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My gold halter dress blended in as well.

“I can’t find them,” I muttered as loud as I dared, hoping the comms would pick it up. I only agreed to wear one tonight because of the venue. We knew it would be hard to navigate and even harder to overhear us, but I would take mine out if I left with Alessio or we got to a private area. I couldn’t risk getting caught with it.

“He’s coming down the stairs now. His group is up in the VIP section,” Marco replied. “I’m serving up here, so I can keep an eye out.”

I pushed away the urge to run back to Derek and let him carve a path for me. It was hard being short, even with heels, and trying to get the crowd to let me through. If only I could pull out my knife and carve a path.

No, that was an Emilia thought.

Millie didn’t get stabby.

“There you are!” Alessio appeared a few feet away with his hand outstretched. I grimaced. It was so close, but it might as well have been a mile away. “Excuse me.”

His voice boomed over the music, and the people in the immediate area turned to him, some glaring, until they recognized him and backed away. Some even apologized.

I hurried forward into Alessio’s waiting arms. “How did you do that?”

“Being the owner has its perks.” He winked before pressing a quick kiss to my lips.

My brows shot up. “You own this place?”

Did we know that?

“Interesting.” Javier was the only one to reply.

“Come on. Let’s get out of this mess.” He turned, holding my hand and pulling me against his back as he led us back to the stairs where an intimating man nodded to him and lifted the velvet rope to let us pass.

The mess, a kind way to describe his patrons, disappeared below us as we stepped onto a much quieter, chicer floor. Lush half-circle booths lined the walls, with a smaller dance floor up against the glass walls overlooking the main area.

We went to the third booth, nearly full with almost a dozen people. Ama saw me and jumped up from the end and pulled me into a hug.

“You look so beautiful!” she shouted in my ear before pulling back and holding my shoulders to take me in. “Damn, my brother is one lucky man.”

I blushed as Alessio kissed my cheek and ran his hand down my bare back. “Yes, I am.”

His deep voice nearly made me shiver. His touch reminded me of our night together. The one I tried to block out and forget, but it was impossible. He was getting under my skin, making me like him more than I should. I could repeat my mantra of he’s the mission until I died, but it wouldn’t help. When I was Millie, it was real, and that scared the shit out of me.

“Let me introduce you to some of my friends.” He quickly ran through the names while I smiled and offered a small wave.

Cristiano, Sergio, and Terrance were his closest associates and top men—the ones we’d eventually bring down.

Shit. The stakes just shot way up. I’d have to be careful. Stick to the script and listen for any tips.

“I set up a camera,” Marco announced. “If you leave the table, take out the com, and hide it close by.”

Right, just drop that in front of some of the leaders of the cartel.

Everyone scooted over to make room for Alessio and me to sit, and Ama went back to the opposite side to take her seat next to Sergio. Were they an item?

She leaned against his arm. He shot her a small smile, but other than that, things seemed platonic. Maybe Alessio warned them to stay away from her.

“Would you like a drink?” he asked me as he reached for a bottle of wine from the center of the table.

“Sure.” Holding onto a glass was easier than explaining to everyone I preferred to keep my head clear on nights out. I wanted to blend in as much as possible. Hopefully, they’d forget I was even there.

Alessio turned and began talking to Cristiano and the women next to him. He kept his arm on my shoulder, tracing small circles on my skin. I kept a smile in place, pretending to sip my drink while listening in on the others.

Boring stuff.