Page 30 of Claimed At First Sight

I brace an ankle over the opposite knee and settle back.

“I looked into it briefly, but found nothing to substantiate it, so I let it go.”

Mateo stays silent, though at the mention of Antonio, his expression darkens.

“But after I arrived here and met Mia, I revisited it.” I rest an elbow on the chair arm, watching him. “Especially when I remembered Antonio was in Chicago with Tiero two months ago.”

His eyes narrow. That was when Tiero was still hunting for Ella.

“And?”

“My source within the Irish camp confirmed that he met privately with Cormac Donnelly. He’s the head of the Blackthorn Syndicate.” My gaze locks onto Mateo’s. “That’s almost certainly when the contract was signed.”

A muscle jumps in Mateo’s jaw.

“Remo hacked into one of their systems yesterday morning,” I continue. “He found copies of the agreement. Digital footprints are harder to burn than paper, Teo.”

My little brother is becoming more useful by the day. Give him a few more years and he’ll be running every digital operation we have.

“Who is she meant to marry? Cormac has a wife, doesn’t he?”

Mateo picks up a pen, rolling it once between his fingers before setting it down again.

“Yes, he has. Mialina is promised to Shay Donnelly, the Blackthorn heir.”

Mateo nods and rises from his chair.

“I’ll look into this further,” he says. “But this no longer concerns you.”

He genuinely thinks that settles it. I don’t think so.

“It concerns me because it happened on my turf,” I reply evenly.

Mateo’s expression changes. I’m no longer looking at my cousin. I’m looking at the Don.

“No,” he says flatly. “It’s because you want Mialina.”

I don’t bother denying it. Why would I?

His wedding ring taps against the desk as his fingers curl against the edge.

“Stay away from her, Max. I mean it.”

I’ve already ignored that warning once. I’ll ignore it again.

I stand to leave, my thoughts returning to Mialina on that bench. The way she kissed me back before she remembered she was supposed to be resisting me and ran.

Mateo can issue all the warnings he wants.

It’s already too late.

Chapter Nine

Mialina

Irush down the hallway, my pulse still racing from what just happened.

My lips are still tingling, and there’s heat lingering low in my body that refuses to go away. Every time I take a breath, I swear I can still taste the espresso on his lips.