Six

Katherine’s eyes gleamed as she looked at me, a huge smile on her lips.

Usually, I would have enjoyed the attention. She was a beautiful woman, probably the daughter of one of the powerful men in the room.

I would have engaged with her, stared into those flirty eyes just for the fun of it, but I couldn’t.

The thought wasn’t all that appealing anymore, not when she was right beside me, and I could feel her eyes traveling over me. I wondered what she was thinking, what was running through her mind.

I turned to look at her, and she raised a brow at me. I frowned, feeling confused.

Katherine cleared her throat, a sheepish smile on her face. I turned back to her. “What?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Arabella came to my rescue. “Katherine said something. She was expecting a reply...”

I stole a quick glance at her, wondering if there was a hint of jealousy in her voice or if it was all in my head. I turned back to stare at Katherine and flashed her one of my rare full smiles. “I’m sorry, miss...”

“Just call me Katherine,” she cut in cheerfully.

From the corner of my eye, I could see Arabella fold her arms and avert her gaze. Oh, okay, she was jealous, all right.

I smirked and extended a hand to Katherine. She didn’t hesitate to take it. “Forgive me, Katherine. Could you repeat yourself? I didn’t hear you the first time. I was lost in my thoughts, staring at you...” I trailed off.

Katherine giggled, her cheeks turning bright red. She tucked her hair behind her ear. “I said we could see each other again.”

“Of course, we would,” I answered eagerly.

Her smile got even brighter. “Very well then, Six.”

I blinked. “Okay...” I drew out the word. Of course, she knew me. Who was I kidding? She knew me.

She dipped her hand into her purse and brought out a small card. She handed it to me and lightly brushed my shoulder. Her touch lingered for a moment as she walked by. “Goodbye, Arabella,” she said in a sing-song voice with a small wave of her hand.

I stared at her in amusement. I was even more tickled when I turned to look at Arabella and saw the annoyed expression on her face.

“I don’t think that quite fits into your job description, Six,” she said, calling my name in a mocking tone, mimicking Katherine.

“What is my job description, Carmen?” I snorted.

The name Carmen threw her off slightly, but she masked her expression. “The Capo asked you to be my bodyguard...”

I dared to touch her, wrapping my hand around her bare upper arm. A small gasp escaped her red lips. “If I remember correctly, he asked me to be your shadow. That, I have done quite well, if you ask me,” I added in a soft whisper, breathing down her neck.

She was frozen on the spot, unable to move or utter a word.

“As a matter of fact, you’ve been resistant, making my work quite hard.” Hard was not a metaphor for the visible bulge in my pants now pressing against her, but her beautiful eyes darted in that direction.

I chuckled and bit down on my lower lip. “You naughty, naughty Arabella...” I said with a thick Italian accent.

She visibly shuddered and then pulled away from me as if only just realizing how close we were. Her cheeks were flushed, and she wouldn’t look me in the eye. “You’re playing with fire, Six.” Her deep blue eyes glowed in the light. “You’re playing with fire,” she repeated.

I leaned closer and whispered in her ear, “I thought you didn’t remember last night?”

She sucked in a breath, and my eyes lingered on the veins in her neck. “People are watching us. The Capo is going to find out.”

I shrugged nonchalantly. “I haven’t done anything... yet, Arabella. You’re the one acting jealous.”

Her cheeks turned red. “You must be joking, Six.”

I chuckled in amusement. “Oh, anyone can tell, Arabella. Anyone...”

She opened her mouth to speak but then didn’t say a word. “Enjoy your evening, Six!” She huffed and walked away.

I let out a small chortle and walked after her. I’d be damned if I let her out of my sight.

I walked closely behind Arabella, my eyes scanning the room for any potential threats. As her bodyguard, it was my job to protect her, but I had to admit, it was a pleasure to watch her move through the crowd with ease.

She exchanged pleasantries with a few rough-looking men, and I instinctively moved closer, my hand resting on the small of her back.

As we made our way through the room, our eyes met in the mirror. Those magnificent ocean pools held my gaze for a moment. It was hard to tell what emotions were swirling in them.

Her gaze was captivating, and I felt a jolt of electricity run through my veins. She looked away quickly, as if a reminder had gone off in her brain.

Maybe I should have been a bit more careful. I was playing a wild game, getting close to her in public, touching her.

For all I knew, the Capo could have someone watching, or literally anyone could go ratting to him, currying for favors. I told myself repeatedly to stop gawking at her.

But I couldn’t help sneaking glances at her as we walked. She was a vision, and I was captivated. When she reached for a glass of wine from a passing waiter, I quickly intercepted it, my fingers closing around the stem before she could.

Our fingers touched, and it was as if time had stopped. We stood there, frozen, our eyes locked on each other.

For a moment, I forgot about the crowd, the music, and the potential threats. All I could focus on was the spark that had ignited between us.

I felt like I was drowning in the depths of her eyes, and I couldn’t look away. It was as if we were the only two people in the room, and nothing else mattered.

I was Six.

And I was in trouble.