Giovanni's version of "a little fun" involved fooling around with women. Nothing was wrong with it; he was single anyway. And he planned to stay that way—vowed never to marry. The man practically promised never to settle down until he dies.

And if one day he'd go insane and tell Gael that he would get married, to beat the crap out of him and remind him what he swore that day many years ago.

Gael thought his uncle was crazy, but he couldn't blame him. He'd probably swear the same if what happened to Giovanni happened to him. Whatever. If getting laid pretty much whenever he wanted with different women every time was Giovanni's way of moving forward, then Gael wouldn't stop him. Gael had his fair share of quick lays in the past, but he was past that stage now. The last time he had slept with someone was several months ago. Shît. Had it really been that long? He might as well be a monk.

Gael's vices back then were expensive cigarettes and alcohol—the kinds that couldn't be bought in the U.S. Those brands that could only be found in the black market because it was either banned or didn't pass inspections? Yeah, smuggling hard to find goods was one of their businesses. They supplied most of the northeast—a lucrative business that's always been around since the dawn of time.

But now, he didn't smoke anymore—though he was too close earlier and almost lit one up, sucking the nicotine and having his lungs filled with the deadly stick's poison. Then Banana Suit came. He didn't know whether to thank him or punch him because he was also the reason why he forgot all about his abstinence and drank that damn alcohol out of frustration. He couldn't hurt J—only because he did what he did because of Gabby.

Gael glanced at the other and saw him on his phone. J and Gabby weren't even dating, but there had always been something weird about the two of them that he didn't want to get involved in. As long as J didn't hurt Gabby, Gael promised he would be cool with it. If they become a thing, he'd probably rough up J a little—then he'd be cool with it.

Two women in slinky dresses entered the VVIP booth and walked up to Giovanni. He then placed his arms around the two as he got up and then headed towards the more private area on the third floor. "Call me," he told Gael over his shoulder.

A woman sat to J's right. He didn't look at her, but he didn't shoo her away either. J just lit a cigarette and browsed on his phone, the woman stroking his thigh up and down. Another woman went towards Gael, but he shook his head, so she sat to J's left.

Gael was still riled up because of J and also pissed at himself for drinking. He rested his head back and closed his eyes. He wanted to get out of here but he had to calm himself down before going to Angela. So he let the background music drown out his thoughts in an attempt to clear his head. But it wasn't that easy.

His mind wandered towards what's about to happen soon. They'd have to meet the Morellis, and he was sure that what J did was going to screw up with their plan. He wouldn't lie; if it were a different person, he'd severely punish that man for disobeying orders. But this was J. Keeping him away and sending him to another country in the meantime was already punishment enough.

Gael didn't count the minutes, but the music had changed when he came to. Then he noticed the couch dip to his right as if someone was on it. 'Angel?' he thought.

He opened his eyes just as a woman in a blue mini dress with boobs almost spilling out of it straddled him, her knees on either side of his thighs and her arms circling around his neck. "You look so lonely, and I'm an excellent company."

"Get the fûck off." He gritted his teeth, untangling her arms around him.

The woman, who was one of the dancers in the club—not a stripper—but a paid dancer to liven up the club, looked taken aback as she tried to reason, "But—"

"Are you getting off or do I have to throw you down?" He scowled.

The woman immediately scrambled out of his lap, her lips trembling as she walked out of the booth, yet Gael didn't feel bad. Then he shot a glare at J, who looked confused at what just happened, and bit out, "Why did you let her?"

"What do you mean?" J probed, seemingly unsure of what was happening.

Gael rubbed his jaw and got to his feet, feeling more pissed than he initially was a couple of minutes ago. His gaze immediately landed on the dancefloor and met a pair of blazing dark brown eyes glaring straight at him. Angela's brows furrowed, and he felt like she just stabbed a dagger into his chest. She turned her back and continued to dance, her body swaying more provocatively than she did earlier. "Fûck."

Granted, J didn't know about Angela, but that didn't stop Gael from blaming it on him anyway. He pointed at the younger man whose eyes were still wide in confusion and warned him, "Leave before the sun comes out." He wanted to say more, but if he didn't get out of here now, the glass wouldn't be the only thing getting shattered.

J instantly straightened and got to his feet—like the obedient soldier that he was—the women on his flanks swaying. "I'll leave right away. I'll just drop by to see my sister at the facility; then I'll be off."

Wordlessly walking away, Gael strolled past VIP patrons and descended the stairs as fast as he could. The way Angela looked at him a minute ago made his blood boil. She was dancing out there without a care in the world and she's mad at him for what she saw? He didn't even ask that woman to sit on him. Damn it. He'd never do that. He even thought it was her, for fûck's sake!

Gael's heart rammed against his chest as he landed on the ground floor, thanking his tall height because he spotted her right away. As if equipped with radar, Trigger looked his way and nodded just as a patron was about to go near Angela—he stopped the patron and guided him away.

Making his way towards Angela, Gael stopped right behind her, looking down at her sexy back as she swayed her hips from side to side. His cousin Val caught sight of him, and she smiled as she slowly moved away from them.

Gael slid his hands down Angela's waist, and she flinched but didn't swat his hands off her. He pulled her flush against his front, her ass pressing against his hard-on. She gasped, but she still didn't push him away. Heat rushed within his body; he was sure his fingers burned her exposed skin. Was she really going to allow a stranger to do this to her? His brows drew together—a mixture of rage and lust battling within him as he dipped his nose into her hair and inhaled her scent. Delicious. He at least thought she'd pull away; instead, she continued swaying her hips. This woman really was trying to get back at him.

He tilted forward until his lips touched her ear, and she leaned into him even more. He was tempted to lick her neck but settled on nibbling the lobe of her ear. In a low and raspy voice, he breathed, "How reckless are you trying to be, Angel? You'd really let anyone touch you like this?" His grip on her waist tightened.

Angela turned to face him with his hands still on her waist. She gazed up at him, her hands sliding from his chest until they circled his neck. "I knew it was you the moment you touched me." A shiver ran down his spine when her fingers raked his hair.

Gael groaned, and he smashed his lips into hers. His kiss was harsh and fervent as if he wanted to devour her. She kissed him back, ignoring the fact that they were in the middle of the dancefloor with drunk patrons around them. The party lights that danced in the darkness of the club moved in sync to the music of "Something Just Like This" played by the DJ.

"Who was that floozy?" Her voice had a bite in it.

"No one. I got rid of her right away. I wished it was you."

She frowned, certainly not liking what she saw.

"I'm here with you now." Then he kissed her again, his hands gliding up and his thumb dangerously slipping under the sides of her dress, caressing the swell of her breasts. He loved the easy access.

The sound of her erotic moan was music to his ears when he brushed his thumbs against her hard nipples. Angela was all that mattered at this very moment. With one hand still massaging her tit, he glided the other down past her ass cheek and stroked the hem of her dress before caressing her inner thigh. To hell with everyone jumping up and down around them. Gael wanted to make her come right here, right now.