The atmosphere in the lounge shifted instantly, turning heavy and charged.
Matteo stepped inside, his presence commanding enough that, one by one, every head in the room turned.
The aura was different.
Completely different from when Mark stepped in.
He wasn't alone. Tony followed, along with a line of imposing guards, their presence carving a path of silence through the room.
"Yeah," Frank murmured to Charles. "The real Matteo is here."
The air around the booth tightened as Matteo approached.
Adrian turned slowly. Even through the blur of alcohol and the dim club lights, he didn't need clarity to sense the change.
Mark understood immediately. Without a word, he rose and stepped aside, giving Matteo his place.
Matteo didn't waste a second. He slipped into the space beside Adrian, pulled him close, and claimed his lips in a deep, possessive kiss, a stark contrast to the hollow imitation from moments before.
