Chapter 27

For a girl who likes expensive things and opulence, I have always hated the opera. It’s just noise and over dramatic acting for me and I would rather put pins in my eyes than do this on purpose.

I jump slightly as a warm hand slides cheekily into the side split of my dress which comes to hip level when I am seated and it’s pulled up. Fingers curve my skin and squeeze suggestively on my upper thigh, fingertips curling around to graze the lace edge of my underwear and I freeze instinctively, knowing I should not openly react.

I squirm in my seat a little; wholly uncomfortable with the unwanted searing touch of a man who thinks he has a right. Trying not to make it obvious, I glance over to Alexi to see if he has noticed, his eyes are forward and on the stage, sitting casually and effortlessly owning his space and I wonder if he is deliberately ignoring this. He wants favour with Demagio, but I don’t think he will break his own code of ‘’touch not what is mine’’. If he could see this I think we would see his psycho side come out to play very quickly.

‘’I need to use the powder room, excuse me.’’ I stand, the hand dropping away discreetly and I make sure I don’t look his way. I agreed to play flirty but if the creep thinks he’s going to get his hand in my G-string a foot away from Alexi, then I am all out. I don’t need that kind of drama and Alexi will flip his shit if Demagio disrespects him so blatantly. It’s obvious the guy has had too much to drink and has lost his freaking mind and sense of self-preservation. Alexi will snap his neck in the blink of an eye for touching what is his, right here beside him in such a sexual way. There are lines that even I know you do not cross and I won’t be slaughtered along with Mr Stupid over there.

As far as Demagio knows—I belong to Alexi. Even though I don’t, well I sort of do.

Fuck!

Alexi throws me a look that says absolutely nothing, maybe a little question as to why after an interlude I wait until now to use the bathroom and then nods with an irritated look; giving me permission to leave and I make my way out of the box.

I pass the curtains and his two burly bouncers without making eye contact before heading for the sanctuary of the bathroom to get this shit under control. Face flaming, heart rate elevated, moving fast and glad that cooling off time might give Demagio some thinking space to realise he is trying to play with fire.

My heart is hammering like a war drum and my palms are clammy with that very close call. I can pretend all I like that Alexi is just an arsehole who annoys me most of the time, but it’s in moments like this when I fly too close to the sun that it’s obvious there is a whole lot of fear in me from that man. His unpredictability that lingers below the surface is something I am eternally wary of.

I cannot dismiss the reputation of the man, even if at times he seems completely stable and normal. Demagio clearly has a death wish tonight.