Page 35 of Dangerous Seduction

That arrogant prick had infiltrated my crew. He must have impersonated one of my men to take possession of the shipment from Raul. It was a calculated move designed to sow discord between us and our Colombian suppliers while lining Cruz’s pockets with primo products.

I clenched my fists, the rage building inside me like a volcano ready to erupt. “I’m going to get to the bottom of this,” I growled. “And when I do, Cruz is going to pay for this. That’s a promise.”

There was no frickin’ way I’d let my old man’s order to leave Cruz alone stand any longer. But I had to play this smart. Barging into Cruz’s turf without a solid game plan would be too dangerous. But first, I would get Papi to back the hell off and let me off the leash.

As I raced down the highway toward Palm Beach, my mind churned with the revelations of Cruz’s betrayal. The bastard had stolen from us, and now he was hiding behind my father’s protection. It didn’t make sense. Why would Papi shield a rival like Cruz?

An hour later, I pulled the Escalade into the mansion’s driveway, slamming it into park with a satisfying jolt. The tires kicked up a rooster tail of gravel as I stormed across the courtyard, my strides long and purposeful.

Inside, I flung open the study doors, scanning the room for any sign of my father. But it was empty, the silence broken only by the ticking of the antique grandfather clock in the corner.

“Where the hell is he?” I growled to no one in particular.

“Dante?”

I spun at the sound of my mother’s voice. Isabella Reyes stood in the doorway, her eyes wide with concern as she took in my disheveled appearance.

“Where’s Papi?” I demanded, my tone clipped and harsh. “I need to speak with him. Now.”

My mother’s brow furrowed, her lips pursing into a tight line. “Your father had some business,” she said, calm but firm. “He won’t be back until tomorrow.”

I let out a frustrated growl, raking a hand through my hair. Of course, the old man would be conveniently absent when shit hit the fan. Typical fucking power move, leaving me to deal with the fallout on my own.

“What’s going on, mijo?” my mother asked, her tone gentler now as she approached me. “Talk to me.”

I hesitated momentarily, considering whether to burden her with the details. But in the end, I knew better not to. “Nothing I can’t handle, Mami.”

She regarded me for a long moment, her gaze searching mine. Finally, she gave a curt nod. “Do what you need to do, mijo,” she said, resolute. “But be careful.”

I pulled her into an embrace, drawing strength from her unwavering support. “I will, Mami. I promise.”

With a final squeeze, I released her and strode from the father’s study.

Exhausted and frustrated, I shut myself in my room, struggling to rein in my emotions. I grabbed a whisky glass and filled it with enough Macallan to make the damn bottle weep.

I drowned half of it in one gulp and could almost think straight again.

A knock on the door made me tense. My hand instinctively moved to the small of my back, where my sidearm rested in its holster. “Who is it?” I barked.

“It’s me, Dante.” The soft, melodic tones of Eva’s voice drifted through the door, instantly sparking a different kind of fire within me.

I wrenched the door open to find her standing there, a vision of temptation in a flowing, almost see-through dress, living little to the imagination. Her dark hair tumbled in glossy waves over her shoulders, framing a face that Michelangelo could have sculpted.

“Eva,” I breathed, my voice husky.

She favored me with a slow, sultry smile that threatened my self-control. “I heard voices. I figured you were back,” she said, her eyes roaming over me in a way that made my skin prickle with awareness. “I wanted to make sure everything was alright.”

I studied her for a moment, but as always, Eva was an enigma, her face giving nothing away.

“Everything’s fine,” I lied, forcing a casual shrug. “Just some business I had to take care of.”

As I let her inside and closed the door, I could see the curiosity burning in her fathomless eyes. “Business, hmm?”

I barked out a harsh laugh, shaking my head. “Yeah, baby. Just some bullshit with a rival crew. Nothing I can’t handle.”

Eva took a step closer, her body heat radiating off her in waves that had me fighting the urge to pull her flush against me. “You seem tense, Dante,” she purred, her fingers trailing along the taut muscles of my forearm. “Maybe I can help you... relax.”

Christ, the way she said that last word in a lustful caress that promised all manner of delicious sins. I felt my cock stir, straining against the confines of my pants as desire coiled hot and heavy in my gut.

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