Dante's hand was still wrapped tightly around Leo's waist from the moment the guest had scrambled out of the room. The air in the study was thick with tension. Leo felt the heat of Dante's palm through his shirt, but his anger was stronger than the spark between them.
Leo moved sharply, shaking his body to break free from Dante's grip. Dante let go, but he didn't step back. He crossed his arms and looked down at Leo with a dark, curious expression.
"Why were you looking for me, Leo?" Dante asked. "And why were you waiting up? I told you to go to sleep."
Leo stood his ground, even though his heart was hammering against his ribs. "I wanted to discuss something important. I wanted to talk about returning to my work as a surgeon. But," Leo looked at the closed door where the man had just fled, "as I can see, you were very busy with your private guest. I didn't realize your 'meetings' were so personal."
Dante's eyes flickered with a hint of a smile. "As you can see, the guest is already gone. There is no one here but us. Talk to me."
"No," Leo said, turning his face away. "I don't want to tell you anything anymore. Not tonight."
Leo tried to walk past him to leave the room, but he didn't get two steps.
"Where do you think you are going, sir?" Dante's voice was a low growl.
Before Leo could answer, Dante moved with the speed of a predator. He didn't use both hands. He reached out with just his right arm and hooked it firmly around Leo's waist, lifting him off the floor like he weighed nothing. Dante shoved his left hand deep into his trouser pocket, looking completely relaxed while carrying a struggling Leo.
Dante walked out of the study and into the main hall. The hallway was lined with bodyguards, and as they reached the living area, even more men were standing around.
The moment they saw the scene, the entire room froze. The bodyguards looked like they had been turned to stone. Their terrifying leader was walking through the house, one hand in his pocket, carrying the young surgeon like a prize. No one dared to move. No one dared to breathe. One of the younger guards looked so shocked he almost dropped his weapon.
"Drop me!" Leo yelled, his face turning a deep red. "Drop me right now, you crazy Mafia man! This is embarrassing!"
Dante didn't stop. He didn't even look at his men. He just kept walking toward their private quarters.
"You wanted to discuss your work," Dante said, his voice loud enough for the guards to hear. "But you interrupted a lion while he was working. Now, we are going to discuss the rules of this house."
Leo looked at the rows of frozen, shocked bodyguards and realized he couldn't win this fight in public. He stopped screaming and hid his red face against Dante's shoulder, while the entire Mafia crew watched in total silence, wondering if they would ever see their master this "crazy" for a person again.