Page 6 of The Empress

“Don’t tell me you’re leaving,” he says with a tumbler of whiskey in his hand.

“I have a meeting,” I give him the excuse Massimo came up with.

“Such a pity.”

Yeah, right.

I stare at him for a few seconds before I murmur, “Enjoy the rest of your party, Nicolo. Tell Luciano I’ll see him on Tuesday, and he better not be late.”

“He’ll be there.”

A look of warning tightens my features. “He better.”

Walking away from Nicolo, we head toward the veranda, and as we enter the house, a young woman I’ve never seen before comes down the stairs.

Her brown hair has blonde highlights, and she has big, brown eyes that make her look fucking beautiful. She’s wearing a shimmering pink dress that fits her full body like a second skin. Desire ignites in me as I take in every sexy and fuckable inch of her.

Christ. Wouldn’t mind having her in my bed for one night.

Those big brown eyes of hers lock with mine, and I feel a punch to my gut. There’s an innocent air about her, which is something you don’t find easily in my world.

The image of those big eyes staring up at me as I fuck her senseless has a fine layer of sweat breaking out over my body, and my cock hardens at the most inconvenient time.

“Haven,” I hear Liliana call from behind me, making a smile spread over the woman’s face. When a dimple appears in her left cheek, a stab of pain squeezes my heart, and the burst of desire vanishes real fucking fast.

Carina had a dimple like that.

“Our moms want to take a photo with us,” Liliana says. “You look so gorgeous in that dress.”

“Thanks,” Haven replies, her eyes darting to me.

When she sees I’m looking at her, she quickly smiles at Liliana again, a nervous expression tightening her features slightly.

I rip my eyes away from the beautiful woman and walk toward the front door.

She must think I’m out of hearing distance, but I can hear when she asks in a soft tone, “Who’s the man in the blue suit?”

Hmm. American accent. She’s probably Liliana’s cousin.

“Leo Toscano,” Liliana answers, her voice tense with caution. “Hot as hell, but not someone you want to get involved with. Come, let’s go.”

“Hot is the understatement of the year,” Haven murmurs.

The corner of my mouth lifts as I leave the mansion and take the steps down to the driveway.

“Hot as hell,” Massimo scoffs before chuckling.

“I can’t help that women throw themselves at me.”

He rolls his eyes as we reach the Ferrari. “Next time I have to attend anything with you, bring the Porsche. I struggle to get in and out of this fucking car.”

“Old man,” I taunt him while opening the driver’s side door.

Folding his body in half to get into the sports car, he grumbles, “Old man, my ass.”

Massimo is the furthest thing from an old man, but I like to give him shit. He’s one of the best fighters I know, and he never misses a shot. The man is nothing short of a killing machine, and I’m lucky to have him by my side.

Once I’m seated behind the steering wheel, I press the button and the engine roars to life. I steer the Ferrari past all the other cars, then mention, “I wasn’t aware Nicolo had a brother.”