I’M TALKING TO several men gathered in a circle at the edge of the party when the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Call it sixth sense or intuition, whatever you want to call it, but I know in that moment that something isn’t right.
Looking up at the place where I left Aria, I find it empty. My eyes then quickly scan the party, looking for her. Several women are wearing similar dresses and colors as her, but none of them even so much as get a second glance from me.
“What is wrong, Mateo?” someone asks, clearly concerned over my sudden, erratic behavior.
“Nothing. I…I’ll be right back,” I tell the group before bowing out of the conversation and heading towards one of my guards. “Where is Aria?” I ask him.
He shrugs his shoulders.
“Find her,” I snarl at him, and his nonchalant manner suddenly turns stiff and serious.
I look back to the party, searching the room hastily once more, hoping that I simply just missed her the first time around.
Did she run from me?
The possibility has my hands curling into fists, my knuckles bleaching white from the force. If she did run, she’s made a grave mistake. I will go to the ends of the earth to find her and bring her back to me. And then I will beat her little ass so hard she won’t be able to sit for a week. She will truly know the definition of what it means to be mine. And I realize in that moment that she is most definitely mine.
Fuming, I walk down a hallway towards the bathrooms, thinking maybe she’s just powdering her nose. If she doesn’t want my anger raining down on her, that better be all she’s doing.
Cursing under my breath, I blame myself for not keeping her with me the entire night. I should have been more careful. This is our first outing. I wouldn’t blame her for trying something, for running.
But if my little captive wants to run, I hope she’s prepared for me to chase her. Just the thought of chasing her down has my blood coursing through my veins as my heart triples its rhythm inside my chest. A part of me in that moment hopes that she did run. But another part hopes that, for her sake, she’s still at this party.
I check the bathroom and then walk the length of the hall but don’t see her. I’m about to turn around when I hear a noise that draws my attention instantly. And when I hear Aria screaming my name, I know it’s a sound that will haunt me for the rest of my life.
My feet are carrying me fast towards the noise before my brain can even catch up. I hit a button on my watch, alerting my men to my location. They know that signal means to drop everything and rush to where I am.
The manor is massive and full of halls and rooms, something I never minded before right now. Standing in the silent hallway, I listen carefully, waiting for any kind of sign to point me to where Aria is. Then, suddenly, a man cries out, and I know exactly which room they’re in — the library. I turn the doorknob slowly, wanting to get a jump on whoever is behind the door, but it’s locked from the inside.
Pulling out the Glock from behind my back, I position myself in the hall. Three of my men are running towards me, and I motion for them to break down the door.
Two swift kicks, and the door is breaking off its hinges and falling inwards. My eyes survey the room. There’s a man on top of Aria, assaulting her. He’s too focused on her to even care about us.
And with one look at Aria, I see fucking red. Her dress is disheveled with a large tear at the top, exposing the top of her breast. Tears are streaming down her beautiful face, her makeup running alongside them.
Her honey-colored eyes lock onto mine, and a sob of relief escapes her lips. Fuck, that look completely guts me.
“Get the fuck away from her!” I roar, pointing my gun at the man.
Now I have his attention. He slowly stands, puts his hands up and turns to us. His jeans are undone, his little flaccid cock sticking out of his underwear.
A darkness I’ve never felt before consumes me in that moment, and I pounce on him like a wild animal, tackling him to the ground while my fists and the butt of my gun repeatedly collide with his face. I beat him until he’s nothing but a bloody lump of tissue, bones, and broken teeth. One of my men manage to pull me away from him, and I stand there, my breathing ragged, my knuckles stained in crimson.
Aria’s attacker opens his mouth to say something, maybe to plead for forgiveness or his life, but he doesn’t get to even speak before I raise my gun and squeeze the trigger. The shot rings out, temporarily deafening me. The room looks like it’s straight out of a horror movie with blood and pieces of his skull and brain splattered all over shelves of books and expensive bottles of liquor in the mini bar.
Aria’s designer dress is covered in blood as she stares up at me in shocked silence. I tuck the Glock behind my back and reach my hand out for her. She comes willingly to me, throwing herself into my arms as she trembles.
I hold her tightly to me. “Ready the car,” I tell one of my men. He gives me a nod before running down the hallway.
My eyes follow him, and I can see several party guests have come to see what all the commotion is about. They stand there with wide eyes, staring at the dead body on the floor of the library.
Cristóbal stands behind all of them, a look of displeasure on his face. I’ve shot someone in his home during a party that he was hosting. Even more so than that, I destroyed his beautiful library, something he takes a lot of pride in. He’s definitely going to be upset with me, maybe even want me dead after all is said and done, but I would do it all over again. I would do anything to protect Aria.
Stripping off my suit jacket, I wrap Aria tightly inside of it. I don’t want anyone to witness her in a vulnerable state. “Take her to the car,” I tell Ignacio.
He goes to protest, probably wanting to stay with me in case shit goes down with Cristóbal, but I give him a look that lets him know I’m fucking serious and it’s not open for discussion.
Aria’s fingers grasp my shirt tightly, not wanting to let me go. And, fuck me, in that moment, I don’t want her to let me go. But I have shit to take care of right now, and I want to know that she’s safe while I’m conducting business.
I give Ignacio a nod, and he grabs an unwilling Aria and pries her hands from my shirt. She looks hurt and scared as she’s led away from me, but it’s for the best.
I watch until she disappears around the corner, and then Cristóbal steps forward and says, “Let’s go have a little chat, Mateo.”
I follow him past the group of people, who stare at me with curious and frightened looks. Once they leave this party, word will spread fast that Aria is my one and true weakness. That she is mine. That I would kill and have killed to protect her. And even though I haven’t taken her virginity yet, everything will change after tonight, whether we want it to or not.
