The gala was exactly the kind of event I had no business being at—expensive, elegant, and filled with men who ran the world in ways that never made it to the news. I could already tell that this wasn’t just a party; it was a power play. The air was thick with an unspoken hierarchy, one I wasn’t a part of.
Dario’s hand rested against the small of my back as he guided me inside, a subtle but firm reminder that he was in control. I hated that he thought he could just parade me around like some kind of accessory, but I had bigger problems—like figuring out how to survive the night without getting in over my head.
“Try to behave,” Dario murmured, his breath ghosting against my ear. “I don’t feel like cleaning up a mess tonight.”
I shot him a glare. “Behave? I should be the one telling you th
