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His stunning grin tugged up at one corner as he studied my face, as though my features fascinated him. “But you haven’t told me your name. I’d like to know who I’m dancing with.”
“You’re not going to dance with her,” Valentina declared. “Sofia is with me until the meeting is finished. And you’d better let go of her hand right now if you don’t want Mateo to rip it off.”
Massimo’s smile didn’t waver, but he released my hand, slowly sliding his fingers along mine before breaking contact.
“If you’re spoken for, what man would be foolish enough to leave your side?” he asked, all seductive charm. “If you were mine, I wouldn’t be able to stay away for a moment.” He cocked his head at me, making the club lights play over his defined cheekbones. “Italian men know to treasure a beautiful woman.”
Valentina’s chocolate eyes narrowed on him. “Keep flirting with her, and it’s your funeral.” She nodded in the direction of the meeting. “You see that man guarding my husband? Mateo will kill you slowly if you don’t step away right now.”
Massimo’s gaze finally left mine to assess her statement, turning his head to look back at the cartel bosses. One glance at Mateo’s massive body and enraged features, and the Italian stepped back. He offered a deferential nod in Mateo’s direction before shooting me an apologetic smile.
“My mistake. Have a beautiful evening, ladies.”
I drew in a shaky breath as he sauntered across the dance floor, very obviously putting space between us so that there could be no question of his withdrawal.
Valentina released a small hum. “I wonder what he’s doing here. I’ve never seen him before, but he must have business with Stefano if he’s been invited to this party. I’m going to speak to Adrián about him.”
“There’s no need to do that,” I said quickly, knowing that the handsome Italian would likely end up dead if Valentina so much as whispered the man’s name with disapproval. “He’s gone now. It was just a misunderstanding.”
I looked to Mateo, noting the tension that made his bulky muscles swell. He hadn’t liked the way Massimo had lingered, and I knew it’d probably taken every ounce of his limited restraint to prevent himself from abandoning his post and coming to break the flirtatious man’s fingers for daring to touch me.
But Valentina continued to glare at Massimo, keeping him in the men’s crosshairs with her displeasure. If I didn’t distract her, Adrián would be sure to eliminate whatever—and whoever—so much as irked his wife.
“I’m hungry,” I announced, issuing a little white lie. Mateo had insisted on feeding me in his lap, naked, before finally allowing me to get ready for the party. He would never neglect my needs and allow me to go hungry, but we had missed the formal dinner. “Want to raid the kitchen with me?”
Valentina’s tilted, reluctant smile told me she was well aware that I was trying to distract her and spare Massimo from the men’s retribution. “Okay, let’s see if there’s any dessert left.”
She looped her arm through mine, and we walked off the dance floor, heading toward the elevator that would lead us down to the ground floor, where we could make our way to the kitchen. I shot a final reassuring smile in Mateo’s direction along with a little wave to let him know I was all right. He wouldn’t be happy that I was leaving his sight, but we both knew Stefano’s building was secure, and I wasn’t foolish enough to leave the building or even venture into the public part of the club on the level below the mezzanine.
Mateo offered me a tight nod of permission in return, but the tension in his big body told me he wasn’t happy about my absence. Not after he’d been forced to watch the encounter with Massimo while he was occupied with Adrián’s business. I would probably get a sound spanking for this later, but rather than experiencing a thrill of fright, my core pulsed at the prospect. I loved Mateo’s possessive hands on my body, even when he disciplined me.
Within minutes, Valentina and I had made our way to the huge kitchen that was equipped with a full, bustling staff. They were all thoroughly occupied with cleanup after the lavish dinner party that Stefano and Carmen had hosted for their guests, but a kind server spared a moment to get us two thick slices of chocolate cake.
We were halfway done with our indulgent late-night snack when another server approached us. The man was clearly nervous to approach Adrián Rodríguez’s wife, running a shaking hand through his sandy blond hair.
Valentina offered him a sweet smile, trying to put him at ease. “Hello. Can I help you with something?”
The man’s furtive blue eyes glanced around the kitchen, noting a handful of staff members busily going about their tasks. When he was satisfied that they were thoroughly occupied, he leaned in and spoke in a hasty undertone.
“My name is Agent Crawford. I’m with the DEA. You two are coming with me.”
He flashed a badge, and Valentina recoiled.
“Don’t make a sound,” he said quickly. “Or I’ll call my team to raid this place. You don’t want that to happen, do you?”
Fear twisted my stomach into knots and the flavor of chocolate turned to a buttery, copper tang on my tongue.
“Leave us alone,” I demanded in the fiercest whisper I could muster, sounding much braver than I felt. My heart hammered in my chest, but I wouldn’t allow the rush of terror to overwhelm reason. Mateo was the strong one, but I wouldn’t betray him. This man and his associates would not arrest the man I loved. Not if I could do something to prevent it.
“Get out of here right now if you value your life,” Valentina warned him, voice low and sharp. Fury burned in the depths of her dark eyes, and her lush lips pinched in a tight scowl.
The man—Agent Crawford—ran his hand through his hair again, but his jaw firmed with determination. “I intend to leave, but you two are coming with me.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, applying pressure to my racing heart in an attempt to soothe its pounding rhythm. If we remained calm, Crawford would leave. Or we could stall long enough for Mateo and Adrián to come looking for us.
But then, our men would murder a DEA agent. If the authorities realized they were responsible for the death of one of their own, the might of their entire organization would rain down on the cartel. There would be a bloody war, and the men we loved might die.
Mateo might be killed.
