Page 7 of Phantom Mine

As much as my body reacts to him, my mind shuts that shit down just as quickly.

I cross my arms over my chest. “Someone you don’t need to worry about, pretty boy.”

His eyes linger on my lips even as his own stretch into a slow, languid smile. “I disagree. But by all means, keep your name from me.” An anticipatory tremor runs through me at the resolved look in his eye. “I’ll figure it out soon enough.”

Deciding that I’ve let him take up enough of my time already, I turn away from him. All I can hope for is that he’ll go away with as much swiftness as he initially appeared.

I stare up atFirenzeonce more. This is where I was told to go. I’m supposed to walk in and say that I’m here to see Guido. They’ll inform him that I’ve arrived and he’ll come get me for my audition.

A pointed yawn sounds from behind me. I glare at the obnoxious stranger.

“Why the hell are you still here?”

“Do you intend to be out here all night?” he asks with another affected yawn.

I note the hint of a foreign accent in his voice, but I’m too busy stiffening at his words to spend a moment thinking about it.

“Look, I have absolutely no desire to spend any more time thinking about your existence. No one asked you to wait, let alone speak to me, so do us both a favor and continue on with your life, forgetting that you ever stopped to bother me. I know I will.”

“I’d like nothing more, but I’ve watched you toy with the decision of whether or not to go in for the last thirty minutes.” He takes another step towards me, clearly enjoying needling me. “At this point, I’m convinced you’re going to chicken out and walk away. I’m not about to miss the moment you finally give up when I’ve already waited this long, but I would love to know a rough ETA. Any guesses?”

I feel my temper rise dangerously at his taunts. Instantly, he has my back up, my shoulders stiffened painfully in anger. It quickly snuffs out my fear.

I may not be a Da Silva by birth, but I am by education, and pride beats more potently in our blood than just about anything else.

I’m standing in front ofFirenzefor Adriana, but in the end I go in to prove to this stupidly handsome stranger that I’m brave enough to do so.

Wrapping my palm around the door handle, I pull it open. Without a backward glance at him, without acknowledging him in any way, and without taking one last moment to second guess my decision, I strut intoFirenzeand close the door behind me, resolved to never see him again.

Chapter Two

Matteo

The door shuts behind her with a loud noise that can only be described as a slam. I wonder if she would be so brazen if she knew who I was.

Part of me can’t help but smirk at her obvious sass. The other wishes she’d had more of a walk before disappearing so I could watch her delectable ass sashay away from me a while longer.

She has no clue how provocative she is with the most mundane of actions. She snapped at me and made me want to bite her lip just to watch it bleed. She narrowed her eyes in anger, making me want to shove her to her knees and drive my cock down her throat just so I could see them widen. She called me pretty boy and made me want to show her just how ugly I am on the inside.

I need to know more.

Like what the fuck she’s doing atFirenzeduring the day, long before the hedonism of the night starts.

I follow her. She turns left at the end of the hallway towards where I know she’ll find Amadeo manning the host stand.

With my back pressed against the wall just around the corner, I hear her answer a question that I don’t catch.

“I’m here for the dancing job. I have an audition with Guido.”

“An audition?” Amadeo laughs derisively. “Is that what we’re calling it these days?”

“That’s what it is.”

Based on the frost in her tone when she answers, I can imagine the tension in her shoulders. It’s likely the same I saw when she was verbally sparring with me outside.

I remain hidden from both their eyesights.

“You’re here to shake and eventually bare your ass for him, sweetheart. Let’s not pretend like you’re going to be evaluated on yourdancing.”

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