Page 48 of Mafia King's Forbidden Vows

“Well, look who’s here,” Friedrich Canter, the ADA’s secretary, who is one of the representatives from my office, calls out from behind Henderson. I didn’t notice that he had been standing somewhere behind the older man all along.

“Hi, Friedrich.” He takes my hand in his sturdy palm, gazing into my eyes with those hazel eyes of his, and brings it up to his lips, allowing his kiss to linger.

His blonde hair has been slicked back away from his face, a dashing contrast against his pale alabaster skin.

“You look beautiful as usual, Aria.”

Before I can concoct a response to ease myself away from them, Henderson nods again at the both of us. “Alright then, I’ll see you both around later,” then he walks away, leaving Friedrich and me in the middle of the room.

“Let me get you something to drink. You must be thirsty.” Friedrich reaches out to a waiter walking past us and grabs two glasses of champagne from his tray.

The glass is snatched out of my hand before I can lift it to my lips.

“She will not be drinking tonight, Friedrich,” Elio says dangerously. I roll my eyes and shake my head at him, silently asking him not to be rude, but he completely ignores me.

“You must be Elio Donatelli. I’ve heard so much about your accomplishments as a reputable businessman.” Friedrich reaches out for a handshake and, surprisingly, Elio indulges him.

“Then you must have also heard that Aria is my fiancée,” he growls.

My cheeks flush, heat spreading down my neck. Friedrich lowers his eyes to their joint hands, trying to wiggle his hand away from Elio’s grip. The menacing look on Elio’s face explains why the other man is uncomfortable.

Fuck. Elio is squeezing this man’s hand, and I swear I hear a crack. Out of instinct, I lift my hand to reach out for Elio’s arm so he will let go of Friedreich, but his gaze, dark and deadly, stops me in my tracks.

“Oh…” Friedrich casts me a nervous glance and turns his face back to Elio. “No wonder...” His face has turned a deep shade of red, and he’s now dancing from foot to foot, obviously in severe pain.

“Elio, meet Friedrich. He’s the secretary to the ADA and doubles as his personal assistant,” I say, in the hopes of helping the whole situation.

Elio lifts his lips in a thin smile. “Since you already know who I am, we will be taking our leave now.”

Friedrich groans in relief as Elio breaks the grip, his hand falling to his side limply. Then he scampers out of our presence. The poor man definitely had his fingers snapped. The color rises further in my cheeks, and I turn to Elio.

A shiver runs down my spine as Elio places his hand on the small of my back and leads me away from Friedrich, dropping the glass of champagne on a tray in the hands of a passing waiter.

“What the hell was that?” I turn to him the moment we’re out of Friedrich’s earshot.

“I was just introducing myself,” he shrugs.

I scoff, shaking my head in disbelief, “That wasn’t an introduction. It was harassment! You probably broke his fingers.”

His eyes darken, a predatory glint reflecting in them as he slowly comes to a halt in an empty hallway.

“Listen, Princess,” he starts in a low voice, slowly backing me up against the wall. “The only reason I didn’t snap his neck is that he works with you in the DA's office. If you knew how muchfucking restraint that took, you’d understand that breaking his finger was doing him a favor.”

His lips are hovering above mine, and I can’t help but be aware of how his eyes are fixed on my cleavage.

I open my mouth and close it again. “You could have let him go, walk away. Anything but snapping his fingers.”

The words are barely out of my mouth when he releases a groan and slams a heavy fist on the wall beside my head.

“Shut up, Aria.”

“No,” I square my shoulders at him, and I see his brow arch slightly. “I will not. Work official or not, you cannot behave this way to anyone. Imagine if h–”

In the blink of an eye, he raises his hand and clamps it against my chin, his hot, jagged fingers seizing the words in my throat. His grip isn’t too tight, but it’s enough to secure me and make me aware of the raw anger bouncing off his irises. It’s enough to make my heart race in exciting fear…

“I said, shut the fuck up, Aria, before I make you suck my fucking cock right in this hallway,” he rasps.

My mind blanks at his words, and before I can say anything, I’m lifted up and thrown over his shoulder. What the fuck does he think he’s doing?

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