He's Mine - How to 'illegally' tell people HE's MINE in 99 ways

Chapter 15

"You're a pest that was born to be crushed by me."

I walk in with my arm wrapped around my father's. We walk in like a unit. I observe the security detail and nod in approval. It is going smoothly...for now. My father finds his buddies and walk towards them, making me sigh. He always does this. I miss Matteo. I walk towards the bar.

"Get me your strongest whiskey, on the rocks." I order the bartender and give him my card. As the bartender nods and gets to work, I scan the room, taking in the vibrant atmosphere. Laughter and chatter fill the air, and the soft glow of chandeliers casts an elegant light over the crowd. This is my element—a world of influence and power, where every conversation can shift the balance.

I catch a glimpse of my father laughing with his associates, their faces animated, the air thick with shared history and unspoken rivalries.

The bartender sets my drink in front of me, and I take a moment to appreciate the amber liquid glistening in the glass. I bring it to my lips, savoring the warmth as it glides down my throat. It's a brief escape from the weight of expectations pressing down on me.

"Damn, never thought I'd see you standing all alone," a familiar voice remarks. I turn to my right.

"Bastion." I nod in acknowledgment, and he chuckles.

Sebastion Clifford—a high-ranking officer with charm and boy-next-door looks, though with a dangerous edge. He's 32, infamous for accepting bribes from nearly everyone here. Everyone except the Romanos. We don't bribe. He's a flirt, and in a way, he fills Matteo's absence when he's not around—not that it happens often. Bastion isn't bad company, but he's far from innocent.

"How've you been, hellion? Still giving the old guard hell?" He smirks, settling onto the barstool beside me.

I laugh, taking a sip of my whiskey. "You know me, Bastion. Chaos is second nature."

He shakes his head with a grin, eyes twinkling. "Can't imagine it any other way."

His offer to buy me a drink comes with a playful lift of his brow. "Another round for m'lady?"

I wave him off. "No, let me buy you a drink this time, Bastion." I raise my hand to get the bartender's attention. "Another whiskey on the rocks, and an Old Fashioned for the gentleman. Put it on my tab."

The bartender nods and goes to work. Bastion leans in slightly, that mischievous smile still on his face. "Have I ever told you how exquisite you are when you're bossing people around?"

I smirk, tipping my glass in his direction. "Yes. Since the day we met, actually. Especially when I was underage, remember?"

He bursts out laughing, the sound warm and genuine. "That's right! Ah, the good old days."

The bartender slides our drinks over, and Bastion raises his glass toward me, his eyes gleaming with that perpetual sense of trouble.

"To causing chaos," he toasts.

I clink my glass against his, feeling the weight of the night lift, even if just for a moment. "To causing chaos."

I take a slow sip, my gaze sweeping over the crowd. "I heard you went underground after that blast at your mansion. Who had the guts to come at you so openly?" Bastion asks, his voice tinged with curiosity.

"You know me, Bastion. I attract danger the way flames attract moths." I say with a smirk, earning a low chuckle from him.

"That you do. But I'm curious—why didn't you act or come to me for information?" He presses, refusing to let the topic go. Smart. I hate it.