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The tight black velour dress had the tiniest straps attached to a sweetheart neckline. It was something I never would have worn. It pushed my boobs up, hugged my curves, and stopped just above my knees. It was perfect for my night out.
I let my hair out of the braid I’d kept it in for the last couple of days and smoothed it out so it looked like I’d styled it in beach waves. One slick of lip gloss and a brush of mascara, and I was ready.
My small purse held everything I needed for my night out, so I grabbed it, then sauntered back down the stairs where everyone was now gathered in the foyer.
“Dayum, sis.” Noemi lunged forward, grabbing me at the waist and twirling me around. “You look hot.”
My cheeks burned at her words. “Thanks.” Noemi was never shy with her compliments, so I should have been used to it, but not in front of everyone else. I may have been trying to push everything to the back of my mind, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t aware of all the gazes pointed our way.
“Let’s go,” I said, hooking my arm through hers and stepping forward.
“We gotta wait,” Noemi said, pulling me to a stop. “Sofia is coming with us.” She paused, her attention focusing on me. “That’s okay, right?”
It was on the tip of my tongue to say no. I was trying to get away from the Beretta family, not spend the night with one of them. But I didn’t have a choice—like always—so I nodded. “Yeah, sure.” I shuffled on the spot. “Where is she?”
“She’s gone to get changed,” Noemi whispered, looking at something over my shoulder. “I—”
“Aida,” a deep voice said from behind me, but I ignored it. I wasn’t going to give him my attention. I was done with him and with this entire messed-up agreement. “Aida,” he repeated, this time louder so everyone could hear him.
I blew out a breath, my shoulders slumping at the move. “Yes?” I asked, blinking as I turned just enough to see him out of the corner of my eye.
“We need to talk.”
“No, thanks.” I smiled that sweet smile that I knew he’d hate, but I didn’t care. Everything had been about him from the moment I’d met him in the kitchen when I was helping Dad with deliveries. He hadn’t thought about anyone else around him. He hadn’t cared how his actions affected other people. All he cared about was getting what he wanted.
“Aida,” he growled, snatching my wrist. His movement was in complete contrast to how softly he held it, and I cursed when my body came alight with his touch. Apparently, my brain hadn’t sent a memo to the rest of me. “I’m not letting you leave until we talk.”
I raised a brow, feeling my anger bubbling up to the surface. “You won’t let me leave?” I laughed, turning so that I was facing him fully. “You don’t get a say, Lorenzo.” I stepped toward him, hearing his sharp intake of breath. “You don’t get a goddamn say in anything I do.”
“Yeah, I fuckin’ do,” he growled out, lowering his face so it was only inches from mine. “I’m head of this family. Boss of the Beretta family—”
“And a pain in my ass,” I interrupted, yanking my wrist from his grip. I wobbled a little but righted myself just as Sofia ran down the stairs. “I’m leaving.”
The silence in the foyer echoed around us, and it was only then I realized everyone was listening to us. Part of me hated that I was coming across like a bitch, but the innermost part of me was rejoicing for standing up to him. No one ever told him no, but he was about to learn really fast that I was done taking any of his shit.
“No, you’re not,” Lorenzo ground out. I tilted my head at him, my eyes shooting laser beams, then he finally said, “Not without bodyguards.”
“Bodyguards?” Sofia groaned.
I shook my head. There was no way I was going to the club with bodyguards. I opened my mouth to tell him as much, but he held his hand in the air. “You’re the wife of the head of the Beretta family. You need protection.” Lorenzo took a step back. “This is non-negotiable, Aida.” He narrowed his eyes on me. “Christian and Mateo will take you and keep you safe.” As if by magic, they appeared at the mansion doors, their faces stern and their attention on Lorenzo and me. He nodded at them in some kind of silent communication, then spun around, leaving all of us standing in the foyer.
“Well, shit.” Noemi hooked her arm through mine, fanning herself with her other hand. “That was H.O.T. Hot.”
I rolled my eyes. “Shut up.” Sofia sidled up on the other side of me, her gaze flicking from side to side. “Let’s get out of here.”
Sofia grasped on to my arm the closer to the doors we got. I frowned at how hard she gripped me and turned to look at her, but her gaze wasn’t on me. It was on Christian.
I slowed down, my head whipping back and forth between the two of them. Christian’s eyes narrowed, his gaze tracking down her, and not even I could miss the way his eyes heated when he got to her legs.
“Sofia,” he greeted, his voice deeper than usual.
“Christian,” she answered back, her grip so hard on my arm now that I was sure she was going to leave a bruise.
Mateo stepped to the side, but Christian didn’t move as we walked through the open doors. Sofia’s shoulder scraped against his chest, and for a second, I was captivated by the way they looked at each other. If I would have blinked, I’d have missed it. But I didn’t. I’d seen the silent conversation happening between them.
“Sofia,” I whispered, and at the sound of my voice, they both snapped their attention away from each other. “Ow.” I wriggled my arm in her grip.
“Crap. Sorry.” Her cheeks burned red. She’d been caught, but there was no way I was going to say anything, especially when I had my own things going on. I groaned at myself. For a few blissful seconds, I was thinking about something other than what Lorenzo and I had done, but now it was over. Now I was back to reality—a reality I didn’t want any part in anymore.
