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Blinking down at me like he’s trying to erase a spell, he moves one hand to smooth it over my hair. “What the hell is going on here?” He asks the question without moving his gaze from my face, but I can tell by the volume and edge cutting his voice that he doesn’t mean for me to respond.
For some reason, probably Everclear-related, the fact that he isn’t immediately blaming me makes my heart swell painfully like it’s trying to launch itself from my chest and into his throat.
“Just trying to show the little lady a good time.” Todd shrugs one shoulder, still holding his face, as if unaware who he’s speaking too. He must’ve had more to drink than I realized. Or maybe patrons just aren’t used to Crimson’s owner coming down for visits.
“Oh, good, you do speak English.” Elia’s arm slips around my waist, tugging me into his side.Christ, he’s warm.I can’t stop myself from leaning into him, using him as support. “So, when thelittle ladysays she wants you to let go of her and you use her clearly drunken state as an excuse to manhandle her, you’re just being an asshole.”
Todd bristles, eyes flickering to me. Mine slide to the floor, zeroing in on Elia’s expensive Italian shoes.Why’s he always so polished? What’s he hiding beneath that suit?
The memory of scars decorating his forearms flashes in my mind, a reminder that he may claim he doesn’t like secrets, but it’s clear he has many. He has to; all made men carry things to their graves.
Some end up there because of them.
“Look, man, I didn’t mean anything by it.” Todd holds his hands up, palms-out, gesturing toward me. “She came onto me.”
“Why would she do that when I’m upstairs? You calling my wife a whore?”
“Wife?” Todd’s eyes bug out, jaw dropping. He scrambles to his feet, adjusting the way his ugly shirt lays against his chest. “She didn’t say anything about being married to a Montalto. I never would’ve—”
“You’re Dom Harrison’s friend, right?”
Todd nods, and Elia’s fingers stroke my side, a strange surge of comfort blasting through me at the movement. I shouldn’t feel this way, especially as this situation escalates toward my goal, but I can’t seem to help it. “Are you really trying to tell me you’re unaware that his elder, highly-publicized daughter got married to the owner of a club you frequent?Cristo, Todd, if I’d known you were this big of a fucking dumbass, I’d never have given you access to my VIP lounge in the first place.”
“Elia, I—”
“You put your hands on my wife. I think we’re done talking.”
“Can’t I even defend myself at this point? Jesus, your father was way easier to fucking deal with. It’s not my fault you married a slut; why don’t you ask her about the services she provides for the rest of her daddy’s friends.”
Elia’s eyes slide to me, his chin dipping down. I stare up at him, pleading silently with him not to take that bait. I don’t want to explain that I never serviced anyone; don’t want to travel down the rabbit hole I’ve spent the last few years crawling out of.
My husband’s brows furrow, a war brewing in his gaze. Something seems to click, relaxing the strain on his face; he exhales, bending to press a kiss to the top of my head. “I want you to go upstairs with Gia and Marco.”
I shake my head even though all I want to do right now is lie down and take a nap. “Elia, I don’t need you to fight my battles.”
Lie.That’s been the whole point of this marriage.
“Mio amore,” he murmurs, the music blaring from the speakers nearly drowning him out, “I’ve stopped caring about what you think you need. Go upstairs and try to sober up. Your friend Olivia can join you.”
Casting a glance at Todd, who seems to be scanning the area for an exit, I take a step closer, tilting my head up. “What’re you going to do with him?”
“You don’t need to worry about that. Let me take care of him.” He offers me a soft smile, cupping the sides of my face, and I can’t reconcile this man with the one I assaulted earlier today, with the dominant alpha I’ve come to know; the man I’m supposed to want to leave once this is all over. The tenderness he’s showing causes something to crack in me, a levee bursting open with uninhibited waters. “Let me take care ofyou.”
“There’s a line she’s heard before, pal.” Todd chuckles to himself, and my body tenses.
Why is he still talking?
Elia stiffens, straightening his spine, and when one hand drops from my face and slips beneath the flap of his suit jacket, I already know what’s coming. He pushes me behind him as if to shield me from the situation unraveling before a hundred pairs of eyes, but I grip his waist, rooting myself in place.
The .22 glints in the strobe lights flickering above our heads, sleek and black, looking right at home wrapped in my husband’s massive palm. His finger curls around the trigger, flexing. Baiting Todd.
“Caroline.” Elia’s voice is low, gravelly, and meant only for me. My body buzzes, high from his attention. “Go,now, or so help me God in Heaven I will shoot you, too.”
I fit myself into him, trying to erase our seam. “I don’t want to go with anyone except you.”
“I came down here to kill you for stepping foot in this place. For disobeying me, again. What am I gonna do with you?”
“Anything you want,” I breathe, alcohol going straight to my lady bits. How badly he wants to protect me has me practically drooling. “Justplease, don’t make me leave.”
