10. Dario
10
DARIO
T he low hum of laughter and the steady thump of bass ripple through the club’s walls, cocooning me in a haze of smoke and cheap cologne mixed with the sweet tang of cocktails.
I swirl the whiskey in my hand before taking a slow sip, letting the cool liquid burn its way down my throat. Leaning back into the plush leather seat, I take another sip, savoring the moment.
Several ledgers are spread out on the table before me. I grab the nearest one and begin to go through its contents, skimming over each entry before moving onto the next.
There is something calming about this routine—tracking the flow of cash from my various underground businesses while music pulses around me.
The atmosphere makes it easy for me to lose track of time while I go through every single piece of paperwork. I have an office at the back of the bar, but I prefer staying here, my eyes occasionally drifting to the crowd below when I need a break from the numbers.
From the elevated booth where I’m seated, I have a perfect view of the club. The dance floor, the bar, and the stage all unfold before me, alive with energy. The room is bathed in shades of red and blue from the pulsing lights, casting shadows that dance across the walls.
I’m about to dive back into the ledgers when something on the dance floor catches my eye—a woman.
She’s dressed in a skimpy outfit that clings to her curves, the fabric shimmering under the flashing lights. The way she moves is magnetic—her body rolling to the rhythm of the slow R&B song blasting through the speakers.
My heart stops as she throws her head back, making her face come into my view.
Ginny.
A bitter chuckle escapes my lips. The one woman I haven’t been able to stop thinking about ever since the last time we met, when I had her body pressed against mine...
It’s been over a week since I saw her, and I wanted to take my time to gain some rein over my mind before I saw her again.
Yet here she is, right in my club, dancing as if no one else existed. The universe was playing one sick, twisted game by bringing her right into my territory before I’m ready to see her again.
Everything else fades into the background as I stare at the fluid, mesmerizing, and erotic way she moves her body. The light catches her skin, making it glow. The way her long hair falls over her shoulders, the way she moves unapologetically—it’s intoxicating.
I feel myself grow hard in my pants just watching her. Every part of me craves to touch her, taste her, and feel her grind against me. But it’s a line I shouldn’t cross, not again. It’s dangerous. I shouldn’t want her the way I do.
She has no idea that she’s captured the rapt attention of every man in this room. I feel something hot and dangerous burn low in my chest at the realization that every other man is watching her body the same way I am.
Maybe I should have just stayed in my office. I’m about to make good on that decision when I see a guy inching closer, his hands finding their way to her waist. A surge of possessiveness washes over me, igniting something deep within. I’m on my feet before I can think, muscles tensed with anger and determination.
I don’t even care how stupid or obvious I look charging over to them now. I watch people step out of the way as I make my way downstairs. Most of them turn to look at me warily, fear coloring their features. The music and noise fade into a dull roar as I storm through the crowd.
I reach her just in time.
My voice is hard and calm, yet it cuts through the pounding music.
“Get away from her.”
It’s a simple instruction, but it makes the guy stumble back, a mixture of shock and fear in his eyes. He knows exactly who I am and what I’m capable of. The thought fills me with dark satisfaction.
The guy wastes no time scrambling away.
“You,” I growl, looking at her flushed face.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” she hisses, a molten fire burning in her eyes. Under the flashing lights, I see the hints of green in her hazel eyes.
“I should be asking you that damned question, Ginevra,” I say. Her head reels back, as if she’s shocked that I called her by her full name. Then her breath hitches slightly as I take a step toward her. “Why the hell are you here?”
She blinks, and the anger returns to her eyes.
“Leave me the fuck alone, Dario!” she yells, turning to walk away from me, but I’m not having that.
Ignoring her protests, I grab her arm and pull her away from the dance floor. Her heels click against the tiles angrily as I drag her down to the corridor at the back of the room. Her angry insults get drowned out by the loud music tries to wrench out of my grasp, but I only tighten my hold and pull her into the quiet hallway.
“Let go of me, you asshole,” she spits just as a waitress bumps into us. Her eyes widen slightly before she bends her head, mumbles an apology, and scurries off.
“If you keep fighting me, I’ll throw you over my shoulder,” I warn, turning to look at Ginny.
She scoffs like the brat she is. “Is that supposed to scare?—”
A loud yelp leaves her lips as I lift her body up and over my right shoulder.
She gasps in disbelief. “Put me down this instant, Dario!”
Her dress hikes up just enough for me to catch a glimpse of lace panties, and without thinking, my hand lands on the back of her thighs, right under her ass, shielding her from any wandering eyes.
Her body stiffens slightly, and I try to ignore how soft her skin feels underneath my hands as we continue our way down the hall, which thankfully is empty. I arrive at a restricted room and unlock the door with my fingerprint before stepping in and closing it shut. As I slide her body down my shoulders, my hand on her thigh moves upward until it’s holding her waist.
“I asked you a question earlier,” I snap. “What are you doing here?”
That’s when she pushes against my chest, the fire in her eyes returning.
“Who the hell do you think you are to demand such answers from me? Who do you think you are to drag me away like some rag doll?” she seethes, pushing against my chest.
I take a step back, needing space to breathe, needing to stop inhaling her intoxicating scent. It’s too much, too overwhelming.
“You’re the one who walked into my club. You were the one dancing on my floor, drawing the attention of my patrons,” I hiss, feeling my own anger simmer beneath the surface. “You’re the one constantly stepping into my territory, Ginny. Always capturing my attention,” I rasp, watching the way her chest rises and falls as she breathes heavily. “And now, dancing with some random guy like you have no idea how that drives me insane?”
Her nostrils flare. “I didn’t even know it was your damned club, or I wouldn’t have set foot in it.”
“But here you are,” I sneer. “Causing trouble like always.”
“Fuck you, Dario. Do you honestly think you can waltz into my life and control everything I do?” she hurls at me, her voice trembling with fury.
She’s not done. Her eyes flash with indignation as she continues. “Since you came back into my life, everything’s been spiraling out of control!”
In that moment, everything else fades away, and all I can focus on is her. The way her breath comes in quick bursts, the fire in her gaze. It’s infuriating and intoxicating all at once.
“Don’t pin your problems on me, Princess. You can thank your brother for that,” I bite back.
Her eyes narrow. “And today? All I wanted was a break, and you couldn’t even let me have that!”
“A break?” I scoff, bitterness coating my words. “You thought dancing with a stranger was a good way to clear your head?”
She squares her shoulders, eyes boring into mine. “Yes. Maybe I wanted to. I don’t have any reason not to. I called off my engagement. A year with my fiancé, and now, all I want is one night where no man tries to control me!”
Every other thing she says fades into thin air.
“You called off your engagement,” I say, my voice low.
She pauses, her eyes drinking me in. The air between us feels charged, thick with tension. I step closer, feeling the heat radiating off her.
“That’s the best news I’ve heard all week,” I mutter, watching the way her pupils dilate at my words.
“You…you can’t say that to me.” Her voice falls into a breathy exhale.
“I can,” I murmur, leaning in close enough to feel the heat of her breath. “I saw you with him once. At that ball. I remember thinking that surely he could not be the man you wanted to be with.”
She swallows hard. “And what makes you think that?”
“He’s not your type,” I hum, our faces inches apart. “Your brother probably arranged it. A convenient alliance for the family business, right? Someone with influence, like Rinaldo.”
“How dare you insinuate my brother would sell me off?” she hisses.
“Why else would you be with someone like him?” I whisper, leaning in even closer. “A man who could never satisfy you. Not emotionally. Not intellectually.” My voice drops, dangerously low. “And certainly not sexually.”
She lets out a forced laugh. “Now I know you’re just cocky. How bold of you to assume I’d stay with a man that long without him being amazing.”
“Oh, so you’re telling me he was a good fuck.” I catch the flicker of discomfort in her eyes at my crude words, but she masks it quickly.
“Yes,” she replies, her voice sharp.
I step closer, lowering my voice to a dangerous whisper. “Now, you’re just lying, Princess. You don’t look like someone who’s ever had amazing sex. Not the kind that makes you feel alive. The raw, dirty, messy kind. The one with hair-pulling, biting, scratching—the kind that turns you inside out and makes you come so hard you forget about the rest of your shitty life.”
Her breath falters, and for a moment she’s silent. We stand there locked in a stare-off, daring each other to break first. To give in. To surrender.
“You’re the most despicable person I’ve ever met,” she finally whispers, but I can see the conflict in her eyes. “I want absolutely nothing to do with you.”
“I think you’re lying.” My lips brush against her ear, making her gasp softly. “You think about me too, just like I think about you.”
When I grab her exposed thigh, she makes a sound between a gasp and a moan.
“Dario.” She lays her palms flat against my chest to push me away.
I bend down till our foreheads touch. “You know I love it when you say my name like that.”
My body burns from her soft touch. And when she slides her hands over my shoulder to pull her body flush against mine, I groan.
“Fuck, Ginny.” My hand hitches higher on her thigh, my thumb tracing patterns on her inner thigh.
She whimpers, her fingers digging into my back. When I lean down to press kisses on her neck, she moans, throwing her head back against the door.
“You have no idea how obsessed I am with your scent.” I run my nose along the length of her neck to her shoulder. “Your taste.” I lick the same path, traveling back up before pulling her earlobe between my teeth. “Everything.”
She buries her hands in my hair, and I pull back slightly to look at her. The thick desire in her eyes, the way she’s biting her lip and breathing heavily, drives me crazy.
We both wait. One second. Two seconds. Before I can risk it all by kissing her, a loud knock interrupts us.
The air instantly chills as she pulls away. I step back, and she slips past me, eager to escape the moment.
“I’ll take you home.”
Maybe because she knows I’ll carry her to my car if I have to, she doesn’t protest. The night air is chilly as we step out of the building. She shivers slightly, but when I take off my jacket and offer it to her, she ignores me.
When she slips into the passenger seat of my car, I know her scent will linger for days. I don’t just know if it’s a good or bad thing.
I turn on the engine and pull into the dark streets. At first, the silence was thick and uncomfortable. Before she starts fuming again, launching into an angry tirade about how I ruin everything and how she never wants anything to do with me.
My body is still tense from earlier, but she continues to mutter insults under her breath. I can’t help but smile and steal glances at her. The fire in her eyes, the way her voice trembles with passion when she speaks—it’s captivating.
“How do you know where my brother lives?” she asks as we pull up to Lorenzo’s house.
“How did you know where I lived?” I shoot back.
She huffs before undoing her seatbelt. As I stare out the window, I catch a glimpse of someone lurking across the street, looking at the house. Before I can pay closer attention, they vanish into the shadows.
“Stay away from me, Dario.” Ginny’s voice pulls my attention to her. “I mean it.”
She gets out of the car, and I watch her walk toward the door, a mix of frustration and longing bubbling inside me. I should have done more tonight. I should have kissed her, touched her the way I knew she wanted to be touched, and made it more difficult for her to stay away.
As she disappears into the house, I can’t shake the feeling that this night has changed everything. The tension between us lingers like smoke in the air, and I know this is just the beginning.