Page 2 of Stolen By the Enemy
I go to the bar and order a shot of tequila. It’s an open bar, as it should be, and Luca is at least smart enough to have more than enough tequila on the shelves for the event.
I pick the most expensive, a Barrique de Ponciano Porfidio, and tell the bartender to make it a double shot.
As I swallow the shot, I catch sight of Grazia Baldini again, Luca’s sister, dancing on her own in the middle of the dance floor.
She seemed angry before, but I can see the liquor has made its way into her veins, and now she’s just looking for a fun time.
She’s a good-looking girl, even if she is half-Italian. The other half is American, which isn’t much better.
Her dark hair and darker eyes draw you in, but just enough to keep you interested without showing you what she’s thinking, it seems.
When we met in Mexico, she seemed young and inexperienced, eager to see more of the world, and easy to impress.
Despite our differences being in her presence was so easy.
At least she’s not as stupid as her brothers.
The longer I watch her dance, the more I find my fingers drumming on the bar, and finally, I act on the urge to join her.
She smiles as I walk up to her.
I can feel my cousin Carlos’ eyes on me, but he stays on his side of the room for now, allowing me to grab Grazia by the waist and move with her to the music.
I wrap my arms around her lower back and pull her into me.
We manage to dance through two full songs, but the third is slower, and Grazia seems to have other plans.
She pulls me by the hand to the doors, and we step outside into the cool air. She’s definitely already drunk.
I know that what I’m about to do isn’t the most charming thing, but I can’t help myself. Plus, just being in the same room as her brother has pissed me off, and I may as well get something out of this trip.
Grazia tugs at my hand and leads me out until we’re further into the garden, where the light from the reception just barely reaches.
I graze my leg against a rose bush and swear when the thorns poke through my pants.
Grazia giggles at my swearing.
If she wasn’t such a petite and pretty girl, I might be pissed off at her laughter as well. I tower over her, trapping her between the wall and my body.
“Something is funny?” I ask her, my voice low and my lips near her ear.
I see her swallow and look up at me, her brown eyes big and glossy.
She looks unsure for a moment, and then smiles and grabs the back of my neck, pulling me into her and steering my lips onto hers.
She tastes sweet, and despite being drunk, the kiss is anything but sloppy.
The surprise has me frozen for a second, until I breathe in her scent and surrender to her, moving my lips in sync with hers, steadying myself with a hand on the wall above her head and cupping her chin with my free hand.
As much as I’m enjoying this, my mind is still on this deal and her family and how the hell I am going to get what I am owed from this.
Caressing the youngest Baldini’s face, I realize that this might be it.
This mafia princess may just be my way in.
If I had control of her, I’d have her brothers in the palm of my hand. Then I’d be able to steer this deal in a way that would be a lot more profitable for me.
And since she’s the one who made the first move, I don’t think it’s going to be too hard to get Grazia to trust me enough to be able to use her for this plan.