Chapter 2

“You’re dead” the boss said, making her pulse race uncontrollably as panic tightened around her chest at the sharp sound of the gun. The air in the narrow hallway felt thicker, heavier and tainted with the metallic scent of blood that still lingered from the toilet.

“Turn around” His deep Italian voice carried a dangerous intensity that slid down her spine like ice.

“Sorry…I’m just an attendant ... .I won’t say a thing, I swear” she repeated quickly in shock. Her fingers fumbled as she adjusted her sleeves trying to hide how badly her hands were trembling. Desperate to escape, she reached for the doorknob but another soft deliberate click of the gun froze her in place.

“Turn around”

The moment her eyes met his, her breath caught. His expression remained unreadably calm, controlled, almost bored which somehow made him more terrifying. He stepped closer and each slow movement forced her back until her shoulders nearly touched the wall. The heat of his body and the sharp scent of his cologne mixed with the smell of blood made her dizzy. She tried to look away but he used the tip of his gun to lift her chin with the cold metal pressing lightly against her skin as he forced her to meet his stare.

“What am I going to do with you?” he asked coldly. His piercing grey eyes made her extremely uncomfortable, like he could see straight through every lie she might try to tell.

After a long tense silence, he finally spoke again.

“Leave. You won’t be lucky next time we cross paths.” The second he released her, Rose stumbled back and ran into the toilet, slamming the door behind her. She braced both hands on the sink panting so hard the fluorescent light above her seemed to flicker. Her reflection looked pale and frightened so she splashed cold water on her face, but it did nothing to slow the violent pounding of her heart.

When she returned to the bar, the noise of laughter and clinking glasses felt distant and unreal, making Kelvin frown the moment he saw her.

“Where have you been?”

“Something came up” she replied, her voice tight. She tied her apron again with unsteady fingers and forced herself to pour the next customer’s order, praying she wouldn’t drop anything else.

After attending to everyone at her section, she rested her forehead against the cool counter and forced herself to breathe in and out slowly, counting each breath the way her therapist had once taught her.

“Please go get four bottles of Negron” Kelvin said.

“Sure” Rose gave him a weak smile and headed toward the storage area, grateful for the temporary escape.

Meanwhile, the boss stood near the entrance of the hallway watching her leave. Her petite frame, dark skin and the way she moved were still shaken but trying to appear composed lingered in his mind longer than they should have. The memory of how she had shivered in front of him made something dark and hungry tighten low in his stomach.

“Sorry… I’m just an attendant. I won’t say a thing.. I swear” Her soft frightened voice replayed in his head, feeding dangerous thoughts he had no interest in controlling.

“She looked innocent” Julian, one of his men said with a teasing smirk, then the deadly glare his boss shot him wiped the smile off his face instantly. “I mean she’s the only person you’ve let slip away.”

“Shut up.”

The quiet threat in his voice was enough to kill a dead man again and immediately Julian went silent.

The body was cleaned and disposed of with practiced efficiency. The boss washed his hands thoroughly under hot water, watching the last traces of red disappear down the drain. He adjusted his cuffs, smoothed his shirt and walked back into the bar with his head held high and shoulders squared as if nothing unusual had happened.

The moment Rose saw him panic slammed into her again. Her hand slipped and the glass cup shattered against the floor with a sharp sound that cut through the music.

Kelvin groaned in frustration. “What is your problem tonight?”

“Sorry…Kelvin…. My hands… uh…”

“Clean it up before the boss gets here”

Rose swallowed hard. She could feel the man’s gaze on her and this time it was heavy, unrelenting, almost physical. It felt like he was studying every nervous movement she made

She quickly walked back to the store to get a brush but instead she knelt to gather the broken pieces, twisting her fingers together afterward in a failed attempt to hide how anxious she felt. Still, he did not look away.

“One shot of Negroni” he ordered when she returned to the counter.

“Okay… okay, sir”

She poured it so quickly that the liquid nearly spilled over the rim. Just as she turned to escape to another customer his voice stopped her cold.

“Where do you think you’re going?” His tone was deeper and thicker now, carrying a quiet authority that made even the red-haired girl beside him stiffen in fear.

“I’ll go to the other side” the girl whispered, now she was left facing him directly. The same man she had watched kill someone without hesitation, the same man who had pressed a gun under her chin only minutes earlier.

“Name”

“Huh!!?" 

“Your name?” 

“Ro… Rose… Rose Keller.”

He chuckled softly at the way she trembled. The low sound made her stomach tighten in a way that had nothing to do with fear alone. His gaze lingered on her mouth then slowly drifted lower for a brief deliberate moment before he slid the glass back toward her.

“Drink it”

“I-I don’t drink sir”

“Drink”

The command left no room for refusal. She picked up the glass with both hands and swallowed the content, the alcohol burned down her throat and a soft involuntary sound escaped her lips.

“First time?”

“Yes… sir”

“Age?”

“Twenty”

"Virgin?" 

“Yes..y.. sir" 

He studied her in silence with his dark eyes which had something unreadable. Then he leaned in slightly close enough that his breath brushed the shell of her ear.

“Next time we cross paths, I won’t let you go” His voice was low, intimate and filthy. “And keep that little cunt untouched It’s mine” With those words, he straightened and walked away with power radiating from every controlled step.

Rose stood frozen in place with palms sweating and her heart slamming violently against her ribs. She whispered a quick shaky prayer under her breath trying to steady herself.

“Avoid him. He’s dangerous” Kelvin noticed her pale face and muttered quietly “And that’s enough Stay focused” before returning to his own side of the counter.

But the man’s words stayed with her long after he disappeared into the crowd. They left her unsettled… and shamefully warm between her thighs. She pressed her legs together and tried to push the feeling away. 

Then it strikes her

She was a devoted Christian woman active in children’s church so fornication was a sin and that man was pure sin

He is a walking demon wrapped in an expensive suit.

The night dragged on with the same blonde girl still making out shamelessly at the far end of the counter that made Rose groan louder than before.

“Stay safe" Kelvin said with a hug before bidding farewell. Outside, the streets were empty, quiet and wet with rain. The cold air did little to clear her head but flashbacks from the night flooded her mind as she walked down the street. The blood, the gun, his voice, the way he had looked at her all made her wonder what would have happened if she hadn’t had that panic attack. Her thoughts drifted to Isabel hoping she was still awake because the time on her phone read 2:31 a.m.

Then she heard footsteps behind her.

Her heart clenched painfully so she quickened her pace with the sound of her shoes echoing against the wet pavement but in each step the shadow moved closer.

Before

she could react, a strong hand grabbed her arm and pulled her into the darkness of a narrow alley.

“Amore.”