Shameless - Sybil Bartel Page 0,76

And nothing in his expression since that moment had changed.

I didn’t want to be with a man that didn’t fight for me.

I knew it was a double standard because I wasn’t fighting for him, but I’d already fought. I’d told him up at the cabin in front of everyone what I’d wanted, and he’d said nothing.

So here I was, aiming for the exit and my dignity, but fate wasn’t done screwing with me.

Massimo Vincenzo, in all of his custom suited glory, was walking in with muscle on either side of him.

“Miss Amherst, a pleasure to see you again.” Ignoring Shade who’d suddenly appeared at my side like a silent sentry, Massimo Vincenzo took my hand and kissed my knuckles as he smiled down at me with his white teeth and unusual eyes. “I hope you’re staying for dinner.”

Fear crawled up my spine and settled in my stomach. Forcing a smile, I pulled out all the socialite manners Fallon had tried to instill in me. The same manners I’d used on Shade not seconds ago. “Mr. Vincenzo, what a surprise.”

He turned up his smile. “A good one, I hope.”

Expression lethal, Shade glared at Massimo. “Touch her again and I’ll break every bone in your body.”

Looking like pure money in his Armani tux, Massimo laughed. “Spoken like a man possessed. Or should I say possessive?”

Shade said something to him in Italian.

Massimo listened with a look of smugness then he glanced at me. “I am going to assume you do not speak Italian?”

Shade clipped out a single word in Italian.

“No, I do not,” I answered Massimo.

“Pity.” His gaze roamed from my face to my hair to my hips. “You make a lovely brunette.”

Shade shouldered between us, grabbing my arm. “Let’s go.”

I forgot about the bullshit manners Fallon had drilled into me. “Take. Your hand. Off me,” I practically growled at Shade.

As if on cue, Massimo’s two bodyguards suddenly flanked Shade.

His tone short and curt, Massimo spoke to them in Italian before turning a charming smile on me. “I would love for you to join me at my table for dinner, Miss Amherst, if you are so inclined.” He held his hand out to me.

Shade growled at Massimo. “Sei un uomo morto.”

Massimo chuckled, but he didn’t drop his hand. “I assure you, Miss Amherst, you will be safe with me. And unlike your companion here, I promise not to lose my temper with you.” He amped up his smile.

Shade reached under his coat, and everything went to hell.

Shade drew on Massimo. Massimo’s bodyguards drew on Shade, and André and Talon appeared, each of them aiming at one of Massimo’s bodyguards. The collective sound of weapons being pulled from holsters, combined with the sight of five men with guns out was so unreal, it was like a ridiculous action movie.

If I wasn’t so pissed off, I might’ve rolled my eyes.

As it were, Talon grinned. “Looks like I almost missed the fun.” He glanced at me and winked. “I think your dance card just filled up, darlin’.”

Andre said something low in Shade’s ear I couldn’t hear, but I didn’t need to. Shade’s temper flaring with his every inhale, he didn’t lower his weapon.

Seeing all I needed to, I looked at Massimo. “Thank you, I think I will join you.” I took his hand.

“Woman,” Shade barked at me in warning. “Don’t even think about it.”

André rattled off something in Spanish to Shade. Shade growled low and threatening, and Massimo ignored them both.

Squeezing my hand in his cool, smooth touch that was nothing like Shade’s, Massimo glanced down at me. “Shall we?”

Swallowing past the fear in my throat and fighting the urge to pull my hand back, I nodded.

Leading me away from the testosterone fest with more of a forced pull than a gentle guide, the Mafia boss with unreal blue eyes swept me across the ballroom. Before Massimo had made even a full stride, two more bodyguards in black suits appeared out of nowhere and blanketed us with a stifling reminder of exactly who I’d gotten in bed with.

“I must admit, bella, this isn’t the evening I imagined when I got dressed tonight.” Massimo casually looked down at me but his grip on my hand tightened to the point of pain. “You?”

“No.” Definitely not. “Are you disappointed there was no bloodshed?” I asked dryly.

He chuckled. “Guns have never really been my thing.”

“And yet you hired four to kill me.” And Shade. But here I was, walking toward a ten thousand dollar a plate fundraiser dinner with him.

He