Page 17 of Flowers and Moonlight

I don’t stop when the hostess tries to ask if we have a reservation. Having been at Dante’s side when he’s done business in this restaurant before, I have a good idea whereMartinez would be seated. I’m proven right when I head toward a more secluded section.

Posy is sitting so damn straight I’m sure her back is aching. Her body language is screaming ‘help’ and we’re just the men to provide what she needs in this moment. I stride right up to the table, not even bothering to glance at the man who is acting as Martinez’s bodyguard because Zeno has my back.

Martinez smirks up at me like he’s won something, but we both know how this is going to go down. I can see it in his eyes. He slides his hand farther up Posy’s exposed thigh, and it takes every ounce of willpower I possess not to pull out my gun and shoot him between the eyes.

His time will come. Right now, I need to get our woman out of here.

“Take your hand off of our woman,” my voice is calm; the same type of calm that happens right before the storm comes ashore.

Martinez holds his hands up with a mocking look on his face. “You mean my fiancé?”

Posy swallows hard, her eyes darting back and forth between Zeno and I as her head starts shaking back and forth. I hate the fear in her eyes. I’ll teach every person who has ever made her fearful a lesson they won’t forget, they will pay with their blood.

“Posy,” I don’t take my eyes off Martinez as I address her, “get up. You’re coming with us.”

She pushes her chair back so fast it falls to the floor. The way she closes the distance between us, relief flowing from her, has me wishing we would have gotten to her sooner. I wrap an armaround her waist and move her behind me to make sure she’s protected by myself and Zeno.

“She’s my fiancé,” Martinez hisses.

“No, she’s not,” Zeno’s tone holds a finality to it. “You’ll find that your business dealings with Moreau are about to go south. You should find other avenues for your next venture. Consider this a warning to save you the headache, a payment if it makes you feel better.”

Martinez chuckles. I’m sure he thinks it sounds scary, but it sounds like a child playing at something he knows nothing about.

“Posy is now under Guidice protection. She is family,” my words hold a warning, one he will understand.

Martinez nods once and rests his hands on the top of the table. It’s as much surrender as we’re going to get out of him. I’m sure this won’t be the last time that he’s a problem, but, for now, he’s not the biggest concern.

Bernard Moreau is, and we’ll make sure he’s dealt with accordingly.

CHAPTER 9

ZENO

My body is buzzing as I protect the backs of Tony and my woman. I don’t take my eyes off Martinez and his man until we’re safely outside the restaurant. I know we’ll need to tell Dante about this, even though this shit is personal, but right now my only concern is getting Posy somewhere she’ll be safe.

There is no way I’m letting her go back to her father’s house. Just the thought of it has panic flowing through me, one I don’t particularly like.

I’ve built my reputation on being calm and collected, just like Tony has. With Posy, all that flies out the window.

Our feet don’t stop until we’re back at the car. As Tony slides into the driver’s seat and starts it up, I open the front door and help Posy in. Without thinking, I lean in and buckle her seatbelt, the need to make sure she’s safe riding me so fucking hard I can barely see straight.

When I climb in the back, my head is on a swivel, making sure Martinez didn’t follow us out. Even though I don’t see him, I don’t breathe a sigh of relief.

The silence in the car is deafening as the tension mounts between the three of us.

“Posy Moreau,” Tony is the one to break the silence, glancing over at our Moonlight who is already looking at him. Even in profile, I don’t miss the wince on her face when he drawls her name. There’s a harshness to his voice I understand very fucking well, “Why did you leave?”

Posy turns her head and looks out the window and I have to stop myself from reaching between the seats to turn her head back toward us. Maybe we should wait until we’re back at home before having this conversation. I need to see her eyes when she lays all her truths on the floor.

“I had to.” Our woman lets out a heavy sigh, one I can feel the oppression of. “I wasn’t supposed to be at the ball, even though I had been told weeks before I would be able to attend.” I can hear the sneer in her voice with her next words, “Samantha made up some story about how I stole the dress she wanted from underneath her. The next thing I knew, she was wearing my dress and I was told I wasn’t allowed to go anymore.”

I chuckle and shake my head. Tony’s eyes shoot to mine in the rearview mirror, and I shrug. “I thought that dress she was wearing wasn’t her normal style. It was far too classy for her.”

Tony glances away from the road and toward our woman, his voice holding a thread of anger, “Did she dress you tonight?”

“Yes,” Posy’s voice is so fucking small. I hate it. “I didn’t know I was going out tonight until my father barged into my room. He knew I went to the ball and informed me it was my responsibility to make his relationship with Juan Martinez stronger,” her voice drops to a whisper, “through marriage.”

So. Much. Fucking. Rage.

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