Chapter 7

JULLIAN

“Get dressed.”

I blinked, looking up from the notes spread across the small desk in my room. “I am dressed.”

Dante stood by the door, leaning against the frame like he owned the space, which, technically, he did.

“Not for where we’re going.”

“And where is that?”

“Around.”

I frowned. “Around… where?”

“The neighborhood,” he answered absent-mindedly.

I stared at him for a second, trying to figure out if this was another one of his vague tests.

“You’re taking me on a tour?”

“Yeah. What does it look like? I’m making sure you don’t get lost.”

“I can use G****e Maps.”

His lips twitched faintly, but it wasn’t quite a smile.

“I know.” he paused “But you’re still coming with me.”

There it was again, that calm and certain tone. Like arguing wouldn’t change anything.

I exhaled, pushing back my chair. “Give me five minutes.”

“I’ll give you three.”

What is this? The military?

The neighborhood looked… normal, too normal to be honest. There were clean streets, quiet buildings, and cars parked neatly along the sidewalks,  There was no urgency in the estate. It should have felt safe, but it didn’t. The quietness felt unnatural. But maybe I was being paranoid, knowing the kind of person Dante was, I don’t think I blame myself.

I shoved my hands into my pockets as we walked, glancing around casually.

“You feel it, don’t you?” Dante said.

I stiffened slightly. “Feel what?”

“That something’s off. It’s not the usual busy neighborhood”

I looked at him but I didn’t answer. Because I wasn’t sure.

We walked in silence for a bit longer, the sound of our footsteps echoing faintly against the pavement.

“Nothing happens here without someone knowing,” he continued

“That’s supposed to make me feel better?”

“It’s supposed to make you aware.”

I let out a quiet breath. “Don’t you ever have normal conversations like a regular adult?”

“No.”

At least he was honest. I let out a scoff and continued walking.

We stopped in front of a small café tucked between two buildings.

It didn’t look like much from the outside. Just glass windows, a simple sign, and a few people seated inside.

“Coffee,” Dante said, already pushing the door open and I followed him in.

The smell hit me immediately, it was rich, warm, grounding. It was the first thing that felt normal since I got here.

We ordered without much discussion. He didn’t ask what I wanted. Just told the barista, and somehow, what ended up in my hand wasn’t bad.

We sat across from each other near the window. Even though none of us spoke for a moment, the silence wasn’t awkward. We just took sips from our cups in silence.

“So,” I started, wrapping my hands around the cup, “is this part of the lesson too?”

“What lesson?” he asked me

“I thought we were doing this thing where you take me around and lecture me about your neighbourhood”

“If that’s what you think it is. Then yes” he answered.

We were silent for another moment before I couldn’t resist the urge to ask any questions. “How long have you lived here?” I asked

“Why?” he replied to me with a question, as if he didn’t have the right to know.

“It’s just that, you left him to God knows where and now you’re taking me in, in this weird ass creepy neighborhood” I waved my hands in the air.

“You don’t like not knowing things,” he said matter-of-factly

“I like knowing what I’m walking into,” I corrected.

“There is nothing wrong in not knowing. What will you do?”

“I’ll figure it out.”

His eyes sharpened slightly, like he was weighing that answer. “You’re confident, but it’s safer not to know”

I leaned back slightly. “What do you think I am, then?”

He hesitated before he spoke “Unprepared.” The word landed heavier than I expected.

I let out a quiet scoff. “You don’t even know what I’m capable of.”

“No,” he agreed. “But I know what you haven’t seen.”

Something about that made my grip on the cup tighten slightly.

“And what haven’t I seen?”

He held my gaze when he answered “Reality.”

I opened my mouth to respond….

“Dante Martinez.”

The voice cut in smoothly and I turned.

A man stood a few feet from our table, dressed just as sharply as Dante, though there was something different about him. He didn’t look as dark as Dante did. But his eyes were sharp.

Dante didn’t react immediately. Just took a slow sip of his coffee before setting it down.

“Enzo,” he said finally.

So they knew each other.

“Didn’t expect to see you here,” the man- Enzo, continued, his gaze flicking briefly to me before returning to Dante. “You’ve been… hard to find.”

“I wasn’t aware I was hiding.”

Enzo smiled slightly. “You always are.”

There was something in that exchange I didn’t understand. Or were they speaking like that because I was there? His attention shifted back to me.

“And who’s this?”

I felt the subtle shift in the air but I ignored it. Dante didn’t answer right away.

“He’s with me,” he said instead.

Enzo’s smile didn’t fade, but his eyes sharpened slightly. “That obvious, huh?”

Dante didn’t respond. I set my cup down slowly. “Julian.”

Both of them looked at me. “Julian Hale,” I added.

Enzo nodded once, like he was filing the name away for later.

“A pleasure.”

“How do you know Dante?” I asked before I could stop myself.

Dante’s gaze flicked to me briefly, sending me a warning look.

Enzo chuckled softly. “That’s a long story.”

“I have time.”

“Julian,” Dante said quietly. He only mentioned my name but it was enough. I leaned back slightly, holding his gaze for a second before looking away. Fine. Message received.

Enzo seemed amused by the exchange.

“He’s got a mouth,” he said to Dante

“He does,” Dante replied.

“Are you going to do something about it?”

Dante didn’t respond.

Enzo straightened slightly. “We should catch up sometime.”

“Maybe.”

“That means no?” he asked

Dante didn’t deny it.

Enzo smiled again, like he expected nothing less.

“Good seeing you, Dante.” His gaze flicked to me one last time. “Julian.”

Then he walked away.

I watched him leave, something unsettled curling in my chest.

“That was… weird,” I said.

Dante didn’t respond immediately, he just picked up his coffee again like nothing had happened.

“Get used to it.”

I frowned. “Who was he?”

“Someone you don’t need to worry about,” he answered briefly

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“It answers enough.”

I leaned forward slightly. “You don’t get to decide what’s enough for me.”

His eyes lifted to mine.

“And you don’t get to ask questions you’re not ready to hear the answers to.”

We sat there in silence. This whole period didn’t look like it was going to work out. Dante and I would always be on each other’s necks.

He didn’t bother looking away. Neither did I.

Then, just as quickly as it came, it was gone.

Dante stood. “We’re leaving.”

I exhaled slowly, pushing back my chair.

He was just too strange for me. I was already rethinking my decision to stay with him anyway, even if it meant forfeiting my internship. Dad could get me another one anyway.