Two men dispatched into the theatre.
Lucian took me into the right hallway and up the stairs with the remaining two men.
My heart was beating so fast that I could barely hear the music coming from the speakers. My pulse was just too loud. I held on to his arm for balance, but I could feel how weak he was. His forehead had a sheen of sweat, and his eyes darted back and forth like he was thinking a million miles a minute. He was definitely unnerved.
More unsettled than I was.
We reached the private balcony and took our seats.
Lucian immediately looked into the audience, probably trying to see exactly where Balto was.
Now I wondered if Balto has known I was Lucian’s wife the entire time. When did he figure it out? Why didn’t he tell me? Was he there now because of me? Or was it just a stunning coincidence? Did this have something to do with the diamonds they both possessed? “Who was that man?”
Lucian ignored me.
The lights were lowered, and the show began.
I didn’t pay attention to the performance because my eyes kept scanning the audience, searching for the handsome face that was in my dreams every single night. My stomach was still in miserable pain, but when I saw Balto, there was a jolt of hope in my heart. I didn’t expect him to save me—but it made me feel less alone.
Halfway through the performance, one of his men came to his side. “He just left out the back, sir.”
“Good,” Lucian said with a noticeable sigh. “His pathetic attempts to intimidate me are pointless.”
The man walked back to the hallway.
I heard the words that were said, and I deduced the two men had a past. Lucian was a criminal, and that meant Balto had always been a criminal. They were clearly enemies. If Lucian found out I was sleeping with his enemy, he might actually kill me.
The show continued, but I didn’t pay attention to it at all. All I could think about was my rapidly beating heart, how my fingers were slick with sweat. Danger seemed to be imminent now that Balto was gone. Would he really make a quick appearance then leave like that? He didn’t seem surprised to see me. Maybe he was sending a message to us both.
The lights were off, so the balcony was in the dark. There was a table between Lucian and me, so there was some space between us. It was filled with drinks that neither one of us touched.
Out of nowhere, a hand touched my right shoulder and gripped me tightly.
I didn’t move. I didn’t even take a breath. I didn’t need to look behind me to know exactly who it was. That touch was innately familiar because I’d experienced it so many times. It was the same palm that squeezed my tits and ass as he fucked me. It belonged to a man who naturally brimmed with power.
The hand slowly moved to my neck and rested right against my pulse. He felt my reaction to him, felt the electricity in my veins. He took it one step further and leaned his head over my shoulder and pressed a hot kiss to the skin.
I closed my eyes and silenced my moan.
This man didn’t care if Lucian saw or not.
He squeezed my neck harder as he continued to kiss me, my husband completely oblivious to what was happening.
Once Balto’s touch was on my body, I felt safe. He offered invisible protection against Lucian, a way out if I really need to take one. He was a man who could make Lucian uneasy with a simple look.
He suddenly let me go then moved behind Lucian.
I hoped he killed him.
Balto stopped his stealthy movements and loudly pulled up a chair beside Lucian, being as disruptive as possible.
Lucian flinched noticeably once he realized he was alone with his enemy. He immediately glanced behind him for his two armed men.
I noticed them both dead on the floor, their guns beside them.
I faced forward again, swallowing the lump in my throat. Balto really was a dangerous man.
Balto faced Lucian, the back of his chair facing the edge of the balcony. The opera continued on in the background, the singers projecting their voices to unbelievable decibels. Balto’s knees rested apart, and he pulled out a cigar from his front pocket. He lit it with a lighter then got comfortable, as if he knew no one was coming to save Lucian.
Lucian was still, but the beads of sweat on his forehead suggested his terror.
I knew I wasn’t in imminent danger, but even I was scared.
Balto stared at him for a long time, smoking his cigar casually as the music played loudly around all of us. The smoke drifted toward the ceiling as he released from his sexy lips. His eyes seemed to be focused on Lucian instead of me. “You need to get better men.”