44 Chapter 18 - Mariano (2)

Riri freezes on the spot, her hand tightening around my arm. I let her bask in the spotlight and the crowd's applause while taking note of all the eyes of men whose attention is drawn to her.

I briefly nod in acknowledgment of their welcome while Riri smiles. It's not her real one, but it's beautiful all the same.

We're on the entertainment floor located on the lower ground level of this mansion. There are sections divided into rooms: a game room, a lounge, and a bar. The massive space easily fits a couple of hundred people comfortably.

With Riri's arm still hooked with mine, I walk her deeper into the hall and head to where Jax is standing at one of the cocktail tables to the right of the room. My best friend is wearing a tailored suit, a rare sight for him, given he doesn't particularly like to dress up either—we're the same in that aspect. We join him at the table—Riri to my right and my best friend across from me.