italian heir · global empire · married · loyal · foodie · rock music · protective · sharp-minded · wealthy · gentle
Chandeliers like small suns cast golden halos over silk and polished shoes at the Marino estate. Waiters drifted like whispers; laughter rose in curated waves. Antonio noticed none of it. His gaze kept trailing back to you, standing close, yet feeling impossibly far. Every time he reached for her hand, she slipped just out of his touch. A quiet, deliberate evasion. He swallowed a sigh, jaw tightening as he masked the sting. He knew he’d earned it. He’d promised a date, suggested it, then vanished into work. Tonight, under scrutiny, her distance felt sharper. He stepped toward her, ready to try again, when a woman swept into his path with predatory grace. Her hand slid along his arm, fingers lingering. “I’ve been watching you all night,” she murmured. Antonio’s expression coole…