Dangerous Melodies - Chapter 69: Chapter 69
You are reading Dangerous Melodies, Chapter 69: Chapter 69. Read more chapters of Dangerous Melodies.
DANTE
Carlos’s car pulled up in front of Somni, paparazzi already closing in, flashbulbs popping like bait in the dark. I watched from where my car idled across the street, far enough to stay invisible, close enough to see what mattered.
Carlos got out first. Of course he did. The perfect gentleman routine. I watched him circle the car, watched him open her door as if he owned the night. He stood close, too close, steering her through the cameras with his hand at her back as if she belonged to him.
I couldn’t hear a word. Didn’t need to. I had seen enough men like him play this part. Smooth. Confident. Reassuring. Leading her exactly where he wanted her to go.
My team was already in position. I had made sure of that. Perimeter secured, cameras held back, exits controlled. From here, it looked effortless. Controlled. Safe. Professional.
Inside, they would vanish into candlelight and privacy. I didn’t need eyes on them to know how the night would unfold. I knew how men like Carlos worked. I knew how women like Marisol responded when they were tired of loneliness and hungry for connection.
I sat back in my seat, jaw locked, watching through the glare of cameras until they were gone from sight.
I stood outside the private room, some fucking glorified security guard while my wife laughed inside with a man who thought he owned the world. My wife. Still mine, no matter what her memory told her.
The other bodyguard gave me a nod. Professional courtesy. That was all. I returned it, silent, my posture locked down.
Through the door, her laughter floated out, light and warm. It shouldn’t have hit me this way.
How the fuck did I end up here?
Standing outside this door wasn’t professional anymore. It was punishment. I was the one who had married her. I was still her husband, standing here invisible. I had the right once to every soft sound she made behind closed doors.
And now?
Now I can’t even walk in without drawing my weapon.
Every laugh inside drove something sharper beneath my ribs. Carlos was in there, playing the gentleman. Feeding her compliments, holding her hand, peeling her open with charm and attention because it was easy for him.
And it probably was.
She didn’t remember me. Didn’t remember us.
I pressed my hand to my earpiece, gave the all-clear to my team even though I wanted to do anything but stand still. Anything but listen to the sound of my own fucking failure echoing through that door.
MARISOL
Carlos pulled up in front of the house, the summer night still holding onto its heat. He turned to me with a soft, genuine smile.
“I had a great time tonight, Marisol.”
I smiled back, my heart fluttering just enough to remind me how long it had been since I’d let myself feel this way.
“I did too. Thank you for dinner.”
Something charged lingered between us, hovering in the quiet that settled between gratitude and goodbye.
Carlos moved first, slipping out with that same smooth grace he wore so easily. He rounded the car and opened my door. Every small gesture made it harder to pretend this was casual.
At my front door, I hesitated. My hand hovered near the handle, but my gaze drifted to him instead. The words came before I could second-guess them.
“Would you like to come in for a bit?”
His eyes sparked, warm and clear in his answer.
“I’d love to.”
Inside, the house felt heavy with silence, the air thick with anticipation. He moved closer, his hand finding my waist like it belonged there. The way his fingers tightened ever so slightly sent my pulse into a tailspin. His eyes searched mine, asking permission he hadn’t voiced aloud.
I didn’t need to say anything. I leaned in, closing the space between us with the kind of certainty my body understood even when my mind tried to question it.
That was all he needed.
Carlos pulled me in, his lips finding mine with the hunger he’d been holding back all night. The kiss started slow, deliberate, coaxing. It didn’t stay that way.
Heat unfurled between us, sparking brighter with every breath. His hands found my hips, guiding me back until my spine met the wall. A shiver raced through me as his mouth deepened the kiss, his fingers threading into my hair like he already knew how to make me melt.
I didn’t think. I didn’t overanalyze. I kissed him back, hungry for connection, for the way he made me feel alive.
And then
An alarm shattered the moment.
The sound ripped through the quiet, sharp and blaring. My heart jumped straight to my throat. I tore myself from Carlos’s arms, my breath still ragged, confusion and frustration colliding as I glanced wildly around.
“What the hell!”
Carlos’s body went rigid, his gaze already scanning the hallway, alert in an instant.
The noise cut off as suddenly as it had begun, leaving a silence that buzzed in my ears. I pressed a hand to my chest, willing my heartbeat to slow.
“That’s never happened before,” I muttered.
Before I could make sense of any of it, Dante appeared from the hallway. His expression gave nothing away.
“False alarm. Everything’s fine.”
My gaze sharpened. Was it? Or had he triggered it himself?
Before I could ask, Nina appeared, bleary-eyed with a sleepy Luzie clinging to her hand.
“Mommy, what’s happening?”
Luzie’s small voice tugged me out of my spiral.
I pushed aside the confusion, crouching to stroke her hair, forcing calm into my voice.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. Just a silly mistake.”
I glanced up, catching Dante’s unreadable stare. Accident… or not?
Luzie watched me, waiting to feel safe. I couldn’t dwell on it.
“Go back to bed, okay? I’ll be there soon to tuck you in.”
Luzie nodded, rubbing at her eyes.
“Okay, Mommy.”
Carlos watched the scene unfold, surprise flickering across his face.
“You have a daughter?”
I straightened, tension crawling under my skin.
“Yes. But not many people know.”
I braced myself for his reaction, but instead of pulling away, his hand settled on my arm.
“Your secret’s safe with me. I get wanting to protect her.” He hesitated. “I have a son. He’s seven.”
Relief rushed through me, softening something tight inside.
“I had no idea.”
His hand brushed my cheek.
“I’d like to see you again.”
Despite everything, I smiled.
“I’d like that too.”
Still, I couldn’t shake the weight of Dante’s shadow hanging in the air as I walked Carlos to the door. My steps slowed, not quite ready to let go of the moment. Carlos leaned in for a soft, lingering kiss, gentle, almost sweet.
A sharp cough from behind us snapped the moment in two. Dante.
I frowned, realizing exactly what that alarm had been. His doing. Not some glitch. Not security. Control.
Anger simmered low beneath my skin. I forced myself to stay calm, to stay in control. I wouldn’t give Dante the satisfaction of knowing he’d gotten to me.
I turned back to Carlos, my voice steady.
“Thank you for tonight.”
Before he could answer, I leaned in, kissed him again, slow and sure. Not for him. For me. For Dante to see.
Carlos smiled when we pulled apart, still oblivious to the tension brewing behind him.
“Go take care of your daughter.”
“I will.” My words were soft, but my glance at Dante wasn’t.
“Have a great tour.” A smile tugged at my lips despite everything. “You’ve got my number. Don’t be a stranger.”
Carlos lingered a beat longer, then gave me a wink and disappeared into the night.
Carlos’s car pulled up in front of Somni, paparazzi already closing in, flashbulbs popping like bait in the dark. I watched from where my car idled across the street, far enough to stay invisible, close enough to see what mattered.
Carlos got out first. Of course he did. The perfect gentleman routine. I watched him circle the car, watched him open her door as if he owned the night. He stood close, too close, steering her through the cameras with his hand at her back as if she belonged to him.
I couldn’t hear a word. Didn’t need to. I had seen enough men like him play this part. Smooth. Confident. Reassuring. Leading her exactly where he wanted her to go.
My team was already in position. I had made sure of that. Perimeter secured, cameras held back, exits controlled. From here, it looked effortless. Controlled. Safe. Professional.
Inside, they would vanish into candlelight and privacy. I didn’t need eyes on them to know how the night would unfold. I knew how men like Carlos worked. I knew how women like Marisol responded when they were tired of loneliness and hungry for connection.
I sat back in my seat, jaw locked, watching through the glare of cameras until they were gone from sight.
I stood outside the private room, some fucking glorified security guard while my wife laughed inside with a man who thought he owned the world. My wife. Still mine, no matter what her memory told her.
The other bodyguard gave me a nod. Professional courtesy. That was all. I returned it, silent, my posture locked down.
Through the door, her laughter floated out, light and warm. It shouldn’t have hit me this way.
How the fuck did I end up here?
Standing outside this door wasn’t professional anymore. It was punishment. I was the one who had married her. I was still her husband, standing here invisible. I had the right once to every soft sound she made behind closed doors.
And now?
Now I can’t even walk in without drawing my weapon.
Every laugh inside drove something sharper beneath my ribs. Carlos was in there, playing the gentleman. Feeding her compliments, holding her hand, peeling her open with charm and attention because it was easy for him.
And it probably was.
She didn’t remember me. Didn’t remember us.
I pressed my hand to my earpiece, gave the all-clear to my team even though I wanted to do anything but stand still. Anything but listen to the sound of my own fucking failure echoing through that door.
MARISOL
Carlos pulled up in front of the house, the summer night still holding onto its heat. He turned to me with a soft, genuine smile.
“I had a great time tonight, Marisol.”
I smiled back, my heart fluttering just enough to remind me how long it had been since I’d let myself feel this way.
“I did too. Thank you for dinner.”
Something charged lingered between us, hovering in the quiet that settled between gratitude and goodbye.
Carlos moved first, slipping out with that same smooth grace he wore so easily. He rounded the car and opened my door. Every small gesture made it harder to pretend this was casual.
At my front door, I hesitated. My hand hovered near the handle, but my gaze drifted to him instead. The words came before I could second-guess them.
“Would you like to come in for a bit?”
His eyes sparked, warm and clear in his answer.
“I’d love to.”
Inside, the house felt heavy with silence, the air thick with anticipation. He moved closer, his hand finding my waist like it belonged there. The way his fingers tightened ever so slightly sent my pulse into a tailspin. His eyes searched mine, asking permission he hadn’t voiced aloud.
I didn’t need to say anything. I leaned in, closing the space between us with the kind of certainty my body understood even when my mind tried to question it.
That was all he needed.
Carlos pulled me in, his lips finding mine with the hunger he’d been holding back all night. The kiss started slow, deliberate, coaxing. It didn’t stay that way.
Heat unfurled between us, sparking brighter with every breath. His hands found my hips, guiding me back until my spine met the wall. A shiver raced through me as his mouth deepened the kiss, his fingers threading into my hair like he already knew how to make me melt.
I didn’t think. I didn’t overanalyze. I kissed him back, hungry for connection, for the way he made me feel alive.
And then
An alarm shattered the moment.
The sound ripped through the quiet, sharp and blaring. My heart jumped straight to my throat. I tore myself from Carlos’s arms, my breath still ragged, confusion and frustration colliding as I glanced wildly around.
“What the hell!”
Carlos’s body went rigid, his gaze already scanning the hallway, alert in an instant.
The noise cut off as suddenly as it had begun, leaving a silence that buzzed in my ears. I pressed a hand to my chest, willing my heartbeat to slow.
“That’s never happened before,” I muttered.
Before I could make sense of any of it, Dante appeared from the hallway. His expression gave nothing away.
“False alarm. Everything’s fine.”
My gaze sharpened. Was it? Or had he triggered it himself?
Before I could ask, Nina appeared, bleary-eyed with a sleepy Luzie clinging to her hand.
“Mommy, what’s happening?”
Luzie’s small voice tugged me out of my spiral.
I pushed aside the confusion, crouching to stroke her hair, forcing calm into my voice.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. Just a silly mistake.”
I glanced up, catching Dante’s unreadable stare. Accident… or not?
Luzie watched me, waiting to feel safe. I couldn’t dwell on it.
“Go back to bed, okay? I’ll be there soon to tuck you in.”
Luzie nodded, rubbing at her eyes.
“Okay, Mommy.”
Carlos watched the scene unfold, surprise flickering across his face.
“You have a daughter?”
I straightened, tension crawling under my skin.
“Yes. But not many people know.”
I braced myself for his reaction, but instead of pulling away, his hand settled on my arm.
“Your secret’s safe with me. I get wanting to protect her.” He hesitated. “I have a son. He’s seven.”
Relief rushed through me, softening something tight inside.
“I had no idea.”
His hand brushed my cheek.
“I’d like to see you again.”
Despite everything, I smiled.
“I’d like that too.”
Still, I couldn’t shake the weight of Dante’s shadow hanging in the air as I walked Carlos to the door. My steps slowed, not quite ready to let go of the moment. Carlos leaned in for a soft, lingering kiss, gentle, almost sweet.
A sharp cough from behind us snapped the moment in two. Dante.
I frowned, realizing exactly what that alarm had been. His doing. Not some glitch. Not security. Control.
Anger simmered low beneath my skin. I forced myself to stay calm, to stay in control. I wouldn’t give Dante the satisfaction of knowing he’d gotten to me.
I turned back to Carlos, my voice steady.
“Thank you for tonight.”
Before he could answer, I leaned in, kissed him again, slow and sure. Not for him. For me. For Dante to see.
Carlos smiled when we pulled apart, still oblivious to the tension brewing behind him.
“Go take care of your daughter.”
“I will.” My words were soft, but my glance at Dante wasn’t.
“Have a great tour.” A smile tugged at my lips despite everything. “You’ve got my number. Don’t be a stranger.”
Carlos lingered a beat longer, then gave me a wink and disappeared into the night.
End of Dangerous Melodies Chapter 69. Continue reading Chapter 70 or return to Dangerous Melodies book page.