Page 84 of Cassio (Belles & Mobsters 3)

“Luca?”

“Yes?”

“Shut up.”

ChapterTwenty-Seven

ÁINE

The tension eased as the evening went on. My mind slowly started to reconcile Hunter and Cassio. The man I had been talking to over the last six weeks would surface every so often. In his attentiveness to my hunger. In his request to keep information about his sister private.

Holy shit. Benito King had a daughter. I was starting to see layers and layers of Cassio and Luca King. And I hated to admit it, but it made me question whether those brothers were anything like their father and brother Marco. I had to tread carefully.

As I made my way through the large ballroom, a few of the ladies stopped me and asked to see my engagement ring. I’d smile, my cheeks were hurting by now from all the smiling, and offer my hand with the ring.

I knew Cassio was still around; I could feel his eyes on me as I moved around the room, burning a hole into my back. It almost felt like he was guarding me. He seemed to be fiercely protective of what was his, and I had no doubt he now consideredmehis. The most disturbing part was that my body didn’t mind it, though my mind was still debating. The earlier incident with Chad flashed in my mind when I practically tasted Cassio’s fury in the air.

I spotted Margaret by the door, leading to the terrace and snuck up on her. “Are you avoiding me?” I whispered.

She whirled around. Our eyes met and the expression on her face confirmed my suspicion. I haven’t had a chance to talk to her the entire evening because she had been actively avoiding me.

“I’m sorry,” she spoke in a low voice so nobody could hear us.

“Don’t be,” I whispered. “I’m going to go home. Want a sleepover?”

“You still want to have sleepovers with me, even after what I’ve done?” Her eyes so similar to mine glimmered with regret.

“Of course,” I told her, taking her hand. “You are my best friend. No member of the King family will ever get between us.”

A tear trickled down her face, and I pulled her into my arms. “Stupid hormones,” she murmured, sniffling.

“I think it’s awesome I get to be an aunt,” I admitted softly.

“And we are blood related!” She pulled back, disbelief in her eyes. “I still can’t believe it; though I shouldn’t be surprised.”

I shrugged. This evening had gone unexpectedly, and I needed time to process it all. And learning that Jack Callahan was my father… Well, I’d need a while to process that revelation.

Margaret’s eyes traveled behind me, and I didn’t need to turn around to know who stood there. The back of my neck prickled and a burning sensation traveled down my spine. My body’s reaction to Cassio was the most peculiar thing I had ever experienced. Usually I felt repulsed with the need to put distance around men that weren’t family. But with him, there was none of it. From the moment I first ran into him in Temptation nightclub and then in Vegas, I felt comfortable around him. In fact, deep down, I trusted him, which directly conflicted with my brain.

I wasn’t quite sure if that was normal. Or good!

Slowly I turned around and my stomach tightened. He was too close. There was a foot of space between us, but I could almost feel his heat and the way I remembered his hard body pressing against mine. My heartbeat fluttered, and I almost put my hand over my heart at such a strong reaction.

“Cassio.” I forced a smile onto my lips. “I thought you were leaving to take care of your business.”

He gave me a knowing look and one side of his mouth tugged up into a half-smile. “I am leaving but not without a proper goodbye.”

He took my hand into his and my heart fluttered. I stared in fascination as I watched in slow motion his tattooed hand bring mine to his lips. I shouldn’t allow him to touch me, knowing he was Benito King’s son. Yet, I did nothing to stop him. In fact, I craved his touch.

I stared at his mouth and warmth filled my stomach. His cool, dark expression locked on me, waiting for me to say something, but all I could do was stare in anticipation. Why wasn’t my body kicking into freak-out mode with him? Now that I knew he was part of the King family, I should be repulsed. Yet, I wasn’t.

His full lips were barely an inch from my knuckles and the tiniest flicker passed through his gaze. Was it a challenge? Or desire? His lips touched my skin and heat spread through my veins like an inferno.

It was even better than I remembered, and it was barely a touch. Soft, warm, and mind numbing. Every inch of my skin was on fire and the urge to pull my hand back with disgust never came. Even knowing his name. I craved to feel his lips again, to refresh my memory of their touch. I wanted him.

He feels safe, I realized.

He released my hand, and it almost felt like losing an anchor. His gaze sent a burning sensation through my bloodstream, and I wondered if he could see the strong impact he had on me.

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