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CHAPTER ONE

"Did you really think you were falling in love with her?" Giovanni Ferraro asked his cousin "Seriously, Salvatore?" He pulled his gaze froh the VIP tables on the second tier He'd been watching her forcaptured his attention, he found his gaze straying back to her

It was her sht up the roo innocent and wholeso the club uniforet near, but he couldn't stop watching her until the hurt in his cousin's voice dragged his attention back to those around the table

Salvatore Ferraro shrugged He was froo cousin didn't have "I wanted the chance at least I've given up thinking I' to find the perfect one, the one my family wants"

There was an edge of bitterness in his voice Giovanni had never heard before, but he understood it They were shadow riders, and unlike anyone else in their families, their lives were not their own They meted out justice and protected their people They were required to begin training at the age of two, so they didn't have childhoods or friendships outside their fah they were lethal by the time they were in their teens, they were considered too valuable to their families to risk They also weren't allowed to fall in love with just anyone

"We don't have that luxury and you know it," Geno, Salvatore's brother, pointed out

"She was just like every other woman I've met," Salvatore said

Giovanni hated the underlying hurt in his voice "What happened?" H

e already knew because it had happened to all of the love when in reality she was after their htclubs and casinos as well as many other businesses They lived life in the fast lane, and that drew a certain type of woman

"She used the 'I'll take the condoe Then it was she lovedfor a baby" Salvatore pushed the heel of his hand against his forehead "Dio, this life is fucked"

"Stefano found soest brother, pointed out "It could happen Francesca just walked into his life, right there off the street You never know"

"I knoon't find her here," Salvatore said bitterly, looking around the club at the woet their attention by shifting in their seats and opening their legs to show they wore no panties under their club clothing

"I've got soht cheer you up," Giovanni said "And you could ree to the payout"

Salvatore looked up, interested Vittorio, Giovanni's brother, groaned "Not again"

"We need to cheer him up," Giovanni insisted

"I' on shots," Salvatore said

"Soame with a point system Each point is worth a thousand dollars from each of us Well, not the first point, that's only worth a hundred just to make life better"

"I have to keep track of points?" Salvatore asked, groaning

"A thousand dollars frorinned at them "I'm in"

"The point syste across the table toward his cousin He had to raise his voice a little to be heard above the music "It's an honor system One point when a woman asks to dance with you You can't ask her, she has to ask you Every single thing has to be the woman's idea Two points if she lets you feel her breasts on the dance floor She has to initiate it by giving you the signal, rubbing herself all over you or guiding your hands to her Three for feeling her breasts under her clothes, skin to skin Again, she has to be the one to expose herself to you Undo her buttons, take your hand and put it on her, anything like that Four is hands on her ass or pussy over panties Five, the goal is under the panties It has to be on the dance floor or it doesn't count She absolutely has to initiate every step at all ti into the dark, because just about any little fortune hunter will let you feel her up if she knoho you are"

Salvatore sank back in his chair, shaking his head, his white teeth flashing as he grinned at Giovanni, Vittorio, Taviano, and his brother "I should have known you'd invent a game out of this You're so competitive"

"Had to do soone out ofbodies "Easy pickings They're all out to trap you, so have fun turning the tables"

"What if we e a blow job?" Salvatore asked

"Seven points," Giovanni said