I hated places like this: loud and noisy, a safe haven for assholes and little brats with a sense of entitlement. I was surrounded by greedy bastards and arrogant teens, with nothing better to do with their lives than party all night long. I never wanted to be here to begin with—this place didn’t offer the kind of darkness that suited me.
However, when it came to business, it didn’t matter what I liked or hated. Business would always come first. I was trained to put the Bratva’s dealings over my own personal interest; it was a sense of loyalty that ran deep in my blood.
Tonight, I wasn’t here for fun. No. There were matters that needed my attention—business-oriented issues that I was here to take care of. As much as I detested the location, these high-profile clients I was meeting with tonight had an excellent reputation for the organization. If I closed this deal with them, which I would, I’d be shifting the Bratva brotherhood to a higher level up the ladder of success.
I sat there, lounging on the leather couch, resplendent in a black suit amidst a number of half-naked women—strippers. The pole dancers seemed to grab every other man’s attention in the VIP area with the way they moved and swayed their hips. The air was charged with the cheers of impressed husbands and fathers looking to have a “good time.” Idiots!
I was no saint, but there were lines I wouldn’t cross—shit I wouldn’t do once married or with a child, let alone children. But then again, this was a place for people I saw as irresponsible.
As these women shook their behinds, dollar bills floated in the air, rained down by those men enchanted by their moves. Jerry, one of the men, reached out and spanked a stripper’s butt before relaxing on his sofa. The young girl giggled, dropped to her knees, and seductively crawled over to him on all fours.
“That’s my little kitty. Meow!” Jerry said, his tone low but ecstatic, eyes watching her approach him.
I glanced at my watch, wondering what was taking my clients so long to arrive. I’d received a message about two minutes ago saying that they were close by. I hated being kept waiting, especially in places like this, but one thing I had in abundance was patience. I’d wait a little longer, at least for the sake of sealing this deal.
A waitress in provocative black-and-white attire that revealed way too much skin—thighs and cleavage—halted before me. “Hello, handsome.” She leaned in, bending over with the tray of drinks balanced in her hand.
Her smile was beautiful but flirty. And as I extended my hand to lift a glass from her tray, my eyes dropped to her exposed breasts before darting back to her face.
“Would you like anything else?” she asked, subtly flashing her titties in front of me, her tone low and sexy. “Maybe, something a little more…sensual?”
Without a word, I picked up the glass and looked away from her, taking a sip of my wine. My gesture was dismissive, a clear indication that I was not at all interested in her or anyone else here. She let out a scoff, her face contorting into a fleeting frown before she vanished.
I stole another glance at my watch, and as I raised my head again, I spotted her in the crowd, her form enveloped by the dazzling lights. Her blue jeans hugged her like a second skin, revealing her shape and curvature as she gracefully weaved through the crowd. She wore a crisp white crop top that exposed her flat and enticing belly.
But that wasn’t the most captivating thing about her, nor was it the way her honey-blonde hair fell in soft waves over her shoulders. No. It was the fire that burned bright in those deep brown eyes of hers. How could someone as innocent as her have such an intense flame blazing in her eyes?
I recognized her at first glance—Alessia Romano, princess of her father’s empire. The girl was gorgeous, and her innocence captured my attention. She was young, most likely naïve—untouched by the reality of life. Yet, for some inexplicable reason, there was a glint of danger in the way she moved, in the way she carried herself.
She was heading toward a nearby bar, disinterested in the pulsating music and the crowd of dancers. At least we had that in common.
My lips curled into a faint, almost imperceptible grin as I watched her from the VIP area. As she moved, her gaze swept across the space as if surveying her surroundings. Intrigued by her indifference toward what girls her age found rather fascinating, I focused on her.
It was almost like she sensed my gaze, and the moment she spotted me in the VIP area, this young girl held my gaze for a moment. But it wasn’t her gaze that vexed me; it was the way she looked at me like I was a nobody, like I was one of those boys chasing after her in college. Rude!
I felt my blood boil at the disdain in her eyes, the condescension and lack of respect dancing in their depths. Did she not recognize me? Or was this her way of telling me she knew exactly who I was and that she hated my guts? Whatever the case, I was displeased—offended.
However, I kept a straight face, wearing my usual unreadable expression despite the annoyance swirling within me.
As soon as she tore her gaze from me and left for the bar, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I hesitated for a moment, my gaze still trailing her as I retrieved the device. My eyes dropped to the phone’s screen, where a message from Yakov, my lieutenant, caught my attention.
My brows furrowed as the message confirmed what I already knew: Dante was lying about the shipment. It turned out that he did have a hand in the disappearance of my merchandise. According to the message, based on Yakov’s findings, Dante had orchestrated the whole thing.
In simple terms, he stole from me.
My jaw clenched, and that instant, I raised my head, my gaze falling on the girl with the fiery eyes. She was seated at the bar, sipping her drink, unaware of the danger that lurked around her. I’d already decided that I was going to take something even more valuable from Dante than my shipment. Now, as I watched his precious daughter blissfully sip her drink, I couldn’t think of anything more valuable than his golden girl.
A deadly smirk tugged at the corners of my lips as I lifted the glass to my mouth, the sweet scent of the red wine filling the air around me.
The girl didn’t know it yet, but I had such great plans for her.
