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“Oh, you are most certainly not welcome, Antonio.” Her eyes narrowed and that forced a grin to pull on my lips.

“You want me to thank you?” I lowered my hand to her thigh and could feel the instant goosebumps rise on her skin. “I can show you how appreciative I am.” My hand slipped between her thighs and with her eyes bulging, she yanked my hand away and tossed it back on my lap.

Utterly mortified, she spoke. “I’d rather have Arnold Schwarzenegger back there blow my brains out.”

He’d be signing his death sentence if he so much as breathed near her. But I wouldn’t say that out loud.

She shivered in what I assumed was disgust before facing the door again.

Though, the slight squeeze of her thighs told me otherwise.

* * *

Hours later we were in the backseat of my limousine, heading to an event Bruno agreed to but couldn’t attend. So naturally, as the good fucking son that I was, I said yes when he asked me to go in place of him.

I spent the entire drive listening to Nirah and Kiryl talk about God knows what whilst stuffing their faces with food and drowning in champagne. Clearly, one bullet wasn’t enough for him to learn his lesson.

Koren, on the other hand—with his black eye and broken ribs—knew better, and couldn’t stop the fearful glances he kept shooting me whenever they got loud. I had made it clear on multiple occasions that Nirah wasn’t allowed to receive anything without my knowledge. Then, the motherfucker hands her a baseball bat. So I beat him with it.

At this rate I might as well bring Cesar back.

I tried to focus my attention on my screen as I went over tonight’s plan with my men, but her laughter kept distracting me.

In utter defeat, I exhaled sharply, stealing a glance in her direction. She was radiant tonight. Long brown curls cascading down her back. The burgundy material of her dress hugged her curves so effortlessly, and I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t been fighting my body’s reaction to seeing her tonight.

Kiryl had been getting all her attention, and I didn’t fucking like it. I’d kill him if I had to, no matter how pissed off at me she’d get, because at least then, I’d have her full attention.

Instead of sitting beside me, she was across from me, glued to his goddamn hip, and I was stuck with Koren. Not that I minded. He at least knew how to shut the fuck up and not piss me off.

The limo came to a stop and the engine shut off. Nirah’s head turned in my direction and I slipped my cellphone into my pocket. Finally, she’s looking at me.

“Let’s go.” I slightly motioned my head to the door, reaching for the handle but she reached forward, stopping me. My eyes snapped to her.

“Is Kiryl going to?” she whispered and my mouth went tight. Oh for fucks sake!

I leaned my face closer to hers. “Do you want his body floating around in the Atlantic?” I asked and her throat moved as she swallowed.

“No.” She shook her head.

“Then move.”

“Asshole,” she murmured as I opened the door.

I climbed out, fastening the buttons of my suit jacket and when I lowered my hand for her, the other door opened.

She got out, with the help of Koren, and straightened out the front of her dress. She forced a smile, slipped her arm around his and they rounded the back of the limo to stop beside me.

“Let’s go then.” She stepped forward but I gripped her nape, pulling her back.

I forcefully threaded her arm with mine and led us into the building. She protested with various foul words and phrases but I paid no attention to any of them.

We were approached by many of my business associates, old and new, but instead of talking business, they all opted to congratulate me on my beautiful wife. The men were salivating at the sight of her, yet the women were torn between jealousy and genuine admiration.

I didn’t intend to stay long, I just needed to show my face and shake the hands of some men Bruno did business with and that was it. But as though it was second nature to her, Nirah put a fuck you sized dent in my plans.

* * *

After hours of dancing in compliments and enjoying the champagne, Nirah finally found her way back to me until she was stopped by yet another woman.