It was late evening. The training session from earlier had left Leo's body sore, but his mind was sharp. Dante had left the penthouse an hour ago for a general meeting with his men. Before leaving, he kissed Leo's forehead and said, "Don't wait up for me, Leo. Get some rest."
But Leo didn't go to bed. He sat at the long mahogany dining table, waiting. He watched the clock. One hour passed. Then two.
Leo saw one of the younger bodyguards, Etienne, walking toward the kitchen.
"Etienne," Leo called out. "Is the meeting over?"
Etienne stopped and nodded respectfully. "Yes, Leo. Master Dante dismissed everyone ten minutes ago."
Leo frowned. "Then where is he? Why isn't he back up here?"
Etienne looked a bit nervous. "He is still in the study downstairs. He is having a private meeting with a guest. A very important man. I think they are discussing personal business."
Leo felt a sharp jab of jealousy in his chest. A private meeting? Personal business? He didn't like the sound of that. He stood up, ignored the pain in his muscles, and walked down to the study.
Outside the heavy oak doors, the hallway was lined with Dante's top soldiers. They looked shocked to see Leo walking toward them with such a determined look. When Leo reached the door, he didn't knock. He simply pushed it open.
Inside, Dante was sitting behind his desk. Standing very close to him was a tall, handsome man in a slim-fit suit. They were looking at a document together, their heads almost touching.
Dante looked up, his eyes widening in surprise. No one ever interrupted his private meetings.
"Leo?" Dante asked, his voice low. "I told you to go to sleep."
Leo didn't look at the stranger. He walked straight to the desk, his eyes locked on Dante. The guards at the door froze, waiting for Dante to explode in anger. But Dante just looked confused.
"The general meeting ended twenty minutes ago," Leo said, his voice cold and commanding. "Why are you still down here?"
The stranger cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable. "I apologize. We were just finishing up—"
Leo turned his head slowly to look at the man. "I wasn't talking to you."
The room went silent. The bodyguards in the hallway held their breath. Nobody spoke to Dante's guests that way. Dante stood up, realizing that Leo was truly angry.
"Leo, this is an important partner," Dante said, stepping around the desk.
Leo didn't back down. "You told me you were meeting with your men. You didn't mention a 'private' session with him. Is he more important than your promise to me?"
Dante saw the fire in Leo's eyes and realized what was happening. Leo wasn't just tired; he was jealous. To everyone's shock, Dante didn't get angry. A small, dark smirk appeared on his face. He actually liked seeing Leo claim him in front of everyone.
Dante turned to the guest. "We are finished for tonight. Leave."
The man scrambled to gather his papers and hurried out, followed by the guards who were still shaking from the tension.
Once the door slammed shut, Dante grabbed Leo by the waist and pulled him close. "You just commanded me in front of my entire crew, Leo. Everyone saw that."
Leo pushed against Dante's chest, his face red. "I don't care. Who was he? Why was he so close to you?"
Dante laughed deeply, his voice vibrating against Leo's skin. "He is nobody. Just a businessman. Are you jealous, my little hunter?"
"I'm not jealous," Leo lied, though his heart was racing. "I just don't like people wasting your time."
"Good," Dante whispered, lifting Leo's chin. "Because my time belongs only to you."