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Things at home were officially in full swing. I'd grown closer to Coulter, the mafia prince, and was fully involved in their business now. And yet, no matter what was going on in Vegas, Tatiana and I remained close.
We stared into each other’s eyes for what would've been a very uncomfortable amount of time for anyone else, but not for Tatiana. And so much was said in the connection between us. I couldn’t hide my true emotions from her. Adoration for her intelligent thoughts, homesickness to be with her when I was gone, longing to touch her again. And, in the past few years…lust. To feel her wrapped around me, her arms clinging to my neck, her body pressed against mine.
Andlove.
I loved this woman.
I wanted to be by her side every moment of every day.
"Knight?" my mother's grating voice snapped, "Are you listening to me?"
I only grunted in response, still not looking away from Tatiana, though my gaze had lowered, lingering on her lips.
"Hijo," Abuelo's stern voice made my back straighten, and I finally broke my stare to look at him. His lips were pursed, his sharp eyes narrowed at me. “Show some respect. Your mama is speaking to you."
"Disculpe," I asked for his pardon, then turned towards my mother, pretending to listen.
“I brought you here to celebrate your father’s and my anniversary, Knight. Why can’t you appreciate…”
I motioned for another glass of rum, doing my best to properly respond at the appropriate moments as she went on and on.
“I’m only trying to do what’s best for you.”
I nodded, “Of course, mom.”
“And there are several girls here who want to speak with you. Just earlier, Solidad was telling me about how her daughter is going to school in the States to be a doctor. She’s here now, visiting with her family…”
After several minutes, I finally took a chance to glance back at Tatiana; her seat was empty.
Still grunting in response to my mother, I scanned the room, looking for her. If she was with another man, I was going to lose my shit, regardless of how Abuelo felt about it. It took me a good five minutes of searching the room to find her. The party was in full swing now, and Valentina was back on my father’s lap, her arms hooked around his neck. She was moving in time with the music from the live band, grinding against him.
People had pushed the tables and chairs out of the way, and were dancing in the middle of the room. Servers in button-up white shirts and black ties scrambled to keep everyone plied with drinks and to clean up after them.
Tatiana’s parents had moved away from the priest, and were talking to Raul and Pedro, my other cousin, on the opposite side of the dance floor.
I finally spotted her at the back of the room, right outside the doors to the kitchen.
As soon as my eyes landed on her, she smirked, then turned, glancing slyly at me before disappearing through the swinging doors.
I jumped to my feet, throwing my napkin on my halfway eaten plate. "Yes, mother. Whatever you want." I kissed the top of her head and walked off without excusing myself. I didn't even know what I'd agreed to, only that I wanted to shut her up so Abuelo wouldn't stop me from going to Tati.
The kitchen was chaos with shouting cooks and servers. A large dulce de leche cake was being frosted, and the smell of burnt caramel filled my nose.
As I made my way through the maze of insanity looking for her, a waiter walked by with three fresh glasses of mojitos. I scooped one up, slipping him a generous tip before he could protest, and took a sip.
Then, a flash of black lace before it disappeared around the corner.
Narrowing in on it, I chased Tatiana to the darkened hallway, full of opportunity and promise.
When I turned the corner, I found her waiting for me, her back pressed to the wall.
Stark cheekbones and collarbones drew me in. The front of her dress dipped low to reveal generous curves of her tits, the thin, muscular line of her belly. Her lips were full and rich and so fucking bite-able, I wanted to nibble on them.
I was hard just looking at her.
Intelligent eyes now heated with lust, stared at me. “I’ve been waiting all week for you.” Her hand slid up her thigh, pulling her dress up with her. The movement revealed the waist-high slit in her dress and long, shapely legs. “It was my birthday."
"You didn't get my present?" I moved closer, drawn to her like gravity between two black holes.