DANGEROUS CURVES

Chapter 4

The Team Dinner

Livia’s POV

“Smile. People are watching.”

Matteo’s voice was low as he pulled out my chair at the long table. The private dining room of the hotel was already full. Conti Racing on one side, my brother’s team mixed in on the other. Soft lights. White tablecloths. The smell of expensive wine and roasted meat. Everyone was laughing, talking, celebrating the Monaco results like nothing in the world could go wrong.

I sat down carefully. My black dress felt too tight. My skin still remembered Nico’s hands from last night.

Matteo took the seat beside me and poured water into my glass. “You look tired. Did you sleep at all?”

“I’m fine.”

He studied my face for a second too long. “You sure? You’ve been quiet since the party.”

I forced a small smile. “Just the usual post-race exhaustion.”

Across the table, Nico Conti sat down.

He didn’t look at me at first. He greeted the people around him, accepted a glass of champagne, laughed at something one of the sponsors said. But I felt the exact moment his eyes found me. The air between us tightened like a wire pulled too hard.

I dropped my gaze to the menu even though I couldn’t read a single word.

Matteo leaned closer. “He’s staring at you.”

My stomach dropped. “What?”

“Conti. He’s been looking this way since he sat down.” Matteo’s voice carried a familiar edge. “Ignore him. That’s what I do.”

I nodded, but my pulse was already racing. I could still feel last night on my lips. The way Nico had kissed me. The way he had said it wasn’t over. And now he was sitting less than ten feet away with my brother right beside me.

The first course arrived. Conversation rose and fell around the table. I tried to focus on the food, on Matteo’s voice, on anything except the man across from me.

It didn’t work.

Every time I looked up, Nico’s eyes were already on me. Not obvious. Not enough for anyone else to notice. But enough that my skin burned under the attention. He lifted his glass slightly, almost like a private toast, and the corner of his mouth curved.

I looked away fast.

Matteo noticed. “You okay?”

“Yes.” The word came out too sharp. I softened it. “Just warm in here.”

He frowned but didn’t push. Instead, he started talking about the next race, about tyre strategies and qualifying. I nodded at the right moments, but my mind was still trapped in that suite with Nico’s mouth on mine.

Halfway through the main course, Nico stood up and walked around the table under the excuse of speaking to one of the engineers. He stopped behind my chair for half a second longer than necessary. His voice was low enough that only I could hear it.

“You look beautiful when you’re trying not to look at me.”

Then he moved on as if nothing had happened.

My fork slipped in my fingers. Matteo glanced at me.

“Something wrong with the food?”

“No. It’s perfect.”

I forced myself to eat. Every bite tasted like nothing. The tension sat in my chest like a stone. I could feel Nico’s presence the entire time, even when he returned to his seat. The way he watched me. The way he waited. The way last night still hung between us like smoke.

When the desserts came, Matteo leaned back in his chair and spoke quietly.

“I saw you leave the party early last night.”

My heart stopped for a full second. “I was tired.”

“Conti left not long after you.”

I kept my eyes on the plate. “Coincidence.”

Matteo was silent for a moment. Then he said, “Be careful around him, Livia. Men like that don’t play fair.”

I finally looked at my brother. His expression was serious, protective, the same look he had worn our whole lives.

I forced a small, tight smile. “I can handle myself.”

“I know you can.” Matteo’s voice dropped.

“That’s what worries me. You’re stubborn, just like me. And Conti… he doesn’t stop until he gets what he wants.”

I kept my expression neutral even though my stomach twisted. “I’m not something he can just take.”

Matteo watched me for another second, then nodded slowly. “Good. Keep it that way.”

Across the table, Nico’s eyes met mine again. My fork froze halfway to my mouth. This time he didn’t look away. Neither did I. The rest of the room faded. For a few dangerous seconds, it was only the two of us. Nico’s gaze held mine with quiet intensity. No smile this time. Just heat and a silent reminder of everything that had happened in the suite the night before.

I was the first to look away. My hands felt unsteady. I placed the fork down carefully and reached for my water glass instead, hoping no one noticed the slight tremor in my fingers.

Matteo’s voice pulled me back. “Livia.”

I blinked and turned to him. “Sorry. What?”

He studied me carefully. “Nothing. Just… don’t get pulled into his games. You’re better than that.”

I nodded, but the lie sat heavy on my tongue.

The dinner finally ended. People stood, chairs scraped, conversations moved toward the exit. Matteo placed a hand on my shoulder.

“I’m heading up. You coming?”

“In a minute. I need some air.”

He hesitated, then nodded and left with a few of his engineers. I stayed seated for a moment longer, trying to steady my breathing.

When I finally stood, Nico was already waiting near the doorway.

He didn’t speak. He just looked at me, eyes dark, and tilted his head slightly toward the side corridor that led to the elevators.

My pulse hammered.

I should have walked the other way.

I should have gone straight to my room.

I should have remembered every reason this was dangerous.

I told myself I was only going to tell him to leave me alone.

I told myself it would be the last time, that I still had control.

None of it felt true.

Instead, I followed him.

The elevator doors closed.

For a second neither of us moved. The small space suddenly felt too warm, too quiet, too full of everything we weren’t saying.

Nico stepped closer. His voice was low.

“Last chance to walk away, Livia.”

I didn’t move.

His eyes darkened.

“Good.”

In the next breath, he had me pinned hard against the elevator wall. One hand gripped my hip, the other slid down and firmly grabbed my ass, pulling me flush against him as his mouth crushed down on mine.