Page 50 of Unforgettable Billionaire (The Hardcore Novels: Special Editions #3)

Aurei jumps down, and my eyes twinkle. "That was good trickery, wasn't it?"

"You are the sweetest one!" He tells me as I melt into his arms. He whispers the Italian words in my hair, and I hold him tight.

Angelo makes a loud announcement when he gets up from the table. "It's Thriller time!"

The crowd roars, and everyone starts to move. I frown. "Thriller time?"

Aurei just grins as the dance floor fills again to maximum capacity. Antonio, with Gio, hugged up tight against him, asks Aurei. "Is everything ok, Boss? I heard Augustus say Zita and Mia in the same sentence. That can't be good."

Gio mouths a quiet 'thank you' to me, and I wink at her.

Aurei tells him. "Mia is spreading her usual negative shit."

"About Bee and the baby's daddy?"

"No." He intentionally doesn't look at me, and I know she's told them I'm a whore from Vegas.

"I'm sure I'm the flavor of the night, and I'm not vanilla." I roll my eyes, making them laugh.

Angelo appears through the parting crowd and puts his hand on Antonio and Aurei's shoulders. "Give the fat boy a boost, would you?"

They push him onto the stage just as a squeaky door blasts us from the speakers, followed by heavy steps and wolf howls. My face splits into a grin. "Thriller? Really?"

"Really!" Gio says. "It's a family tradition! Do you know it?"

"Oh yes. I know it."

Aurei picks me up and deposits me back on the stage. "He's going to need some help with the dancing part."

When I walk over, he gives me a high five, and we walk in place together, pretending we are strolling.

Then when he sings, he sings all around me.

The dance floor is packed with as many family members as it will hold, and everyone is doing their own version of zombie dancing.

When it's time in the song to zombie dance, Angelo and I dance it together.

It's a hit and miss for him, but no one has a better time than he does.

When it's over, he gives me a big hug, and the DJ says. "Siri. Don't walk off. You're up."

I give him a 'really?' look, but step up to the mic.

When the song starts, I wonder who picked it for me, but the thought doesn't stay long as the music to "When I Grow Up" by the Pussycat Dolls takes over.

My hair flip with "Sup" gives Aurei a warning of what's coming.

He pumps his fist to the music. I take that as 'don't hold back,' so I dance the choreography.

I am sexy, I did want to be famous, I do have groupies and I'm about to become a Star.

The familiar thing happens to the people on the dance floor who stayed after Thriller.

At first, they look surprised or may be shocked, but then the perfection of my performance makes them begin to root for me, and they get into it too.

Hands up, pumping and jumping, the dance floor comes alive as the beat takes hold.

I end my performance, leaning off the stage again for Aurei to catch.

He gives me a soft landing, and I give him a "Whew! That's tougher than I want to admit!"

He laughs. "Let's give you a break then."

We begin to thread our way back to our table through the crowd and are halfway there when the DJ announces the next singer. "Mia."

Aurei stops mid-stride, and his head jerks up. His hawk-eyes turn to the stage.

"What's wrong?"

"Mia doesn't participate."

"Oh. Well, apparently she's changed her mind. Maybe I inspired her." I giggle, still feeling exhilarated.

"Or maybe it's competition for attention," Aurei says, still frowning. "She doesn't do anything without a reason behind it."

I give him a knowing smirk. "That sounds familiar."

When we arrive at the table, Mia is standing on the stage. I sit, but Aurei stands with Angelo. They exchange a look, and he shrugs. "I don't know what she is up to."

When the song starts to play, Damn, she sings "Every Breath You Take" by Sting and the Police. The hair on my neck wants to rise. Is this a threat? Aurei studies Mia. I can tell by his demeanor he thinks it is. His body is flexed and tense. I put my hand on his arm, and he looks down at me.

"What the fuck?"

He shakes his head. "I don't know what's up."

Gio laughs, "I didn't even know she could sing."

Antonio asks her. "Did you know she was going to sing tonight?"

"No. I'm surprised too."

Aurei steps back to where Quintus sits with Jemma on his lap. Antonio leans over, and they huddle together. I look back at Mia, and she is giving the performance of a lifetime. When he comes back to me, he slides in his chair without saying anything, so I ask. "Is everything ok?"

"Angelo says she's been angry since they left Rome and something pissed her off earlier. You and I know what."

Gio agrees. "She's been angry ever since Siri showed up."

Aurei tells us. "She's just showing her ass right now."

But when the next song starts, she stands there. She is singing two in a row. Defiant! Definitely making a statement. It's "Rolling In the Deep" by Adele.

Fuck! She's threatening Aurei! Holy Hades!

I look at Aurei and watch the tension coil.

When she sings that she shouldn't be underestimated in the things that she is willing to do, he stands, and the other men stand too in unison.

Aurei looks at Quintus and tells him. "Stay with Siri.

If we aren't back when Mia returns, make sure she doesn't do anything stupid.

" Then he and Angelo push their chairs back to leave.

I reach for his hand, and when my skin touches his, he looks at me. That face is scary badass! "Aurei?"

"Stay with Quintus." He commands.

I open my mouth to say something, but then close it and just nod at him.

There's no point saying anything while her stupid ass is singing that she is not going to let this issue go.

I'm not sure why she chose the venue of this Karaoke battle to make her point, but maybe it's just to let everyone else know she doesn't agree.

I watch silently as Aurei and Angelo walk across the dance floor to where his parents are.

They have returned to the table again with Augustus and Oriana, Milo, and Vanessa.

Quintus comes to sit beside me, and Jemma sits alone in their chair.

Our eyes touch, but there is nothing to say.

Antonio is holding Gio's hand, and he is whispering to her.

She is nodding her head at him. Looking back at the stage, there are a few couples dancing, but most are simply watching her, or Aurei, or me.

Mia is staring at our table, and my skin starts to crawl.

She's got balls! By the time the song is over, I'm fit to be tied.

It doesn't matter her motives. She's made one helluva statement!

When she simply says my name, I stand, knowing the confrontation is at hand. "That's not right! That's fucked up!"

Quintus grabs my arm. "Oh no, you don't."

My blood boils. Pure venom spews from my mouth.

"Take your fucking hand off me! Right now, Quintus Liotine!

If you think I'm going to sit here after that, you are absofuckinglutely wrong!

That's fucking treason in my damn book, buddy.

She's threatening Aurei in front of his whole fucking family, and she's calling me out!

I told you before. It's his life and his choice. "

"And he will handle it."

I snatch my arm away. "No. I'm the reason she's threatening him.

I'll fucking handle it in front of his whole fucking family too!

" I turn to the dance floor. "She doesn't know me!

I'm going to crush her at her own goddamn game.

" I flip my hair with southern badass, redneck attitude, and the Vegas Diva walks out onto the dance floor to meet her.

When we pass, I stare her ass down. She doesn't blink. She is supremely confident.

We shall see how smug you are in just a motherfucking minute.

"Thank you, Mia, for showing your true colors. I prefer to receive information straight line, not curved."

Her mouth forms a bitter line when she hears Aurei's words come out of my mouth.

I'm pushing her buttons. Good! Goddammit!

Her cold eyes try to cut me, but I simply flip my hair at her and walk to the stage. When I arrive, I take the side steps up. My anger makes my stride long as I cross to the DJ. My breasts bounce, and I don't care. I'll sing Kelly Clarkson's "Mr. Know It All" to Mrs. Know It All!

The DJ looks like he got caught jacking off, and he says. "That was weird!"

I smile sweetly at him. "What song has the weirdo chosen for me?"

He looks embarrassed when I see it. "Ah!" I stand there a few seconds, absorbing the song choice.

"You can change it. You don't have to sing it."

"Ha." I smile at him. "No. I'll sing it. It's perfect."

When I walk up to the microphone, the crowd is quiet, and I look out at them.

Aurei stands next to Bob and Augustus. Both of them have their hands on his arms, holding him back.

His thunder is rumbling all around them.

Angelo is walking with purpose and looks pissed off as he crosses the dance floor back to Mia.

She is sitting between Antonio and Quintus.

I turn my back to them, take several deep breaths, relax my shoulders, look up at the ceiling, and find my center, letting my anger go.

I slip again into Divine Diva-ness like Cinderella slipped into the glass slipper.

If the shoe fits, I smile to myself. It feels right. It feels good. I can do this! Karma, you are a true witch! And I love you so!

When I turn back to the microphone, I look again at Aurei, and our eyes lock.

He stops fighting, but they keep holding him.

"This is for you, Maximus Aurelius Moore.

You are my heart, my hunk, and my hero." Controlling my emotions, allowing my feelings to flow through my vocal cords in complete control of my breath and my delivery, I give them everything I have, holding the notes with perfect fluctuation. "If I."

Everyone stops moving. You can hear a pin drop.