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In the dark interior of the club, she couldn’t tell whether they were dark gold, bronze or hazel. But she knew how effectively they could reduce mere mortals to stupefied messes because they were scrambling her brain cellsright now.
She’d been deeply sceptical when Gigi had insisted she only needed to install herself at L’Illusion in time for theapres-skicrowd to draw the attention of Alessio Montaldi’s team of fixers.
Truth be told, Giada had tried not to think too deeply about how invasive Alessio would have to be to locate anyone at his whim. Then she’d hoped he’d send his minions to buy herself some time before she met the man himself. Because even two weeks after that phone call with Gigi and agreeing to this mad ploy, Giada had known she wasn’t ready.
Exhibit one—the way she’d greeted him just now.
She’d forgotten to ask Gigi how to address the imposing, dynamic man looking down at her with hooded eyes, disdain dripping from every bronzed, polished pore.
With every bone in her body, she yearned to turn away from his judgemental stare, brace her hands on her knees and suck in the much-needed oxygen he’d seemingly depleted from the room with his presence.
But she’d promised her sister she would do whatever it took to buy time for Gigi to rectify her mistake. She couldn’t let her down at the first hurdle.
Before she could speak, though, Jean-Luc finally rose from his submissive position on the carpet, his arm creeping around her waist as he smiled down at her.
‘Everything okay,chérie?’ he slurred, totally oblivious to the fact that his champagne-drenched shirt was sticking to her bare arm. Or that he’d drawn the merciless attention of their visitor.
Giada shimmied away from him with a light laugh she didn’t feel. ‘Of course!’
She’d noticed very quickly that Jean-Luc was the handsy type, prone to caressing a wrist, arm or hip in the name of tipsy friendliness, and had been inventing creative ways of combating a situation Gigi would’ve laughingly indulged.
Her heart jumped into her throat when Alessio’s eyes shifted back to her and narrowed.
Had she given herself away already?
Swallowing, she went for broke. Striding forward on precariously spindly high heels, she rested her hands on his arms, raised herself on tiptoe and brushed a kiss across Alessio Montaldi’s cheek.
Dear God...he smelled amazing. Like the ocean blended with wood smoke.
She trapped a stunned moan before it escaped, just as the thick arms beneath her fingers went rigid, then flexed, right before his body froze.
Was it her imagination or did he suck in a sharp breath?
When the heat pulsing off his body threatened to scramble her brain further, she hurriedly cleared her throat. ‘I didn’t know you were in town.’
His jaw rippled, his gaze fixated on her when she took a vital step back. ‘Did you not?’
The sound of his voice, a deep, low rumble of oiled gravel, quaked right through her, leaving tiny explosions she barely stopped from gasping out loud.
Snatching in a breath, she widened her smile. ‘Of course not. I would’ve made sure we connected for a drink. For old times’ sake, if nothing else.’
He stared at her for several terrifying seconds before he exhaled. ‘I’d advise you not to play games with me, Miss Parker.’
When the group inhaled a collective breath, Alessio slowly turned his head to survey the band of merry acquaintances she’d fallen into forty-eight hours ago. Giada wasn’t sure whether to be glad or insulted on their behalf that he’d already forgotten about them.
‘I will pay your tab for the rest of the night if you leave us,’ he offered silkily, his tone totally belying the tempered rage vibrating off his body.
The ragtag group stared slack-jawed at him. Then excited whispers broke out.
When Jean-Luc attempted to reach for her again, his fingers inches from her bare shoulder, Alessio speared him with laser-sharp eyes. ‘Now.’ The directive was soft and deadly.
A split second later, with a chorus of‘au revoir’and air-kisses, they rushed to the bar, eagerly shouting their orders at the bartender.
Alone with Alessio Montaldi and his laser gaze, Giada could barely breathe. Tension mixed with panic churned her insides as she forced another smile. ‘Oops. Looks like you’ve scared my friends away. What am I going to do with myself for the rest of the evening?’
He took a step closer, forcing her to tilt her head to meet his gaze. His hands remained in his pockets but his gaze roved freely over her face, neck, down her throat to the risqué dip in her dress that exposed far too much cleavage.
When it rose again, the disdain had thickened, but something else lurked within the dark depths. Something she couldn’t name but which sent a lance of dangerous heat through her.
