He was interested now. His smile was dark and confident. And he had every reason to be confident. He looked utterly sexy in his SWAT uniform.
“Hi,” I said, making my voice deeper and sultrier. The tone sounded strange to my ear, but it had the intended effect. Danilo shifted closer, that smile becoming even darker. It sent a shiver down my back. He looked like the big bad wolf about to devour Red Riding Hood. Something a little unhinged flickered in his eyes. This wasn’t the Danilo I got to see, not the sophisticated, cool gentleman. This Danilo was dangerous.
Danilo didn’t say anything, only smiled in a way that made me feel like his prey. Men in our world were careful when they interacted with me. I was the daughter of an Underboss and the future wife of one—I’d never been confronted with open hunger like Danilo’s before. Even though it scared me, I wished he’d look at me that way one day, and not a copy-cat version of Fina. “I’m—”
Danilo cut in before I could introduce myself with my fake name. “It doesn’t matter. Names are irrelevant. This is about tonight, not tomorrow.”
I nodded quickly, feeling my cheeks heat at his rebuff. At least, that meant he didn’t care about the women he met at clubs. He forgot them the moment he was done with them.
I wondered which Danilo was the real deal. Which was his true self? The restrained gentleman or the ruthless predator? I feared it was like Anna had told me. The gentleman was his public image, the one he needed to portray. But this version of him, right in front of me, the dangerous bad boy was his true self.
Danilo stepped closer and leaned down so I could hear him better over the music drifting from the speakers above the bar and our heads. “Was there a reason why you came over to me? You seemed to have a purpose in mind.”
I swallowed, overwhelmed by his presence. “I want to dance.” Good. That was part of the plan.
“Dance, hmm?” He pulled me toward a clearing off to the right of the patio where lights and heaters had been set up. The bass droned even louder here, and a crowd of people was dancing wildly. I didn’t recognize anyone. Danilo pulled me against him, molding our bodies together. We’d danced with each other before at social functions, and he’d always kept an appropriate distance between us, made sure his hand was high up on my back. He didn’t now. His hand was on my lower back, and I could feel every inch of his strong, muscled body pressing against me. I felt like a marionette in his hold. His breath pressed into my ear. “It doesn’t look as if you want to dance with me. Maybe you should return to the bar. The cat’s only a kitty after all.”
He’d noticed how stiff I was. Of course, he had. He was a Made Man. Panic rose in me. What should I do now? Anna would probably say this was the perfect moment to confront him, to reveal my true identity and give him a piece of my mind, but even as I went through the plan in my mind, I realized I wouldn’t be able to pull it off. I didn’t want to, not yet. In theory, the plan had seemed easy, but with Danilo so close, my brain couldn’t function. I wanted to keep dancing with him, wanted his unwavering, dangerous attention. It was thrilling and terrifying at the same time.
Anna and Santino were still gone, which meant neither of them could interfere. I would handle this myself.
Even though this Danilo unsettled me, I was still drawn to him. I wanted to keep playing this game of seduction I’d never be allowed to entertain if I were me. I wanted—needed—to win him over as this wanton, sexy vamp version of me. He’d finally see me as more than the undesirable consolation prize. He’d see my worth, and maybe then I could stop feeling so insecure.
I shook my head and tightened my hold on his shoulders. “No. I love dancing with you. But it’s too crowded for my taste. I prefer less people.”
Danilo moved back slightly and smiled knowingly as if I’d told him a secret. I wasn’t sure what kind of message he’d received, but it seemed to please him immensely.
Danilo gripped my hip as he leaned down to my ear, his breath hot against my skin. “Good thing that I know just the right place where we can be alone.”
“Alone?” I repeated dumbly.
Danilo chuckled into my ear. “I want to fuck.”
I was stunned by his demeanor, by the vibe of dominance and aggression he gave off, by his words. He’d always been a gentleman around me, always in control. He hadn’t even wavered a second when I’d flashed my boobs at him, but to this blonde girl he was completely different. His words shocked me to the very core.
Half dazed, I nodded.
“I need you to say it,” he murmured.
Say what? was my first thought. Then I understood. He needed me to express my consent verbally. My consent to fuck.
I couldn’t wrap my mind around it. Was this how it always went?
“Yes,” I got out, even though my brain was screaming no at me. The voice was Anna as usual. This wasn’t the plan. This was madness. But I could still confront him when we were alone. That was better anyway. This was between us and not for a crowd to witness.
After what felt like eternity, Danilo took my hand and pulled me along. I had trouble staying on my high heels, trouble setting one step after the other as my heart throbbed painfully. The stone pathway was uneven beneath my shoes as I stumbled after him, feeling less like the confident, sexy vamp with every passing second.
He dragged me around the corner of the house, down
