Chapter 79 Cat and Mouse
Dakota's P.O.V.
"Can I have the next dance?" A man asks. I don't even look at him as Ari and I answer at the same time.
"No." Ari smiles and leans down to whisper.
"See, you're already choosing me over every other man." I shake my head.
"It was one man, and I just didn't feel like dancing with him," I reply. He moves his hand lower on my back, and it takes everything in me not to shiver from how it makes me feel.
"I wouldn't want someone touching you inappropriately, or you may have to pull out that knife you have hidden under your dress." How does he know about my knife?
"What are you talking about?" Ari slides his hand over my bottom to my upper thigh and rubs his hand over the strap. His hand is outside of my dress, but it feels like I'm naked.
"A woman like you wouldn't go to something like this without a weapon. I figured there was no way for you to hide a gun under this tight dress. I should probably remove it to be sure." He continues to rub his hand over my thigh. As I open my mouth to respond, we get interrupted.
"Ari, are you ready to go? You promised you would come to my place tonight." I turn to look at the woman with the annoyingly whining voice. She's tall and thin with breasts so big I'm surprised she can walk upright. Her dress looks like she should be taking it off while she's wrapped around a stripper pole.
"I said no such thing. I told you I want nothing to do with you. Go back to whoever lowered themselves to bring you here." Ari doesn't look at her. He keeps his eyes on me.
"He told me to get lost. I need someone to take me home. Come on, Ari." She whines and tries to pull him away from me. I have no claim on Ari, but like hell is she going to come over here and mess up my evening. I'm enjoying this back-and-forth with him.
"I suggest you slither back under whatever rock you came out of because tonight, Ari is mine. Unless he prefers someone with big breasts, no brains, and no class." I hear several people within earshot laughing. I stare at the woman with my eyebrows raised as her face turns red. I wonder if I can count to five before she starts squealing like a baby pig because that's what women like her do. One, two, three.
"You take that back. Do you know who I am? Ari, tell her she can't talk to me like that!" the woman screeches. I narrow my eyes at her.
"Do you know who I am?" I ask her. Galdino said I'm the most powerful woman here. Let's see if he's right.
"Why should I care?" She tosses her fake blonde hair over her shoulder.
"You should care because this is Dakota Kondrati. She's the boss of the Kondrati family. What that means is she could have you killed, and no one would bother to look for your corpse." Ari answers before I can say anything. I guess Galdino's right because the woman gasps and runs away.
"I wasn't going to say it quite like that, but at least it made her leave. I think I'd better get home. Thanks for an entertaining evening." I try to move out of his arms, but he doesn't let go.
"You told her I was yours tonight, so are we going to your place or mine?" He has a lot of nerve.
"Neither. I told her that to get rid of her. I don't think I'm really your type. When I decide to be with a man, it won't be someone who will get what he wants and leave." I move away, and he lets me go. I walk toward the door, and I can hear Ari following me. When we get outside, he takes my hand. I see my car pulling up as I turn to him.
"I'm going to win you over, Dakota. One day soon, you're going to be mine." He leans down like he's going to kiss me, and I step back.
"What are you doing?" I see my two security men get out of the car, and I hold my hand up so they don't intervene.
"I want to give you a goodbye kiss." I shake my head and kiss his cheek.
"Goodbye, Ari. Be at the compound bright and early." I walk down the steps and get into the car. When I look back at Ari, he's smiling and holding his hand to his cheek where I kissed him.
"You'll be mine, Dakota!" he yells as we pull away. I smile to myself. One day, he may be right, but right now, I like this game of cat and mouse.