S.I.X: The Mafia's Kryptonite: Chapters 1–5

Six

Ten years. Ten fucking years of blood, bullets, and brotherhood.

I stared at the ornate ceiling of Antonio’s study, counting the cherubs painted in some long-dead artist’s vision of heaven. Ironic, considering the hell that transpired in the room below them.

I lifted my gaze back to his, remembering all those stern lessons from my childhood. The Don had drilled it into me countless times: a man who couldn’t maintain eye contact wasn’t worthy of respect or trust.

Even now, I could hear his voice in my head, sharp with contempt for those he considered weak.

In our world, weakness wasn’t just a flaw – it was an invitation to the grave. So I held his stare, steady and unwavering, even as my pulse thundered in my ears.

“You understand what you’re asking, Six?” The Don’s voice carried the weight of tradition. Of rules written in blood. “La fratellanza is for life.”

I kept my expression neutral, years of training holding my features in check. “I understand, Don Antonio. But I’ve served you and the family faithfully. I’ve never asked for anything before, and my track record speaks for itself.”

The Don’s fingers drummed against his mahogany desk – the same desk where I’d pledged my loyalty a decade ago.

A frightened kid with blood on his hands and nowhere else to go. Now I was his best enforcer, the shadow that kept La fratellanza’s enemies awake at night.

“The number Six,” he mused, “has become quite the legend. Our rivals whisper about it. The police have entire task forces dedicated to it.” A wry smile crossed his weathered face. “And now you want to walk away from it all?”

“I’m tired,” I admitted, the words tasting like defeat. “I’ve done everything asked of me. I’ve protected the family. But I need...” I trailed off, unsure how to explain the hollowness that had been growing inside me.

The Don stood, walking to the window that overlooked his sprawling estate. “You were always different, Six. Not like the others who crave the violence, the power. You treated it like... penance.”

His eyes bore into mine. “You were like the Christian God of old, smiting the people with your sword of vengeance.” His lips curled into a crooked smile.

I said nothing. He wasn’t wrong.

“The others won’t understand,” he continued. “They’ll see it as weakness. As betrayal. You know what happens to traitors?”

I did. I’d put enough of them in the ground myself.

The Don turned back to face me, his eyes calculating. “But perhaps... perhaps we can reach an arrangement. One last service to the family.”

Hope kindled in my chest like a forbidden flame – dangerous, reckless hope that I knew better than to entertain.

“What kind of service?” I asked, fighting to keep my voice steady, professional. Inside, my heart raced at the impossible: the Don was actually considering my request.

Requests like mine typically had a single, brutal answer – a bullet to the head in some forgotten alley. The lucky ones never even made it past his lieutenants.

No one had ever been granted the privilege of sitting here, watching the Don consider their words with those unreadable eyes. The fact that I was still breathing felt like a miracle in itself.

“The Rodriguez merger. It’s crucial for our future. The Capo is set to marry their heiress, but there are... complications. Threats. We need someone we trust to ensure her safety until the wedding.”

A glorified babysitting job. It should have felt like an insult. Instead, it felt like freedom.

“How long?”

“Three months.” The Don’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Protect her, see her safely married to the Capo, and then... then we discuss your retirement.”

I knew what wasn’t being said. One mistake, one failure, and I’d get my retirement – in a pine box. But it was more than anyone else had ever been offered.

The killings never ended with the rogue family members; it extended to their loved ones, which was why I didn’t have any.

“I accept,” I answered.

Really, how hard could it get? I thought to myself.

My job was simply to protect the Capo’s bride. I had done scarier tasks for the family; I had plunged into a hideout, one man, with guns blazing.

The Don nodded, reaching for his scotch. “Take tonight to prepare. You fly to New York tomorrow.” He poured two glasses, sliding one across the desk. “To your last assignment, Six.”

I raised the glass, the amber liquid catching the light like blood. One last job. Three months. Then I could finally walk away from the darkness I’d called home for ten years.

If only I’d known then just how dark things would get.

*

The bass from the club pulsed through my bones as I nursed my whiskey.

My last night of freedom deserved better than this dive bar on the outskirts of Rome, but anonymity had become a habit I couldn’t shake.

This was how I created a cover for my personality as Six. The dark had become one with me. I would retreat into its warm embrace and observe my victims.

“This seat taken?”

I looked up, straight into eyes that gleamed amber under the neon lights. She was stunning – dangerous kind of stunning that set off every alarm in my head.

Dark hair fell in waves past her shoulders, and her dress left just enough to imagination to make a man’s mind wander to dangerous places. A deep plunging neckline revealing soft, creamy skin and cleavage…

“It’s your funeral,” I muttered, turning back to my drink.

She laughed, sliding onto the stool beside me. “Rough night?”

“Rough decade.”

“Sounds like you need a distraction.” Her finger traced the rim of my glass, her perfectly manicured nail catching the light. “Or maybe just someone to help you forget for a while.”

I knew better. Ten years in the business had taught me to spot a setup, a honey trap, an assassination waiting to happen.

But tonight? Tonight I was just a man walking away from the only life he’d known, drowning his doubts in cheap whiskey.

“What’s your name?” I asked, though I didn’t expect the truth.

“Carmen.” She smiled, and it reached her eyes. Either she was genuine or a very good liar. In my experience, it was usually both. “And you?”

“Does it matter?”

Her hand found my thigh. “Not if you don’t want it to.”

I should have walked away. Should have stuck to my rules about strangers and one-night stands.

Should have remembered that in my world, coincidences usually ended with someone dead.

Instead, I let her lead me out of the bar, into the warm Italian night.

Carmen

I fled the house in a blur of motion, rage burning so hot in my chest it scorched away all rational thought. My father’s voice boomed behind me, each word a command that made less and less sense as the blood rushed in my ears.

The tears came unbidden, stinging my eyes, threatening to spill over – but I wouldn’t let them fall. Not yet. Not here. I wouldn’t give him that victory. My father had taught me that tears were weakness, and today – of all days – I wouldn’t be weak. Not when he was wrong. Not when everything he’d said felt like betrayal.

The key fob shook in my hand as I pressed the ignition button from a distance. The engine roared to life, offering me a way out.

I quickly jumped into the driver’s seat, glancing at the security guards in my rearview mirror as they rushed out of their posts in concern. I hit the gas, leaving them behind as I sped down the driveway.

I arrived at the club and parked at the entrance. Maybe what I needed was one wild night—a night away from my family and all my responsibilities. A time to be impulsive.

That was how I walked up to the mysterious-looking man hiding in the shadows. From where I stood, I could see he was a good-looking man. He was around 6’1".

The leather jacket he had on made the muscles in his arms bulge. With each step I took, he came closer into view. I could see his hair was longer and jet black, perfectly slicked back. He had a sharp jawline and full lips.

I found myself staring at his lips for longer than was okay. He was a handsome man, and before I could stop myself, I was already sneaking up to him.

A few conversations later, me batting my eyelids at him, we were already interlocking fingers and walking out of the crowded bar. Of course, I didn’t have to do much.

The stranger was a little stubborn, but he couldn’t deny he wanted me. I was captivated by the intense stare of the man standing beside me. Inside, my heart was racing, and I was screaming at myself to retreat - this was a bad idea!

But the thrill of the unexpected and the strong need to be defiant overwhelmed me. I led this complete stranger into a nearby hotel—expensive, discreet, the kind of place that didn’t ask questions.

The elevator ride was quiet, yet the energy was charged. He leaned against the wall with both hands in his pockets as we rode up. We locked eyes. He had a hint of a smirk on his lips as he watched me.

“So, isn’t this the point where you change your mind? You’re in an elevator going to a hotel room with a man whose name you don’t know.” His voice was a deep baritone, soothing. “You can leave now, Carmen.”

The way he called my name made me think he didn’t believe it was my name. I smiled at him—a wide smile. That should have been my cue to leave. Instead, I stared him down. “You want to chicken out?” I asked. “I mean, if you want to, you can,” I answered with a nonchalant shrug.

He chuckled, a low sound that reverberated in his chest. I couldn’t help but admire him in that moment. He was a good-looking man. Somehow, the way he looked at me made me feel giddy inside.

His eyes held promises—promises of what would happen behind closed doors. My heart was beating loudly in my chest as soon as the elevator drew to a halt.

He turned to me, then closed the distance between us. As soon as he drew close, he wrapped his arms around me, pulled me in, and captured my lips in a passionate kiss.

I was too stunned to react immediately. Before I had time to catch my breath and understand what was happening, he lifted me off my feet so I was straddling him. Powerful arms gripped my thighs and held me in place.

My dress was bunched up, revealing my inner thigh. I let out a suppressed moan of pleasure, unable to withstand the intense sensation as the crotch of my soaked panties rubbed against his hard erection.

I wrapped my hands around his neck, deepening the kiss, opening myself to him. His tongue probed the entrance of my mouth. He suckled on my lips and bit down on them.

His hands gripped my ass cheeks as we stumbled into the room. As soon as we did, he let me down, kicked off his shoes, and began to take off his jacket.

He looked straight at me, and there was no denying the hunger and lust that burned in those black depths. His eyes hungrily scanned my whole body. I felt shivers travel down my spine.

He tossed the jacket to the side; he was wearing only a tank top underneath. His body was just as I imagined—ripped, hard muscles in all the right places.

As he closed the distance between us, the room suddenly felt smaller. I was out of breath as I stared at that massive hunk of a man walking up to me, those mesmerizing eyes gawking at me like he wanted to eat me up.

“Take off your clothes...”

I felt an instant pool of wetness settle between my legs as he said those words in that deep voice that reverberated in his chest. My eyes flew open in surprise.

“What?”

He looked up at me. “Unless you want to chicken out,” he threw my words back at me with a hint of a smirk on his lips.

I stuck my nose in the air and pursed my lips. Even though my heart was hammering in my chest and I wanted to back out, I stood my ground. As soon as I reached behind to unzip my dress, he broke into a full smile.

He was enjoying this, I could tell. He was playing a game. He wanted to see how far I would go, how desperately I wanted this. He had no idea that I was too far gone to think sensibly.

Right now, it was more than the rage I felt inside; all the anger I had left the house with had disappeared. Now it was all about the hot man gawking at me like I was dessert.

I wanted to feel those strong arms roam my body. I wanted to writhe underneath him. I wanted nothing more than to be at the mercy of this man.

And so I didn’t just stop at my dress. I held his gaze as I reached behind me and undid my bra. My full breasts sprang free from their restraints. I stared in delight as I saw his gaze darken while staring at my breasts.

My rosy pink nipples hardened as if giving him a show. The look on his face made me feel sexy. I felt like a desirable woman. I could be more than the object my father and all the other men simply saw me as.

I licked my lips. I was aroused, and when I stared at him, I could see the bulge in his pants. He swallowed as he watched me. I thought to take my time with it, tease him a little.

So I tugged at the waistband of my panties, pushing it down but not completely. I bit my lip, swaying my hips to the side.

The muscles in his jaw ticked like he was trying to hold back. Before I knew it, he had crossed the distance between us. He yanked the flimsy lacy underwear from me, his fingers brushing against my slick folds.

I gasped in shock; it was sudden and unexpected. He held up the crumpled piece of panties, brought it to his nose, and sniffed it.

He let out a pleased groan. “What do you want, Carmen?” he asked.

I stared into those dark eyes of the stranger and told him, “I want you to fuck me.”

Six

That was all the prompting I needed. As I closed the distance between us, I took off the remaining clothing I had on. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she instinctively took a few steps back.

“Get on your knees,” I ordered.

Her hesitation was evident as she stared up at me, trying to gauge my intentions. I walked up to her and wrapped my hand around her neck in a firm chokehold, not tight, but enough to command her attention.

I held her gaze, watching emotions flicker across her face. First, shock, then realization.

“Get on your knees, Carmen. You will do as I say, or I won’t fuck you.” My lips twisted into a faint smirk.

I saw the internal battle reflected on her face. I was a stranger, and this was humiliating for her. She’d probably expected a simple one-night stand with no complications, no power struggles.

While I wanted the same, my desire had taken on a peculiar edge. Something about her - her curvy, gorgeous body or maybe the way her defiance stirred me, made me want to leave an impression.

I leaned in, bringing my lips to her earlobe and then to her neck, tracing a slow, deliberate path down. “Do as I say…”

The tension broke the moment she gave in, sinking to her knees. My cock twitched in anticipation as I pulled it free from my pants, letting it hang in front of her. Her eyes widened as she stared at my length.

She blinked a few times, then tied her hair into a high ponytail, loose strands framing her face. Without breaking eye contact, she leaned forward and took me in her mouth.

Her warm lips wrapped around me, and her hands gripped the base of my cock as she worked her way up, trying to take all of me.

The sensation of her tongue and the sight of her - naked, on her knees, her plump pink lips sliding along my length, made my cock stiffen further. I threaded my fingers through her hair, gripping it as I set the pace, fucking her mouth.

Her eyes rolled back, lashes wet with unshed tears, as she struggled to keep up. Her gag reflex betrayed her, but she didn’t pull away. Just as I felt my orgasm building, I pulled back abruptly, leaving her gasping for air.

“Good girl.” I crouched close to her, lifting her chin with my fingers. “You took my cock in your mouth like a very good girl.”

Her eyes were glassy, tears at the corners, and pre-cum trickled down her lips. She averted her gaze, but I didn’t miss the red flush creeping up her cheeks.

Carmen struck me as an innocent girl at first glance, but I could see now that there was a side of her that craved this, maybe even loved it. And I had no intention of stopping.

“You’ve been a good girl, Carmen,” I whispered. “And now I’m going to fuck you.”

She blinked at me, wide-eyed, as though unsure she’d heard me right.

“Get on the bed,” I said firmly.

She scrambled to her feet and climbed onto the bed. Her movements were hurried, but I caught the nervous glances she stole at me when she thought I wasn’t looking.

I stroked my cock slowly, letting her see exactly what she was about to take.

I ripped open the condom wrapper with my teeth and rolled it on, her eyes darting away as she blushed.

“Look at me, Carmen.”

She didn’t.

“I said, look at me.”

She shuddered at my tone, and something told me no one had ever spoken to her like this before, let alone in a moment like this.

“Why do you want me to look at you?” she asked, her voice small but tinged with defiance. It was the first thing she’d said in a while.

Normally, I would’ve bent her over and smacked her ass until my handprints marked her skin for questioning me, but this was our first time.

Instead, I answered simply. “Because I want you to. And because you’ve been stealing glances at my cock since. Now, I’m giving you permission to stare.”

She pursed her lips and stuck her nose in the air, her pride refusing to break.

I chuckled. “Look at me, Carmen.”

When she finally did, I couldn’t help but laugh softly.

“I thought as much,” I said, reaching for my belt.

“What are you doing?” she asked, disbelief flickering in her gaze.

“Shh.” I pressed a finger against her lips, silencing her.

Grabbing her wrists, I pulled her hands above her head and tied them together with my belt.

Her cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red. “What’s your name? I don’t even know your name. And what’s my safe word?”

“Now, now, Carmen,” I said with a smirk. “What’s a safe word for? I’m going to ruin you in ways you approve of.”

Her eyes widened briefly, shock giving way to anticipation.

I pulled her legs toward me, spreading them open. Her glistening, wet pussy was a sight to behold.

Clean-shaven, pink, and inviting. When she instinctively tried to close her legs, I pried her thighs further apart.

Her chest rose and fell rapidly, her breathing uneven as a myriad of emotions - desire, lust, and nervous anticipation, played out on her face.

I leaned in and kissed her lips softly, savoring her taste. She tasted of wine - rich, intoxicating. I sucked her lower lip, biting down gently, committing her flavor to memory.

When I pulled away, her eyes were still closed.

Hooking her legs over my shoulders, I slid two fingers inside her, and she cried out, her back arching.

She was soaking wet, her tight walls gripping me as I moved my fingers in and out.

“Fuck,” she moaned softly, rolling her head back.

I pulled my fingers out and popped one into my mouth, groaning as her taste lingered on my tongue. “You taste so fucking good, Carmen.”

But I wasn’t done. Not even close.

I slid back inside her, this time with my cock. Her tight, wet warmth stretched around me as I buried myself deep.

“Fuck!” I groaned, gripping her thighs. “You’re so fucking tight.”

Her cries filled the room as I found my rhythm, fucking her hard and deep, until she screamed for me just as she’d asked.

Six

Morning arrived too soon, sunlight streaming through curtains I didn’t remember closing. The sheets beside me were empty but still warm.

The muffled sound of running water from the bathroom pulled me back into reality. Last night had been wild, too wild to forget.

I closed my eyes, replaying flashes of Carmen’s face, her body, the way she screamed my name.

My phone buzzed on the nightstand, cutting through the haze. I grabbed it.

Flight Reminder. New York.

The assignment.

This was my ticket out. The last task Don Antonio had for me. Complete it, and I’d finally leave this life behind.

I got dressed quickly, slipping into my usual black-on-black attire. I didn’t wait for her to finish her shower.

No goodbyes, no promises, no attachments. Just another fleeting moment to lock away with the rest of my sins.

I paused briefly at the bathroom door, almost willing her to step out. Instead, I turned and left, my footsteps echoing in the silence.

Twenty-four hours later, I stood in Capo Marco’s New York mansion, waiting to meet my charge – the woman I’d be protecting for the next three months.

“Six,” Marco Falcone’s booming voice snapped me from my thoughts. “Come meet my fiancée. She’s a beautiful woman, you’ll see.”

I turned.

And there she was.

Not Carmen.

Arabella Rodriguez.

Heiress to the Rodriguez empire.

Future wife of the Capo.

And my fucking one-night stand.

Fuck.

Her face was a mask of perfect composure, but I caught the flicker of recognition in her eyes. She recovered first, of course she did.

“A pleasure to meet you, Six,” she said, her smile flawless, polished. There wasn’t a trace of the woman who’d begged me to fuck her the night before. “I’ve heard so much about the legendary enforcer.”

I forced my face to stay neutral, years of training kicking in. “Ms. Rodriguez.”

Marco’s arm snaked around her waist, a possessive move meant to establish his dominance. My fingers twitched, remembering the feel of her soft skin beneath them.

“Arabella will be staying here until the wedding,” Marco announced. “You’ll be her shadow. Where she goes, you go. Understood?”

“Understood, Capo.” My voice was steady, but my insides were a storm.

Arabella’s lips curved into a sly smile. “I’m sure we’ll get along famously.”

Marco grinned, oblivious to the electricity sparking between us. “Six is the best. He’s never failed an assignment.”

Until now, perhaps.

“I have a charity gala tonight,” Arabella said, her tone sweet and innocent. “Will you be accompanying me, Six?”

“That’s what I’m here for,” I replied evenly. I needed to get her alone, to talk. This act was sustainable for now, but the truth hung in the air like a guillotine.

She excused herself to prepare, leaving me alone with Marco. He lit a cigar, watching me through the haze of smoke.

“Beautiful, isn’t she?” he said, his voice carrying an edge. “And soon, she’ll be mine. The Rodriguez empire along with her.”

A warning. A reminder of my place.

“The Don mentioned threats,” I said, steering the conversation to safer ground.

“Her father’s enemies are now mine,” Marco muttered, exhaling a perfect smoke ring. “Keep her safe, Six. Whatever it takes.”

I nodded, knowing I was caught in a trap of my own making. One wrong move and everything would crumble.

Marco would kill me for touching his woman. Don Antonio would kill me for endangering the merger. And Arabella...

Arabella was a wildcard I couldn’t read.

She reappeared in a red dress that stole the air from the room. My chest tightened as memories I’d tried to suppress came flooding back. She fastened an earring, her reflection in the mirror catching my gaze.

“Shall we go?” she asked, her voice light, playful. Too innocently.

I followed her to the waiting car, taking my place in the front beside the driver. In the rearview mirror, her eyes found mine. There was something dangerous there - a challenge, a dare.

Three months. I just had to survive three months.

But as she smiled at me in the mirror – a smile full of secrets and sin – I knew.

I was already dead.

***

The drive felt like it was stretching on forever, even though I knew we were only a few minutes from the hotel.

There was an unspoken tension that was almost unbearable.

I tried to stare straight ahead, but my eyes - my eyes kept flicking to the rearview mirror. I couldn’t stop myself.

And every time I did, there they were, those hauntingly beautiful eyes, staring back at me.

Arabella Rodriguez. Or should I say, Carmen?

Every time our eyes met in the rearview mirror, it felt like she was pulling me into something deeper, something I wasn’t sure I wanted to understand.

She wasn’t just looking at me - she was holding my gaze, daring me to unravel the truth.

Was this a test?

Did she know who I was that night in Rome? The way she’d smiled, touched me, and batted those lashes, it had all seemed so calculated.

Was it coincidence, or had I walked into a carefully laid trap? A twisted game only she knew the rules to?

I kept my focus on the road. Staying calm under pressure was second nature to me, but now, her presence was clawing at the edges of my control.

I couldn’t stop wondering what was going through her mind as she sat there, her gaze burning into the back of my head.

The next time I caught her eyes in the mirror, I couldn’t stand it anymore. Her expression was a wall of silence, giving nothing away.

It infuriated me. I turned around slightly, letting my voice cut through the tension.

“Are you okay, Miss Rodriguez? Do you need anything?”

It was a weak excuse to glance at her in that dress, and we both knew it.

She swallowed, her throat working for a second before she replied, her voice calm, controlled. “I’m fine, thank you.”

I nodded, turning back to the road, trying to shake the feeling gnawing at me. The city lights blurred past as the car hummed softly beneath us, but my thoughts were anything but calm.

When we arrived at the hotel, I stepped out quickly, moving around the car before the valet could. It wasn’t just instinct, it was an excuse to close the distance.

I opened her door and placed a hand lightly at the small of her back to guide her out. The gesture was professional, practiced, but the way she stiffened under my touch told me everything I needed to know.

She remembered.

“So, Carmen, huh?” I murmured, my voice low enough that only she could hear. I leaned closer, scanning the area for wandering eyes, keeping my tone sharp and deliberate. “I wasn’t fooled by that name.”

She froze for just a second—so brief, I might have missed it if I weren’t watching her so closely. But then she turned to me with a slow, calculated smile, the kind that sent a chill straight down my spine.

“That’s very intuitive of you, Six.” Her voice was velvet-smooth, her blue eyes dancing with a playful, dangerous glint. “I’m impressed.”

And just like that, she turned on her heel, swaying away from me with an elegance that felt like a slap in the face.

She didn’t even glance back, leaving me standing there, rooted to the spot.

I watched her retreating figure, my mind racing.

What the hell had I just walked into?

Arabella

I walked into the gala, each step measured, each movement draped in a practiced smile. Outside, I was elegance personified. Inside, I was unraveling.

My palms were clammy, my heartbeat thrumming uncomfortably fast. But no one could know. I kept my posture impeccable, waving at a few familiar faces as I passed.

Still, my thoughts kept spiraling back to that moment at the Capo’s mansion—the moment Marco’s hand landed on my waist, possessive and suffocating.

His touch still lingered, a phantom weight on my skin. “Six,” Marco had declared, his voice carrying across the room like a spotlight. “Come meet my fiancée. She’s a beautiful woman, you’ll see.”

I had glanced up then, the air in my lungs catching as my gaze collided with his. Six. The man I’d worked so hard to forget. The man whose penetrating eyes could strip me bare in a way that no one else ever had.

The memories of that night came flooding back - sharp, vivid, relentless. The feel of his hands, his breath skimming my ear, the way his touch had obliterated the world around us.

My chest tightened, and I exhaled slowly, willing the thoughts to retreat. Focus, Arabella. Tonight wasn’t about him. My eyes scanned the glittering crowd, searching for something, someone, far more critical than the tangled web Six and I were caught in.

But as if fate had a wicked sense of humor, I felt him before I saw him. His heat pressed against my back, the faint, heady scent of his cologne curling into my senses. My muscles locked.

“When I said you could accompany me to a gala,” I murmured, keeping my voice low despite the way my pulse spiked, “I didn’t mean you should breathe down my neck the entire time.”

His voice came, a soft ripple of teasing amusement. “I’ve been closer than this, Arabella,” he said, his words brushing against my defenses. “You didn’t seem to mind then.”

A shiver rolled down my spine before I could stop it. The memories clawed their way back, too vivid and intrusive: his hands tracing my skin, his mouth claiming mine, the inferno we’d created together.

My body betrayed me, recalling sensations I’d rather forget. Heat pooled low in my abdomen, and I bit the inside of my cheek, furious at myself.

I straightened my back, forcing rigidity into my spine. My eyes locked on the ornate chandeliers ahead, desperate to avoid his gaze. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I replied, my voice flat, the lie as brittle as glass.

His laugh followed, low and dangerous, curling around me like smoke. It sank into my skin, threatening to undo me. “Is that how you’re going to play this?” he asked, his tone maddeningly amused.

My jaw tightened. “I don’t think you’d want any pictures of us together tonight,” I retorted, my voice sharp, though my hands trembled slightly.

That damned smirk spread across his face, wicked and knowing. “I do recall your husband insisting I stay close,” he said, the mocking emphasis on the word making my stomach churn.

“He’s not my husband,” I snapped, the words a bitter stone in my throat. The very thought of it made my skin crawl.

Six raised an eyebrow, leaning in just slightly, his voice dropping an octave. “Oh, but it’s only a matter of time, isn’t it?”

Before I could snap back at him, Katherine, a friend of mine, appeared beside us, looking from me to Six with curiosity in her eyes.

“Arabella,” she greeted warmly, though her attention lingered on him. “And who’s this?”

I forced a smile, turning toward her, though I could feel the weight of Six’s gaze. “Katherine, this is Six,” I said, my tone clipped and a little too formal. “My bodyguard.”

Her eyebrows arched, and her gaze darted back to him. “Your bodyguard?” she repeated, her tone laced with intrigue.

“Yes,” I confirmed, forcing a tight-lipped smile. “Just my bodyguard.”

Katherine’s eyes swept over him again, and I could almost see the questions forming in her mind.

She smiled at him, her curiosity thinly veiled. “Well, Six, it’s lovely to meet you. I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of each other.”

He inclined his head slightly, but I didn’t dare glance his way. I could feel him watching me, his presence a constant shadow, impossible to ignore.

His laugh echoed faintly in my ears, his eyes gleaming with that maddening mix of amusement and danger.

No matter how hard I tried to escape him, he always managed to pull me back in.