Chapter 1 - The Dragon's Command
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Both hands. Fingers opening and closing, reaching for me with an urgency that defied logic.
Dante Rosselli froze. The two massive bodyguards behind him tensed immediately, their hands instinctively moving toward the inside of their tailored jackets. The entire dining room of Aurelia seemed to hold its collective breath. You could hear the clinking of ice in a glass three tables away, but no one dared to speak.
"He doesn't do that," Dante said. His voice was a low, gravelly rumble that seemed to vibrate through the polished hardwood floorboards. "He doesn't reach for anyone. Not even his nurses. Not even my own men."
I stood there, paralyzed, clutching my server notepad against my chest like a shield. My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird. "I... I can step back, sir," I stammered, taking a slow, cautious step away from the table.
But the baby, Leo, let out a sharp, demanding cry. He twisted harder against Dante’s chest, his tiny arms stretching out toward me, his serious gray eyes now wide and pleading.
"Don't move," Dante commanded. It wasn't a request; it was a directive from a man who owned the city and everyone in it. He looked at me, his dark eyes narrowing as they scanned my face, my cheap uniform, my nervously trembling hands. "Hold out your arms."
"Sir, I'm working. Mr. Carrillo will fire me if I—"
"I own Mr. Carrillo," Dante interrupted smoothly, not breaking eye contact. "Hold out your arms, Alina."
I swallowed hard, my throat dry as dust, and slowly extended my trembling arms. Dante carefully transferred the boy into my embrace. The moment Leo’s chest pressed against mine, he stopped crying instantly. He buried his small face into the crook of my neck, his tiny fist grabbing a handful of my apron. He let out a soft, contented sigh.
May you like
Dante stared at us, a muscle feathering in his sharp jaw. The dragon tattoo on his neck seemed to shift under the amber restaurant lighting.
"Who exactly are you?" Dante whispered, his eyes filled with a terrifying, calculated suspicion.
