Page 24 of His Bride

I close my eyes, breathing in his scent - sandalwood and another scent that is uniquely him. “This is perfect,” I say.

We lie in silence for a moment, the only sound our synchronized breathing. I feel safe here, wrapped in his arms. It’s a jarring realization, considering who he is, what he does.

“Dante?” I venture, my voice barely audible.

“Hm?”

“Why are you being so… kind about all this?”

He’s quiet for a beat, then says, “Because you’re mine, Adriana. Your comfort, your happiness - they matter to me.”

His words makes my heart flutter. There’s possessiveness there, yes, but also genuine care. I turn in his arms, facing him in the dim light.

“I’m starting to understand that,” I admit, tracing the line of his jaw with my fingertip.

Dante’s eyes darken, and he captures my hand, pressing a kiss to my palm. The tenderness of the gesture makes my heart skip.

“Goodnight,” I say.

“Goodnight,” Dante responds as he closes his eyes.

Chapter Nine

Dante

I shake my head, trying to clear the lingering thoughts of Adriana,her shy smile this morning, the soft curve of her neck.

Focus.

The warehouse looms before me, a hulking mass of corrugated metal and concrete. The scent of salt air mingles with diesel fumes as I step out of the car, Marco falling into step beside me.

“Let’s make this quick,” I order, striding towards the entrance. The heavy door groans as we push it open, revealing rows of crates of our new drugs stacked floor to ceiling.

My eyes scan the inventory, mentally tallying the numbers. Something’s off. I feel it in my gut before I even finish counting.

“Fuck,” I mutter, running a hand through my hair. “We’re short.”

Marco’s eyebrows knit together. “By how much, boss?”

I do another quick count, frustration building with each passing second. “At least five kilos. Maybe more.”

My fists clench at my sides. This shipment was supposed to be our biggest score yet. A chance to expand our territory, to solidify our power. And now…

“Check the manifests,” I bark at Marco. “I want to know exactly how much we’re missing and where the hell it went.”

As Marco hurries to comply, I pace the length of the warehouse, the wheels in my head turning. Who could have pulled this off? We’ve got eyes and ears everywhere. Nothing moves in this city without my say-so.

Unless…

No. I push the thought away. My men are loyal. They know the consequences of betrayal.

But as I turn back to face the rows of crates, doubt gnaws at me. Someone’s playing a dangerous game. And when I find out who, they’ll learn just how dangerous I can be.

“Boss?” Marco’s voice is hesitant. “The count’s still off.”

“Find out who’s responsible,” I snarl. “Now.”

Marco hesitates, his eyes darting nervously. “It could be the dockers, Boss. Maybe they’re skimming off the top.”

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