve got this,” I reassured myself. “You’ve got this.”
Then I opened the door, and stopped dead in my tracks.
The room was packed with half-naked women draped over drunk men. Laughter echoed, drinks spilled, bodies tangled in every corner. So this was what a Mafia victory looked like.
For a second, I got scared. What if Carlo was in the middle of all this? What if one of these women, or worse, more than one, was touching him?
But that fear didn’t last long. It burned up fast. He was mine. And if I had to drag ten naked women off him by their hair, I would. Happily.
I stepped inside, and though a few heads turned, no one said a word. They knew who I was. Carlo’s rule was simple, no one touches me. That rule wrapped around me like armor as I made my way through the chaos, ignoring the music, the moaning, the stench of sweat and alcohol.
From across the room, I spotted Maxim and Lorenzo, tucked into a quieter corner. Four naked women on their laps.
And then I saw him.
Carlo was sprawled out on a couch, black jeans, white T-shirt hugging his chest and arms. Legs spread wide. Arms draped over the backrest. Head tilted back, eyes closed. Completely relaxed. Like a king in the middle of his court.
Relief rushed through me, and I took my time to stand and stare at him. God, every part of me ached for this man. Even with his eyes closed, he was magnetic, owning the entire room without saying a word. A small smile tugged at my lips, the last of my anger dissolving into something fiercer. Need. Possession. Mine.
I took a step forward, but a hand clamped down on my arm. I whipped around only to come face-to-face with Aida. That smug little smirk of hers made my blood boil.
I yanked my arm free. “You don’t get to touch me.”
“I was doing you a favor,” she said with a sneer. “Don Carlo gave strict orders, no one’s allowed near him. You know what happens to people who don’t follow orders.”
Her arrogance lit a fire under my skin. I straightened my back and raised my chin. “I’m sure you know more about breaking his rules than I ever will. But don’t worry, you won’t get the chance to break another one. If I still see your face here tomorrow morning, you’ll learn what it feels like to be kicked out for real. You’re fired.”
Her smile faded, half-formed and unsure. I didn’t give her the satisfaction of a second glance. I had better things to do.
So Don Carlo had ordered that no one come near him? Cute. Tonight, I was in the mood for his punishment.
I moved through the room, slow and steady, my eyes fixed on him. My gaze caught Maxim, who was watching me with a different kind of smile. He winked at me, then elbowed Lorenzo. The two of them slung their naked women under their arms like gym bags and disappeared.
I reached him and leaned down, my fingers trailing softly over his chest. His brow twitched. A low growl rumbled from deep inside him
“Get lost unless you’re dying to get hurt.”
I smiled. God, I missed that growl. My cranky beast. Not wanting him to hurt me by reflex, I softened my voice and said his name, letting every ounce of feeling I had bleed into it. “Carlo!”
His eyes fluttered open, sharp and alert. But when he saw me, really saw me, something in his expression cracked.
I climbed onto his lap, straddling him. My hips fit perfectly against his, and my hands slid up to rest on his shoulders. Then I kissed him, slow, soft, and full of everything I hadn’t been able to say.
The tension bled out of him. The suspicion in his eyes melted into something warm. He blinked at me like I was a dream he didn’t trust.
“Emily?” he asked. “Is it really you, or am I so drunk I’m hallucinating?”
I placed a hand on his cheek, my fingers brushing over the rough stubble lining his jaw. His eyes fluttered shut as he took a deep breath, steadying himself. Then, after a few seconds, he opened them again, took my hand in his, and pressed a slow kiss to my palm.
He pulled me closer and buried his face in the crook of my neck, inhaling deeply. “My beautiful girl. My little lamb. You’re really here.”
I smiled at the nickname and pressed a kiss to the top of his head, threading my fingers gently through his hair. Without a word, he stood, lifting me without even flinching under my weight.
I wrapped my legs around his waist and clung to his shoulders, holding tight as he carried me through the room.
The others pretended not to notice, drunk and distracted with their celebration. But I could still feel their eyes trailing after us as Carlo walked on. I rested my head on his shoulder, heart pounding.
