Page 44 of The Bonventi Hitman

I nod. "All right, let's go."

As we step out of the elevator, he leads me to the entrance of the ballroom where the gala is being held.

"Enjoy your night," he says with a forced smile and walks away.

I walk in, scanning the room. There are a lot more people than I thought there'd be. My eyes immediately land on Isabella, Luca's wife, at the bar.

Shit.

I can't risk running into her. The potential consequences are too much for the start of the evening. I duck away, blending into the crowd while observing the guests and artwork. A painting catches my eye—a naked woman surrounded by melting clocks. "Time's Illusions," the plaque reads. Starting bid: $250,000. Ishake my head in disbelief, wondering who would spend that kind of money on such a piece. Then I remember—good old money laundering.

I spot Luca across the room, deep in conversation. As I approach, their voices lower.

"Luca," I call out, my voice soft yet audible over the hum of the crowd.

His eyes meet mine briefly before flicking over my shoulder. "Sofia, what are you doing here?" he asks coldly.

I frown, stunned. "You invited me, remember?"

Luca blinks, as if he's just remembered something. "Oh, right," he says, his voice growing distant. "I forgot about that."

"I couldn't wait to see you," I reply, my voice laced with false sincerity. "You look handsome tonight."

I feel myself overcompensating because I'm scared of losing my cover and blowing everything I've been working towards.

Luca acknowledges the compliment with a curt nod. "Thanks. Uh, you too."

"Is everything okay?" I ask, trying to sound casual. "You seem distracted."

Luca's eyes dart around the room again before settling back on me. "I'm fine," he says. "Just some... fuck."

Luca pushes past me, almost knocking me over. I turn to see Isabella standing there beside two other women. Her arms are crossed, and she's turning red.

Luca runs to her and puts his arm on her shoulders.

"What the fuck, Luca? Are you serious? This bitch again? After everything you told me," she says in a loud tone.

"Isabella, don't yell so loud," a woman next to her says.

"No, fuck that."

"Enough!" Luca commands, and Isabella bites her lip and stares daggers at me.

"I will deal with this. Cindy, please take her to get some fresh air, and I'll come find you shortly," Luca says.

He turns to me, furious. "Don't move," he barks and disappears into the crowd.

Left alone, I make my way to the bar. As I reach for a champagne flute, a familiar hand grabs my arm. "Don't drink that."

I turn to find Gabriel, his presence immediately igniting a warmth within me.

"Why not?" I ask, trying to play cool.

He smirks. "Because."

"Because why?"

"Because I told you not to—do you need another reason?"