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Chapter 27
Lorenzo
"You did what?"
Alex's shocked voice cut cleanly through the thumping house music vibrating behind the bar. He isn't alone.
"I... it was supposed to be a joke," Vivien stammered, her hands shaking.
"Vi, if he finds out, you're dead. Literally dead."
"If I find what out?"
I don't need to be a psychic to know they are talking about me.
I step into the dim light of the deck, my jaw locked so tight my teeth ache, my expression a sheet of cold ice.
Alex's eyes go wide. He suddenly finds something deeply fascinating about the night sky and practically meltes into the shadows.
Vivien freezes , her lower lip caught between her teeth.
"I promise it was an accident," she says, her voice dropping into a desperate, sugary tone as she reaches out to grab my hand.
"Cosa?" I snarl jerking my arm back before her skin can even brush mine. "What did you do this time?"
"The little one" Alex startes but Vivien silenced him instantly with a sharp elbow to the side. She glares a promise of actual retribution at him. Alex throws his hands up in surrender and immediately retreated toward Matteo.
"What did you do, Vivien?"
I stepped directly into her personal space, looming over her, gripping her shoulders hard enough to pin her in place, forcing her to look at me. "I am asking you for the absolute last time. What?"
"I slipped something into her drink!" The words finally tore from her mouth, dropping into a panicking whisper. She looks up at me, begging for mercy. "But only... I... I didn't know she would react like this! I just wanted her to make a fool of herself!"
"Drugs?" I hiss. The word feel like poison in my mouth. I press my teeth together so hard my skull aches , praying she won't deny it.
"I'm sorry, Enzo," she whispers hoarsely.
She flinches violently as I shove her away, my finger pointing directly at her chest. "Do not call me Enzo, Vi. Ever again."
There is one golden rule. One boundary I will not let anyone cross.No matter the party, no matter the event, everyone knows better than to bring that garbage near me. I don't care if they drink themselves into a stupor, but chemicals are out of the question.
And she gave it to Sophia.
My plan was to make her feel small tonight. I wanted her uncomfortable. I wanted her to realize she didn't belong in my world and run away. Instead, she was downstairs looking like a devastating, untouchable fucking goddess, and now I find out her compliance is because she is chemically altered.
My hands curl into tight fists. My chest heave as a sudden, terrifying wave of pure, protective rage rippes through my veins, pushing out the hatred.
"What did you give her?" I force my voice to remain dead level, though my throat burns .
With trembling hands, she reaches into her designer bag, pulles out a small plastic baggie, and handed it over. I recognize the substance instantly.
"All of it?" I asked, completely stunned, looking at the residue. "You gave her all of this?"
"I... no... yes... I mean, I wanted to slip some into Maria's drink too, but they swapped glasses so fast and I didn't... I just wanted Sophia to look out of place..."
"Yes or no?!"
"Yes," she whimperes.
"Matteo!" I roar across the deafening noise of the party.
Our eyes met instantly. I slam the baggie into his chest as he walks over and Signale sharply toward the bridge. "Tell the captain to dock the boat. Now."
Pushing Vivien roughly aside, I storm toward the main dance floor and shove past anyone in my way, my vision narrowing into a dangerous tunnel until my eyes lock entirely on Sophia.
Maria stands right in front of her, trying to reason with her, but Sophia seems completely unresponsive to reality.
"Sophia, please get down from there," Maria pleaded, holding two glasses in her hands.
Our eyes met instantly. I slam the baggie into his chest as he walks over and signals sharply toward the bridge.
"Tell the captain to dock the boat. Now."Pushing Vivien roughly aside, I storm toward the main dance floor and shove past anyone in my way. My vision narrows into a dangerous tunnel until my eyes lock entirely on Sophia.
Maria stands right in front of her, trying to reason with her, but Sophia seems completely unresponsive to reality.
"Sophia, please get down from there," Maria pleads, holding two glasses in her hands.Without a single word, I stride up and rip both glasses from Maria's grip. One of them is empty down to the very last drop."Hey!" Maria protests."Did she drink the whole thing?" I demand.
I can't tear my eyes away from Sophia. The short, tight fabric of her dress clings to every curve of her body like water.
Her skin is flushed, a fine sheen of moisture coating her collarbones.
Despite how much I loathe her, the sight of her completely undone, vulnerable, and breathing heavily makes the blood roar in my ears.
"What?" Maria asks, bewildered.
When I finally snap my gaze to her, she is looking at me with a wide, clueless grin.
"Did she drink all of it, or did someone else have some too?"
The grin vanishes from Maria's face instantly, the gravity of my tone finally sinking in.
"Uh, yeah. Yeah, I think so," she mutters, turning back to her friend, who is currently screaming along happily to the music.
I step closer, right up to the edge of the chair she is standing on.
"Sophia! Get down here right now!" I shout up at her.But she ignores me entirely, her hips swaying wildly to a heavy techno remix of On the Floor. She is entirely lost to the moment, her movements fluid, devastating, and entirely unbothered by my existence.
"I love this song!" she cheers down at us, stretching her hand out toward Maria. "Come up here!" she laughs."I never thought she would go this wild," Maria admits, looking at me in shock."Sophia! That's enough. Get down now," I bark, my voice cutting cleanly through the heavy bass.
She slowly stops moving.
She leans over the railing, lowering her upper body until her face is inches from mine. Up close, the heat radiating off her skin hits me like a physical wave. Her pupils are completely dilated, swallowing the color of her eyes, making them look pitch black, glassy, and dangerously deep.
A breathless, wicked grin flashes on her lips as she locks eyes with me.
There is no fear in her. The substance has stripped away her defenses, leaving nothing but raw, provocative defiance."
Come up and make me," she mocks. She whispers the words, but in the tiny space between our faces, it vibrates right through my chest, low and raspy.
Oh, trust me, you really don't want that.
A dark, dangerous urge tightens in my gut. I want to climb up there, pin her down, and show her exactly what happens when she challenges me. My breath stalls in my throat as my gaze drops to her mouth, then snaps back to her wide eyes.
I force my expression to remain a mask of cold control, refusing to bite at her invitation. "Sophia. I am not playing. Get the fuck down.""Lorenzo," she mocks, dragging out my name like a dirty little secret, her breath brushing warm against my lips.
I let out a sharp, irritated breath, my heart hammering violently against my ribs.
Before I can reach up and drag her down myself, a random guy stumbles directly into her space.
He reeks of cheap liquor, his eyes tracking the bare skin of her exposed thighs as he reaches out a sweaty hand to touch her waist, shouting over the thumping beat,
"I can dance with you, baby!"
"Yay!" Sophia cheers, clapping her hands like a thrilled child just to spite me, leaning right into the stranger's chest.
A hard knot forms in my jaw. The music fades. The lights blur. The entire world goes dead silent. My instinct takes over before my brain can even process the sudden, violent explosion of pure jealousy and lethal rage ripping through my veins. Nobody touches what is mine to destroy.
Nobody
I lunge forward, grab her wrist in an unyielding, bruising grip, and haul her backward. She gasps, the laughter catching in her throat as I effortlessly yank her off the chair and directly into my chest.
For a fraction of a second, her flushed, soft body is crushed flat against mine. I feel the frantic, racing beat of her heart against my ribs. I smell the intoxicating mix of her perfume and the heat of her skin.
It nearly drives me insane.Before she can even realize what was happening, I hoist her over my shoulder like she weighs absolutely nothing.The crowd that has gathered parts around us in a startled blur, practically fleeing from the pure, lethal energy radiating off my body.
Behind me, Maria stands frozen, completely dumbfounded.Sophia's small fists begin beating wildly against my back, her legs kicking in the air.
"Let me go! Put me down, Lorenzo! I was having fun!"
"Trust me, stalker, I'm doing you a fucking favor," I growl, my large palm securing her thighs, squeezing just tight enough to let her know I'm not joking as I march toward the exit.
"I don't want your favor.PUT.Me.Down." Sophia slurs, her fists drumming weakly against my back.
I ignore her, carrying her weight down to the lower deck, away from the suffocating noise. I set her down, but her knees immediately buckle. I catch her by the shoulders, pinning her gently but firmly against the wall so she doesn't collapse.
"Look at me," I command, my voice low and dangerous. I pull out my phone and flick on the flashlight.
"Lokk at your self dickhead ..." she snaps , her head lolling back as she loses focus.
"Sophia." I grip her chin tightly, forcing her face up, and shine the light directly into her eyes. Her pupils are completely blown, swallowing her irises whole. The sickening confirmation hits me like a physical blow.
I exhale, a mix of disbelief and cold fury washing over me.