Page 112 of As the World Falls

He chuckles and leans into my neck just as he did before. “James was right about you. You’re dancing with the city's most feared man, and you don’t have a care in the world.”

I gasp, rearing back in his embrace. “You’re his brother. You’re Stefano Luccio.” His full lips hitch up in amusement as I stare back at him with nothing but astonishment. Seriously, what has my life become?

“And you shouldn’t be here,” he points out as he glides us around other dancers.

“Yeah, I realize that now.”

He chuckles, and I feel it reverberating through me. “I like you for him,” he says, catching me off guard.

“For who?”

“James. He needs someone like you.”

“Someone like me?”

He leans in, hovering next to my ear. “Bold. Empathetic yet strong-willed. It helps that you’re also beautiful.”

My eyes crinkle as I regard him. How was this the most feared man in the mafia, and yet, here he was, showering me with compliments? “Uhm, thanks…I think,” I respond confused.

“What I’m saying is… James is my brother. He deserves this. I want this for him, and I’m not sure if you’re aware, but I’m used to getting what I want.”

I rear back in his embrace as I stare up at him. “Are you threatening me into being with James?” It was kind of funny, but he was kind of scary, so it was also not funny.

He pulls me back, and I follow his lead to the rhythm of the music. “Why else would you be here if not to be with him?” he asks. I stare mindlessly at him, at a loss for words. I was here to be with James…wasn’t I? After everything, after what I learned last night, it all led me here. I would be lying to myself if I chose not to believe that.

Stefano grins, then dips me, and my stomach whirls with excitement. He was right. I didn’t have a care in the world. Not anymore. Why was that? And why have I never danced before? It was so raw and exhilarating. Except, just as he begins to pull me up, he lets go of me entirely. It feels like I’m being pulled into the ground as soon as he does it. I’m about to scream when I feel new arms wrap around my waist, and I see a different masked man staring down at me, slowly pulling me up to stand with him.

His mask was charcoal with blue and silver sparkles covering its round edges. The eyes were highlighted in white and blue, creating sharp wings above them. It was beautiful, but not as beautiful as the brown and grey eyes that watched me from behind it.

“James,” I gasp.

“Babe,” he says back, spinning me around the dance floor and making my heart fly. I was becoming cold in the night air, but I couldn’t feel anything but him. His eyes track up and down my body, heating me from the inside out. “Fuck,” he groans out agonizingly. “Look at you,” he says appreciatively, sealing my fate. His hands become tighter on me, nearly ripping straightthrough my dress. “Why the fuck are you here with Chuck?” he growls.

“I’m not. I…I came for you,” I find myself saying.

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly like he liked that answer, and the feeling of it all gave me powerful butterflies in my stomach. I knew then, at this moment, that nothing, nothing…could ever make me feel this way.

Only him.

Chapter Thirty-Five

James

My feet move forward as hers move back, twirling us in a swift motion as I lead her around the dance floor. She looked captivating. As much as I liked her hair down and free, I found myself loving how it was pinned up in a bunch of curls, like if you pulled one hairpin out, they would all spring free. She had silver hair barrettes in several different spots of her hair, making it look like tiny little sparkling leaves were in her hair.

The white dress’s corset top hugged her body, making her chest look full and plump behind the sharp spikes of it and the bottom of her dress…fuck me. It was all Cecilia. Flowing and beautiful. White and Pure. The two high slits on each side, though, plus her black gloves, reminded me of the edge to her. The defiance she always wore with me. And her fucking heels…I don’t think I’d ever been attracted to heels before, but the way the strappy silver heels with several large gems across the top of her feet accentuated her legs made me want to fall to my knees and kiss her feet.

She was absolutely ravishing. Yet, I still didn’t understand why she was here. I could have murdered Chuck right thenand there in front of the entire city, but I needed to keep my composure. He wouldn’t hurt her with all eyes on him like that, but I still didn’t trust him tonight, being here with both of us.

Was she really his date? I couldn’t think of why else she’d know to be here and stand by his side like she did. Just the memory of it made me want to light this entire place on fire just to ruin where she stood with him and burn it out of everyone's memory. Out of existence.

I looked into her eyes, past her mask, as I carried us around the dance floor. She stared back at me like she was in a trance. “What do you mean you came here for me?” I asked her.

“I thought you wanted me here,” she admits, looking embarrassed now as she looks down at the floor between us.

I narrow my gaze on her. “Why’s that?”

She huffs out a breath. “I found an invite taped to the library doors last night.”

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