Page 89 of Attraction (Mobsters + Billionaires 3)
“Right next to Luca.”
My fingers fly, looking for this magical unicorn, unable to find it and panicking. “How long has it been on the market?”
I will fucking buy it out from the new buyer. I don’t care.
“Isn’t on the market yet,” Mads says, steepling his fingers. “And I have been a very good neighbor.”
I smile down to my toes, and even as we switch to gossiping about plans for the Rogues’ Masquerade, we begin to hatch a plan.
23
LUCA
I textFord as we pull onto his street, and by the time we make it to his building, he’s waiting outside his gate with Kej.
My interim security guy, Brody, whistles under his breath as he pulls the Audi up to the curb.
“Now that’s an outfit,” he says.
“You ain’t lying.”
After our time in Italy, we both got busy and have barely had time to see each other. I even had to cancel on the food drive gala I was meant to attend with him last weekend. Seeing him now, I want to drag him inside. I want his body under mine, his lips soft and open for me.
Fuck the Rogues’ Masquerade.
I take a calming breath.Tonight’s for the modern man, not the mobster.
Get a hold of yourself, Stefano.
I take another deep breath and open the door, needing to be the one to escort him to the car. Kej smiles and gets in the passenger side next to Brody as I do the honors.
Anthony insisted on double security for tonight. Usually, I would roll my eyes, but then I think about how precious Ford is to me and decide I don’t mind it one bit.
For the masquerade’s black-and-white theme, we agreed to dress as opposites. He’s wearing a white suit and button-down fitted perfectly to his trim figure with a black bow tie and a smart double-breasted black vest with a gold watch on a chain tucked into one of the vest’s pockets.
His mask is black feathers with one side curving up into a dramatic arch, tied with a black silk ribbon. Even his black Louboutins are perfect, though the red sole is a bit of a cheat. His hair is sprayed into an artistic swoop, and he looks like a character straight from Neil Gaiman’s brain.
“You are stunning,” I say, kissing his cheek. I love him in his quirky, wildly colored glasses, but the emerald green of his eyes contrasts so perfectly with the iridescent black feathers that I won’t be able to look anywhere else this evening.
His flushed neck is immensely satisfying, as is the way his eyes grace my lips.
His tailor created a suit and dress shirt for me in black. The luxury wool suit is styled with fine white pinstripes and a coordinating white vest with equally fine black pinstripes. My tie and silk mask are white, and I’ve got white spats on my very own pair of black Louboutins.
“And you are the perfect gentleman mobster,” he purrs. “I’m glad we decided to get dressed separately. We’d have canceled otherwise.”
Truer words were never spoken.
I still might cancel.
Instead, I decide to be an adult. I open the door and support him as he enters the car. He scoots over, making room for me, then catches my eye as he clicks his seatbelt.
He knows I’m a sucker for safety.
Even though we don’t have far to go, Manhattan traffic gives us time for conversation and gossip and watching his tapered fingers adjust his bowtie.
“We’re here, sirs,” Kej says from the front.
I openthe door and help Ford out, loving his delicate form. I’m no slouch in the dress department but walking in with this man on my arm is nothing short of a wow moment.
