“What?”
“Buy a dress for tonight. Remember, I like you in red.” He sends a wink in my direction, only pissing me off even more.
I have never been this frustrated with someone before, but something about Giovanni puts me on edge.
Whatever the hell that even means.
29GIOVANNI
Istep in front of the valet who’s trying to open my girl’s door. As I open the door for her, I hand him cash with my car keys.
Nina walks out and grabs onto my arm. “So, what are we here for?”
“I just need to handle some business.”
I push through a crowd of people, guiding Nina behind me as we walk toward the stairs.
The lights turn different colors every time the beat of the music drops.
“I want to dance!” Nina tries to shout over the music.
I shake my head at her and wipe my smile off with my hands. I pull her in to whisper in her ear, “That’s not what we’re here for.”
I look at her up and down. She wore exactly what I thought she would. A long black dress, silk with a slit cutting down her tanned thigh. She is testing my fucking limits and it’s only been a day. I have no idea how much longer I can hold back. Any man would want their hands on her. I’m trying my hardest to be a goddamn gentleman, but she is tempting me left and right.
Restraint only carries me so far.
Enzo guards the door to the room full of people I need to talk to. I only wanted Nina here so that she wouldn’t be left alone at the apartment. I have no idea if Kirill’s brother is going to try to get any kind of vengeance, but if I were him, Nina would be my main target.
One thing I have taken from all the bullshit my father has said to me over the years is to get inside the head of your enemies. Always be a step ahead of them.
“Enzo, watch over her. I won’t be long.”
He gives me a nod in reply.
“You okay?”
I turn to Nina. “I just need to sort some of this shit out. Enzo will take care of you.”
Enzo grabs onto her arm and walks her back down the stairs. I pray to God she doesn’t get herself into a situation where Enzo has to get involved. I have no fucking clue what goes on in her pretty little head.
As I open the door, I’m hit with the strong smell of cigarettes.
The men around me are coughing all over each other.
“Sir—Boss.” He corrects himself.
I never bothered to learn their names because they are not important. What’s important to me is where my money is going.
I walk to the corner of the room and pour myself a glass of whiskey. When I turn around, I have eight pairs of eyes staring at me as if they think I’ll shoot the place up if they say the wrong thing.
“So, what’s the deal? Where the fuck did my money go?”
“We’ve been searching for the files. We think one of the bartenders has taken a large sum of it.”
I shake my head. I thought it was a good idea to hire people who knew nothing about what I do, but I was dead wrong. This is why men like me normally have their cousins work for them.
“And what are you going to do about it?”