Chapter One: The Bargain

Lucien.

''Hand me the gun,'' I commanded, my voice wrapped with steel and impatience.

Dominic, my right hand man who stood beside me, pressed the cold metal into my palms without a word. I, Lucien Alexander Cross, was never one known to forgive in the whole of Velmoor and Mateo, he crossed the line.

I pressed the metal to his head, his eyes filled with fear while his body shook vigorously, blood and sweat trickling down his forehead.

The empty warehouse smelled like rust and regret. A place I had specifically chosen myself to end everyone who crossed the line and today, it was Mateo's turn. The walls were concrete, stained. The kind of walls that had seen things and would never tell.

Mateo Alvarez sat in the midst of it all, tied to a metal chair and his wrists tied behind his back. His head hung low, chin nearly touching his chest. I wanted him to feel every second of what was coming.

I hated when people dared me or crossed the line.

Mateo had borrowed eighty million promising to pay back in six months. He had signed the loan contract with Dominic, eager to save his business. And now, eighteen months had passed and he hadn't transferred a single coin back.

I pulled the gun away from his head, analyzing him. There was no need to rush his death, I wanted him to feel every second of pain before he would finally succumb to his fate.

I was many things and patience was one of them when it served me.

Dominic stood by my left, arms folded across his chest and face carved into stone as always. The scar that cut through his left eyebrow visible, making him look scarier. His job here tonight was simple, he would dispose whatever was left of Mateo when I was done.

He was the only one I trusted whenever it came to jobs like this.

''Mateo,'' my voice ice cold as I called out his name.

It sounded final. Like someone already dead.

His head snapped up immediately, his eyes bloodshot, glassy with pain and fear.

He let out a sound, ''Lucien-

''Mr.Cross.'' I corrected him, taking two steps further towards him.

I watched something inside him collapse. That was one thing about men like him, they were bold when comfortable, bold when spending borrowed money. But strip all that away and tie them to a chair and you would find out very quickly what they were actually made of.

''You lost the right to my first name the moment you decided my money was yours to keep.'' I said.

His jaw tightened. ''I was going to pay it back after..”

I cut his sentence short, ''You have been saying that for the past months.''

His lips parted but he said nothing.

''Eighteen months.'' My voice was quieter now. ''Eighty million, my money. Sitting in whatever hole you crawled into while you ignored every call of mine, every message, every warning.

''Do you know what I do to men who ignore my warnings.''

''Mr. Cross please.....,'' his voice cracked, unshed tears filling his eyes. ''Just give me-

''Your time is up, Mateo.''

I lifted the metal again and Mateo's eyes followed my every move.

''Please.'' His voice cracked on the word.

''Please Lucien, I have a family, I have-

His words caught in his throat when I pulled the trigger.

''I don't care about your family.'' I said simply.

There was no cruelty in my tone. It was simply the truth and I had long ago learnt that truth needed no decoration.

''I care about what you owe me. And since you don't have it-''. I pressed the metal on his throat, forcing his head upwards so his gaze would meet mine.

''I would take the only thing you have.''

''Wait-,'' the sound tore out of him in a panic, his whole body shaking with fear.

''Wait. Wait, please. I have something.....someone. I could....I... uh...I could offer. Just give me thirty seconds.''

I was getting impatient already but also a part of me wanted to know what he could offer in exchange for eighty million dollars. He had nothing at the moment.

''Twenty,'' I looked at him.

I did not lower the gun, neither did I pull the trigger.

He was already speaking before I finished the word.

''My niece.'' He gasped out.

My brows shot up but he continued.

''She's twenty-three. She's.....she's educated, she can cook, clean...she...'' he kept trying to catch his breath.

''You are offering me a person,'' I said slowly. ''To cover eighty million?"

''She's not just anyone.'' His desperation evident in his voice. ''She's beautiful, smart. She could work for you, live with you.....whatever you want.''

My gun was still raised while he continued, his words tumbling. ''I'll sign anything. I'll put it into writing. Just please.....don't kill me.'' He pleaded.

I studied him for a long moment. The trembling in his shoulders, the blood on his face. The way his eyes kept darting from the gun in my hand, my face and over to Dominic, searching for something to hold onto.

I felt nothing for him.

That was not cruelty, that was how I was built. Mateo had borrowed money from a man who did not lend without expectation. He ignored the clock, the warnings.

And now, at the very last second, he was throwing a twenty-three year old at my feet like a bargaining chip. Not because she mattered to him but because he didn't want to die.

''Tell me about her,'' I settled on the chair opposite him.

Mateo exhaled so hard it rattled in his chest. ''Her name is Amelia. Amelia Nightshade. She's my late brothers daughter and has been living with us since she was young. She's well kept, she's...''

''Does she know you are doing this?''

He hesitated for a fraction.

''Does she know?'' I repeated, ''that you are sitting here, offering her to a killer in exchange for your life.''

''I'll convince her.'' he said quickly. ''she will agree. I will make her agree.''

I turned to Dominic and he had the same expression as mine.

'''Bring her to me.'' I said simply, like we were talking about the weather instead of a human. ''In forty-eight hours. If I find her satisfactory, we negotiate. And if I don't..'' I tilted the gun slightly.

''I will find you again, Mateo. I will not give you a chair and I will not give you twenty seconds.''

Mateo nodded so fast it looked involuntary. ''Yes. Yes, I'll bring her in forty-eight hours.''

Dominic spoke for the first time since we entered the warehouse. ''And if you run,'' his voice low, making sure he passed his threat. ''there is no country that will be far enough.''

Mateo's whole body went still.

I stood up, the screeching sound of the chair filling us in and handed the gun back to Dominic before making my way out. I halted when I was two steps away from the door and without turning back my voice came again. ''You have forty-eight hours.''

I pushed through the door and stepped out into the night. The cold air hit my face, clean and sharp. Dominic appeared a few minutes after untying the victim, letting him stick to his promise and as quiet as always he whispered from behind my shoulders.

''You think he'll bring her.''

''He will.'' I said, moving towards the car. ''He's more afraid of dying than anything else.''

Dominic was quiet for a moment before he spoke again. ''And if she's nothing?''

I pulled the car door open, ''then his debt is still unpaid.

I knew why Dominic was optimistic. I was already engaged to Stephanie Russo.

A fixture more of arrangement and desire, a name tied through Mafia alliances. She was a beautiful woman, a very dangerous one too and at the end of the year as expected, she would become my wife.

I wasn't sure she needed to know about tonight.

Amelia Nightshade was likely nothing. Mateo would look for another way to repay his debt or lose his life, that I knew.

But still yet, I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone.

Amelia Nigtshade. I typed into the search bar.

The blank screen stared back at me, no digital footprint. No social media, No public profile.

Nothing.

I hadn't expected that.

The car moved through the city of Velmoor as I looked out the window and for the first time I found myself wondering about someone I hadn't met yet.

Forty-eight hours.

I would know everything I needed to in forty-eight hours.

Or so I thought.