Page 4 of Sinful Eve

"You should see your face right now," Mic says, amusement coloring his voice. "You look like someone just handed you the keys to the kingdom."

"They did. This club is mine now."

"I meant her, you idiot." He follows my gaze. "Though I guess you're right—you're getting everything you want for Christmas this year. The club, the girl—"

"She's not a gift, Mic." The words come out sharper than intended. "She's... different."

My mother drank herself to death waiting for my father to come home from "Family business." My brothers and I basically raised ourselves while she drowned her fears in vodka and he warmed other women's beds. I swore I'd never put a woman through that life. But Olivia... she's different. Strong.Independent. She has her own life, her own passion. When our eyes lock across the room, there's no fear in her gaze, just challenge.

"Speaking of her standing up to you," Mic says, "you do realize she's probably going to fight you on this whole 'she's mine' thing, right? She strikes me as the type who doesn't appreciate being claimed."

"Good." The word rumbles in my chest. "I don't want someone who rolls over easy. Look at Nicos and Char—she challenges him, makes him better. That's what I want. Someone who'll build with me, not just stand in my shadow."

Watching her navigate through the crowd, I see it in her eyes—that same hunger that drives me. The determination to build something lasting, something that's entirely her own. I recognize that fire because it mirrors mine. She didn't hesitate to challenge me during the wedding, putting her art before fear. That's the kind of passion that sets people apart, makes them rise above the rest.

Mic whistles low. "Father Jake's going to love this. He's been praying for years that one of us would find a nice girl and settle down."

"There's nothing 'nice' about her," I say, watching Olivia's confident stride. "She's ambitious, driven. Look at how she handled that wedding tonight—navigating family politics like she was born to it, catching every important moment without getting in the way. She's got the instincts for this life."

"You mean she's perfect for a Gataki?" Mic's tone turns serious. "You know what that means, Carlo. The responsibility, the risks—"

"I know exactly what it means." My voice drops to a dangerous register. "Why do you think I've stayed away from serious relationships? But she's different. She's got her own empire to build. She understands ambition, dedication." I pause,watching her get stopped by another admirer. My fingers flex involuntarily. "And she's strong enough to handle the truth about who we are."

"If she accepts it," Mic reminds me. "That's a big if, brother."

"Everything worth having is a risk." The Christmas lights cast patterns across Olivia's face as she gets closer, and something in my chest tightens. "But for the first time in my life, I'm ready to take that chance. Ready to build something that's about more than just business."

Mic claps me on the shoulder. "Well, then. Merry Christmas, brother. I'll make sure you two aren't disturbed." He melts away into the crowd, leaving me alone as Olivia finally reaches me.

Up close, her eyes reflect the twinkling lights like stars in a midnight sky. They hold mine with that perfect mix of challenge and attraction that's been driving me crazy since the moment we met. For the first time in years, I feel something like hope stirring in my chest.

This Christmas Eve feels like a beginning.

***

A server appears at her side the moment she reaches me, offering her a glass of aged bourbon, neat. Her eyebrow arches as she accepts it.

"That's presumptuous," she says, studying the amber liquid. "You don't know what I like."

"That's only because you wouldn't give me a chance to find out." I let my gaze drift over her face, watching the Christmas lights paint shadows across her cheekbones.

She takes a deliberate sip, her eyes never leaving mine. "Is that what we're doing here? Getting to know each other?" Her lips curve into a dangerous smile. "Because I assumed we wereboth just here to work out this... attraction in a convenient, no-strings-attached way."

The words hit like bullets, but I keep my face neutral. Years of negotiation come in handy sometimes. "Is that really all you want, Olivia?"

"Yes." Another bullet. She takes another sip. "That's all I can handle right now."

"Why?"

"Because my business has to come first." She says it like it's obvious, like it's the only answer that makes sense. "I've worked too hard to let anything—or anyone—derail me now."

"Not good enough." The words come out low, dangerous.

Her eyebrows shoot up, and those midnight eyes flash with anger before she rolls them. "Great. Another man who can't handle a woman with ambition. Been there, done that. Wasn't worth it." She turns away, dismissing me like I'm just another suit trying to clip her wings.

Interesting. There's a story there, but it'll keep for another day. I catch her chin, turning her face back to mine. Stepping into her space—God, I love how her whole body comes alive when I'm close—I say, "I have no problem with your career. In fact, I'm glad you have one. My business takes me far and wide, and I want you to stay busy while I'm gone. Otherwise, you might get into trouble."

Her red lips form a perfect "O", and my dick rises responding instinctively to the invitation. "You're joking," she finally decides.

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