3. The Deal

Tina sat in the backseat of the sleek, black car, her eyes focused on the city lights rushing past her. The buzz of the engine was the only sound that filled the space, but her mind was far too loud for comfort. She was replaying everything in her head, the confrontation with Nathaniel, Linia's sudden appearance, the finality of her words, It was all over now.

For eight years, she had built her world around Nathaniel, and with a few careless choices on his part, he had destroyed it. Tina grasped her hands into fists in her lap, feeling the heat of anger rise again, but this time, she didn't let it consume her.

The truth was out. It was done. And now, she had to figure out what came next.

Jesse sat next to her, his posture relaxed, his gaze fixed out the window. He hadn't said much after they left the ballroom, and that silence had given her too much space to think. Too much time to reflect on the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside her.

"Are you going to sit there and brood all night?" Jesse asked, breaking the silence. His tone was casual, but there was a hint of curiosity laced in it.

Tina glanced at him, her brows furrowing. "I'm not brooding."

He smirked, turning to face her fully. "Oh, you are. You've got that look the one people wear when they're stuck in their heads, reliving every painful detail."

She let out a small, bitter laugh. "Can you blame me?"

"No," Jesse admitted, leaning back in his seat. "But that doesn't mean you should drown in it."

Tina tilted her head, studying him. Jesse Santos was still a mystery to her. He had swept into her life so unexpectedly, and everything about him seemed contradictory-one minute, he was playful and relaxed, the next, he had an air of danger surrounding him. She hadn't figured him out yet, and that bothered her.

"What about you?" Tina asked. "You've got secrets, too. You can't just walk into someone's life and act like you don't have a past."

Jesse raised a brow, intrigued by her sudden shift. "What makes you think I'm hiding anything?"

Tina crossed her arms, her voice sharp. "Because people like you don't just show up out of nowhere. You're too polished to put it together. It doesn't add up."

Jesse chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "You've got me all figured out, huh?"

"I'm working on it," she shot back, her eyes narrowing.

He leaned closer, his voice lowering slightly. "You'll have to dig deeper if you want to know what makes me tick."

There was something in his tone, something challenging that made Tina's heart skip a beat. She hated the fact that she found him intriguing, but there was no denying it.

Before she could respond, the car slowed down, and Tina glanced out the window. They were pulling up to an impressive building tall, and sleek, with floor-to-ceiling windows that gleamed under the streetlights.

"This is where you live?" Tina asked, surprised by the elegance of the building.

Jesse smirked. "One of my places."

One of his places. Tina tried to wrap her head around that, but it was becoming increasingly clear that Jesse was not who she had originally thought he was. He wasn't some random guy at a party. There was much more to him.

The car came to a stop, and before Tina could ask another question, the driver opened her door. She hesitated for a moment before stepping out, her heels clicking against the pavement as she followed Jesse inside the building.

The lobby was just as impressive as the minimalist exterior but expensive. Tina felt out of place, but Jesse walked through it like he owned the place. Which, she figured, he probably did.

They entered a private elevator, and as the doors slid shut, Tina couldn't help but feel the weight of the silence between them.

"So," Jesse said, breaking the tension as the elevator began to ascend. "You handled that pretty well."

Tina blinked, taken aback. "What do you mean?"

"The whole Nathaniel thing," he clarified. "You didn't break down, didn't cry, didn't slap him. You stayed strong."

Tina scoffed. "I didn't feel strong. I felt... broken."

Jesse turned toward her, his expression softening slightly. "It's okay to feel that way. But you didn't let him see it. That's the important part."

She swallowed, her throat suddenly tight. "I guess."

The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open to reveal Jesse's penthouse. Tina stepped out, her eyes widening as she took in the expansive space, floor-to-ceiling windows with a view of the entire city, sleek furniture, and a modern aesthetic that screamed wealth.

Jesse moved toward the living area, loosening his tie as he went. He glanced over his shoulder at Tina, noticing the way she was looking around.

"Not what you expected?"

Tina shrugged, walking slowly into the room.

"Honestly? I don't know what to expect anymore."

Jesse chuckled, tossing his tie onto the couch. "That's probably for the best."

Tina followed him, but her mind was racing. She needed answers. She couldn't keep dancing around the truth, especially not after the night she'd had.

"Jesse," she began, her voice steady but firm. "Who are you? Really?"

He stopped, turning to face her fully. For a moment, he was quiet, his eyes searching hers as if deciding how much to tell her.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," he finally said, his voice low.

"Try me," Tina replied, crossing her arms.

Jesse's expression darkened slightly, and for the first time, Tina saw a glimpse of something dangerous lurking beneath his calm exterior.

"I'm not just some guy who stumbled into your life, Tina. I'm connected. My family..."

"Your family?" Tina interrupted, her curiosity piqued.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "The Santos name... it carries weight, Power. But it also comes with a price."

Tina furrowed her brows, unsure where this was going. "What kind of price?"

Jesse's eyes locked onto hers, and for the first time, she saw real vulnerability there.

more than just "My family controls businesses. They control everything, such as Politics, money, and crime. If there's something to own in this city, they own it."

Tina's heart skipped a beat. "Crime?"

Jesse nodded, his expression serious. "The Petrov Mafia. That's who we are. That's who I am."

Tina's blood ran cold. The words hung in the air, thick with implication. She had heard of the Petrov family everyone had. They were notorious and feared, and now she was standing in the penthouse of one of their own.

She took a step back, her mind reeling. "You're a mafia?"

Jesse didn't move, his gaze steady on hers. "It's not something I'm proud of. But it's the truth."

Tina felt her stomach drop. She had been trying to piece together who Jesse was, but she never expected this. Her pulse quickened, her breath coming out in shallow bursts as the weight of his words settled over her.

Jesse took a cautious step toward her. "I didn't want to drag you into this, Tina. I wanted to keep you away from all of it."

She shook her head, backing up further. "But you did. You did drag me into this."

His jaw tightened. "I didn't have a choice."

"There's always a choice," Tina shot back, her voice rising.

Jesse's expression hardened, and for a moment, the charming, playful man she had met at the party was gone, replaced by someone much more dangerous.

"No," he said quietly, his voice cold. "Not in my world. In my world, choices are made for my family." 

"Your family?" Tina interrupted, her curiosity piqued.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "The Santos name... it carries weight, Power. But it also comes with a price."

Tina furrowed her brows, unsure where this was going. "What kind of price?"

Jesse's eyes locked onto hers, and for the first time, she saw real vulnerability there.

more than just "My family controls businesses. They control everything, such as Politics, money, and crime. If there's something to own in this city, they own it."

Tina's heart skipped a beat. "Crime?"

Jesse nodded, his expression serious. "The Petrov Mafia. That's who we are. That's who I am."

Tina's blood ran cold. The words hung in the air, thick with implication. She had heard of the Petrov family everyone had. They were notorious and feared, and now she was standing in the penthouse of one of their own.

as he read the message.

"We've got a problem," he muttered, slipping the phone back into his pocket.

Tina frowned. "What kind of problem?"

Jesse's jaw tightened. "Nathaniel. He's making moves. And it's not just about you anymore."

Tina's blood ran cold again. "What do you mean?"

Jesse met her gaze, his eyes hardening. "He's trying to take us down. And he's not working alone."

Tina's heart sank. Just when she thought she had left that chapter of her life behind, Nathaniel was pulling her right back into it.

But this time, the stakes were higher, Much higher.