Chapter 8 - The First Test
|
“I need you to accompany me to a meeting tonight,” Dante said, leaning against the edge of his desk. “It’s a private dinner at the Continental Club. A man named Volkov will be there. He runs the Russian syndicate on the North Side.”
My breath hitched. “You want me to go to a mafia meeting?”
“I want you to sit beside me,” Dante corrected gently. “Volkov thinks I am isolated. He thinks I am solely focused on a pending war at the docks. By bringing a beautiful woman to his table, I am showing him that I am entirely unbothered by his threats. I am showing him confidence.”
“I don’t know how to act in a situation like that,” I whispered, terrified I would ruin whatever delicate power balance he was trying to maintain.
“You act exactly as you are,” Dante said, reaching out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear. His fingers brushed against my skin, sending a jolt of electricity down my spine. “Quiet, observant, and completely unbroken. They will see the steel in you, Emma. Just like I did.”
That evening, I wore a sleek black dress from the closet, paired with a subtle diamond necklace Dante had left on my vanity. When we walked into the private dining room of the Continental Club, the atmosphere instantly froze.
Victor Volkov was a massive, scarred man who looked like he chewed gravel for breakfast. He sat at the head of the table, flanked by heavily armed guards.
When Dante entered with me on his arm, Volkov’s eyes widened in genuine surprise.
“Caruso,” Volkov boomed, his heavy accent filling the room. “I did not expect you to bring a distraction to a business meeting.”
Dante pulled out a chair for me, ignoring the insult entirely. He sat down beside me, exuding a terrifying, effortless calm.
“She is not a distraction, Victor,” Dante said, pouring me a glass of water before pouring his own. “She is a reminder that there are things in this city I value far more than the shipping containers you’ve been trying to smuggle through my ports.”
May you like
Volkov’s eyes shifted to me. He looked at me like a predator assessing a new target. I forced myself not to shrink back. I sat up straight, meeting his gaze with absolute, icy silence.
“A beautiful reminder,” Volkov sneered, leaning forward. “Let us hope she does not become a liability.”
