Stella

The imposter syndrome was blasting in my ears. I don't fit with these people and based on the faces of the Sorrentino brothers, they need a few more minutes.

Which means I keep standing around rich people who have bought gowns from me. I bet they are wondering what their tailor is doing at this event.

Spotting one man who look vaguely familiar, I took a breath and a chance to be social.

"Excuse me." I said walking up to him. "Aren't you the Superintendent for the high schools?"

The man put down his drink, his eyes running over me in a way I don't think is appropriate.

"I am, names Curt Munting. And yours?" He said with a weird smile, his eyes still running over me.

I smiled back, though I can't deny it wasn't forced. "Stella Reynalds, I'm Maximus Sorrentino's plus one this evening. I was wondering if I could ask about the work program the district has been doing for high schoolers. I have a question about the program."

"Is that so?" He mused. "Well what can I say about the program?"

I tap my fingers on my purse to avoid any imposter nerves while talking to him. "I'm a business owner and recently hired a student worker. During that time, I have been signing off on her earning school credits but I recently found out she isn't allowed to earn an income? Isn't the point of work credits to help them with job experience and gain financial independence?"

The superintendent raised a brow. "Sweetie you don't need to pretend you know anything about youths, I know what you really are. It's hot on you I will say, where did Mr. Sorrentino find you?"

My head went back in confusion. "Find me? Well we met in my store and began to date. I'm not sure what you are implying about what I really am. I own a store and would like to do more to youth services if the school gave more options for it."

He gave a patronizing chuckle. "Sweetie, Sorrentinos don't date. Why don't you schedule me in for tomorrow night. How much are you, 15,000 a night?"

Understanding what he thought me to be, my mouth dropped. "I beg your pardon?"

His arm wrapped around my waist pulling me into him, his hand landing on my ass squeezing it. Reaching for the first thing on the table I picked up a fork and thrusted it into his hand resting on the table.

The bastard yelped letting go of me.

Pushing from him I stormed away not trusting myself to pick up another fork and stab it in a different body part. Coming up to the Sorrentino men, my hand slip around Max's arm, his face turned with a soft smile while bending down to kiss my cheek.

My anger slowly diminished. Looking up I see the other Sorrentino men and my bodyguards chuckling around us.

Romano looked over my shoulder then back to me, his cold face breaking into an amused smile. "Did you just stab a man with a fork?"

Max's head snapped to me making me try to give an innocent smile. "He called me your escort, tried to pay for me and then grabbed my ass. He's lucky I didn't stab him where the sun doesn't shine. Anthony is going to kick my ass for it, but so worth it."

Max's eyes darkened with anger, his nostrils flaring when he looked over my head towards Curt Munting. "He's dead."

"Nope, you're not going over there." Max turned his thunderous expression towards me, my hand gripping his arm tighter to keep him with me. "Anthony is going to be pissed enough I stabbed someone tonight, he won't let me out in public if I tell him I also had to bail you out of jail for murder."

Max took a deep breath, his nostrils flaring while he looked back over towards Munting, his jaw clenched. "Fine." He grit out looking to me. "I won't talk to him now. Where were you men?"

Sebastian smirked coming forward. "She handled it before I could intervene." He sent me a wink making me groan. "When she came over I left him to take the fork out, looks like he is still struggling."

"That bastard better keep struggling." Max growled.

I tightened my hand on his arm. "Hey, get your feathers unruffled. I defended my honour and don't need you to. Now you have two options."

Max scowled. "Two options?"

I hummed. "You can either go find a Chipotle and get me a veggie burrito with extra guacamole or you could ask me to dance. You decide, but beating up a man in view of everyone then getting arrested on assault charges isn't one of them."

Silence.

"Alright." Lorenzo said after a moment. "I approve of her."

"Aw Lorenzo." I put my hand over my heart. "You are a softy underneath aren't you."

He rolled his eyes. "I take it back."

I chuckled shaking my head. "Nope, no take backs. Anyway, your decision Max?"

Max smirked. "You're going to be trouble, aren't you?"

I shrugged.

He chuckled. "Sebastian, go to chipotle and get her a burrito. My lady, may I escort you to the dance floor."

I snorted. "'My lady, may I escort you to the dance floor'? Yeah, you were a fuck boy."

Max groaned. "It's a polite invitation. But fine, wanna dance?"

Chuckling I nodded and let Max walk me to the dance floor. He spun me then brought me to his chest. One of my hands landed on his shoulder and the other stayed in his hand. Max's hand rested on my waist, holding me against him.

"It was a phase, I grew out of it quickly." Max mumbled at me.

Laughing we continued dancing, my hormonal body humming being so close to his. "It's okay, I don't care what you did in the past. I just find it funny how the usual calm and collected Maximus Sorrentino get his feathers so ruffled when I tease you."

I was spun out of Max's arm, him spinning me back in making me laugh when I collided back into his chest. "You are trouble."

Dancing along with the music I smile. "I'm making sure you smile after wearing your serious face. I mean nothing by it and I won't tease you anymore of your previous lifestyle."

A smile twitched on his face. "You make me smile and I have a feeling you will find a new way to tease me."

Max looked up from me, his eyes scanning the room bringing back his mafia face.

"Is everything okay?" I asked softly, letting Max lead me across the dance floor.

He sighed. "Yeah, need to play politics tonight. I'm sorry if that means I have to talk to rude people."

I softly shook my head. "Hey, don't apologize. When Lorenzo and I talked." Max straightened, my hand on his shoulder lightly squeezing to relax him. "When we talked, he mentioned that if I want to be with you, I have to be with all of you."

"Stella, I'm so-"

I quickly cut him off. "Don't apologize for who you are Max. I know what Lorenzo meant when he said that if I'm with you, I'm with all of you. I accepted that then, and I accept that now. So, who are we playing politics with."

His mouth dropped. "You want to help with business? Stella, I wouldn't ask you to."

Chuckling I rolled my eyes. "I'm not saying I want to take part in the big stuff. I'm saying that you can talk to me about your family life, what you have to do and if you need to spend the night sweet talking people, then I'm your gall. Complementing people is literally in my job description."

Max didn't say anything, his face showing multiple different emotions. I lifted my hand from his shoulder and rested it on his cheek. "Truth is, if I had a bad feeling from you, I wouldn't have let you bleed over my couch. I won't have you tear yourself apart for your family and me. You're a good man, don't think anything less. You are worth me knowing."

A moment passed where he and I only swayed to the music, his body against mine perfectly.

After a couple twirls around the dance floor Max tensed in his shoulders. "May I ask you something, I hope I don't risk over stepping your boundaries?"

I smiled at the respect this man has. "You may."

His grip on my hip slightly tightened and released telling me he was nervous. "May I kiss you? I don't want to cross a line, I feel us getting closer and thought I'd ask."

Bringing my arm around his neck I tilt my head with a growing smirk. "You want to kiss me?"

Max let out a relieved chuckle, his arm wrapping around my waist. "I do."

I fought against a smile, one battle I quickly lost. "Well, as someone who also feels closer to you then I did a few weeks ago, I would like you to kiss me. But am I going to get a talking to by Anthony for being scandalous from sharing a kiss on a gala's dance floor."

He barked a laugh. "Amour, you stabbed a man with a fork, you're with child and we aren't married, we have passed the scandal line."

I laughed. "Well then I guess my reputation can handle being kissed in public."

Max smiled lightly. "And good thing I don't care about scandal."

Max's hand let go of my waist and went to tilt my chin up, his face slowly moving down to mine giving me a tender kiss.

His lips molded perfectly on mine and I knew I wouldn't be able to kiss him for long before my hormones went crazy and I try to drag him into a bathroom stall.

Max leaned away from me after the kiss started to become a little heated. "This needs to stop before I do something very scandalous.'

I nodded a little out of breath, maybe from the kissing or maybe from holding myself back. "I agree."

Someone cleared their throat behind us, Max and I leaning away from each other letting Max look over my shoulder to the individual. "Yes?"

Romano appeared at my side, his eyes held an amused glint while he leaned down to whisper in my ear. "Open your purse."

I let go of Max to open my purse, Romano stepping closer to drop something in, seeing what it is I start laughing. "That didn't last."

Romano shrugged. "You'll have a full dinner set."

Max looked into the purse rolled his eyes. "Seriously? Champagne glass? You're a child."

"Hey." I close my purse and put my hand on Max's shoulder. "Don't dismiss his coping."

Max gave me a look. "You are just saying that so you get free stuff."

I let out a playful gasp. "The audacity, Romano, do what you got to do to survive the night."

Romano gave a ghost smile and left to either play politics or steal silverware.

Max chuckled after Romano and looked to me. "Lorenzo is right, it's terrifying if we do rub off on you. Now come on thief, let's go play politics with the police commissioner."

Smiling I got out of our dance position, my hand going inside Max's arm who began walking us off the dance floor.

A warmness spread in my chest.

It didn't seem like Max and I were two strangers getting to know each other. Now, we are two people learning the other, knowing how the other will react and working as a team.

And for the first time when thinking about Max and I, there was no feeling of fear of us going off the rails. Rather I had the belief that there can be something between us, something that gives me hope for the future.