Mafia's Obsession.

made a mistake the moment

the walls like smoke. It wasn't the kind of place she usually went to. It was too expensive, to

squeezing Elena's arm

ferno wasn't just a club.

ase creeping up her spine. It was on

her friend chatted up the bartender. Elena's fingers trailed along

when sh

areness, like heat s

was watc

e area was dimly lit, but she caught the unmistakable glint of a glass being lifte

n she s

man who never accepted anything less than perfection. He was seated in a leather booth, one

ooking at her he

throat w

staring. Not him. He held her gaze, his expres

her sent a shiver through her spine

te

ed away first. She had no idea

rtender, completely unaware of the shift in the air. Her fingers tightened

been catcalled before, had men try thei

unk frat guy trying

didn't feel like a casual inte

dged her. "Hello?

smile. "Yeah, sorry.

fia beamed, motioning toward the bartender, who w

ently, but her m

the VIP section only to find t

of unease twiste

did

bly some wealthy businessman or one of the many crime adjacent figures lurking in

pulse refus

fia asked, sip

od. "Yeah. Just

Which is why you need to

't kno

rupted, grabbing Elena's hand and d

bass and heat. Bodies moved in sync, strangers

the tension clinging to her skin. She wasn't here to

g of being wat

ly, heart lurching when sh

stood at the edge of the dance floor, half-shrouded

breath

He was simply there, his presence a s

orst

ven trying

delibera

away, her heart ha

t her like that like he'd already de

and spun to face Sof

t up in the moment, so Elena slipped away, we

k contrast to the pulsing energy inside. She presse

to get

hing. Maybe she

er against pavement s

breath

asn't

pulse

ht of another presence pressed against the silenc

something told her this wasn't just a r

he turned

shadows. He wasn't the one from inside his frame was bulkier, his stance mo

e mused, pushing off the wall. His voice was laced with s

ing her nerves. "I was j

urned

so

wrist. Elena jerked awa

she snapped, stepp

er step forward. "Come on, sw

er body braced

a new p

r. Da

nd her before s

ce cut through the

you to g

found him, the

e Mo

lessly commanding but in the sheer control in his expression. He wasn't angry. He w

breath

ed. "Hey, man, I didn

." A single

ted his head, a small, amuse

t message

And h

ight, Elena exhaled, pulse still erratic.

did

a long moment, those unreadab

alone was reckless

ed. "I can h

nt flickered in h

arms. "I didn't

like inside, the air between them shift

e was too close now, hi

and smooth. "Before someone else thinks th

eath c

n't belon

a warning

this wasn't the last tim

a lon