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“Excuse me, ladies,” I say with a wink.

Several of them sigh almost dreamily as I walk away. I’m not the type of man who enjoys flirting with just any woman, but I have learned that most women will drop their panties for a man who is rich and attractive.

A fact of life I’ve used to my advantage when necessary.

Portia’s fast but I’m faster.

My stride eats hers up as she makes her escape. She flees into the hall outside the banquet room not even bothering to pretend she’s taking a phone call. I come up from behind and grab her by the elbow to keep her at my side.

“Ms. James, was that a lie you told in there?” I taunt, my tone smooth and casual.

She wrenches her arm out of my grasp. “How many times do I have to tell you not to touch me? What are you even doing here tonight? Did you even mean to donate to this charity or did you do that as another game?”

“What can I say? I told you we’d have dinner together.”

The laugh she gives is of disbelief. “Rafael… Mr. Calderone, let me make one thing clear. If I were ever going to give you a second chance, that went right out the window when you showed up at my work. It damn sure is out the window after this.”

“I donated 6.7 million to your favorite charity. How many men have done that for you?”

She rolls her eyes and turns away from me. “That’s where you’re wrong. I don’t need them to. I don’t need them—including you—to do anything.”

She sets off into another stride. The view from behind is impeccable. Her ass in that dress is like a peach worthy of sinking my teeth into.

I go after her, determined to get her to see reason. See things my way.

We make it halfway down the hall. The doors on the other side fall open and in walk two men in ski masks, clutching Uzi machine guns.

I have less than a second to react.

My hand clenches shut on Portia’s arm and I wrench her behind the nearby stone column as the guns go off.

11

PORTIA

Several chaotic secondsgo by where I’m lost as to what the hell’s going on. I’m walking away from Rafael and then I’m ripped off my feet and slammed against a stone pillar. Rafael’s body presses into mine like a warm and heavy shield I can’t begin to escape.

The sharp, crackling sound of gunfire fills my ears from all sides. I scream despite the fact that I’m easily drowned out.

My insides quake. My very bones feel like they’re vibrating.

I squeeze shut my eyes and clutch Rafael as if he’s a lifeline. He really has become a shield against the chaos that’s exploded out of nowhere.

It’s difficult telling time. If five seconds have gone by or five minutes.

Eventually, the crackling gunfire stops. Screams and sirens take its place. The rush of people running in all directions.

Rafael draws back slightly. “You okay?”

I’m shaking, my voice lost. I can only blink dumbly up at him.

He cups my cheek and lets his eyes scan the length of me. Once he’s decided I’m unharmed, he steps out from the stone column we’ve hid behind. His expression has changed, darkening in a way I’ve never seen before.

“Where’d they go?” he shouts at the two men he’s attended the charity dinner with.

I recognize them immediately, even through my daze.

Adagio and Maurizio.