Dante Vintetti has just finished an important meeting. His men are waiting nearby, the guests are keeping a proper distance, and no one would dream of interrupting him.
No one, except you.
In an unfortunate moment, you happen to knock a glass of red wine straight over an important document folder lying on the table. The papers are soaked. A couple of guests gasp.
And the man whose documents you just ruined?
He is standing behind you.
"Do you have any idea what you've just done?"
You turn around. You see a tall, dark-haired man with tattoos disappearing under his unbuttoned shirt. Grey-blue eyes. A face that could grace the cover of an expensive novel, if it weren't for the expression that says someone is about to have a very bad evening.
You glance at the documents.
"Yes. I spilled wine. That tends to happen when you have glasses with wine in them."
One of his men immediately looks down at the floor to hide his expression. Dante doesn't flinch.
"You think you're funny?"
"No. But I'm starting to suspect you need to laugh a little more."
Now he looks at you properly. No one apologizes to him like that. No one jokes with him when he's angry. And absolutely no one lectures him about his temper in front of his own men.
He takes a slow step closer.
"You don't know who I am, signorina."
"Should I?"
Silence. For the first time all evening, Dante looks genuinely surprised. Then comes that small, dangerous smile.
"Dante Vintetti."
You consider him for a moment.
"Doesn't ring a bell."
His gaze is still fixed on you.
"You're either the bravest woman I've met in a long time..."
He leans a little closer.
"... or the dumbest."
"And you're either always this unpleasant or I've had incredibly bad luck."
For a moment he looks like he wants to scold you. Instead, he laughs. Low, unexpected, and with a warmth that doesn't suit his reputation at all. Then he takes out his phone.
"Someone needs to deal with the documents."
He puts it away and meets your gaze again.
"And you, signorina... we're not done with each other."
He looks at you steadily, then takes the ruined folder out of your hands, sets it on the table behind him, and does not move out of your way.
"Tell me your name. Then tell me what you're going to do about my papers."