Page 15 of Velvet Chains

I could feel Vincenzo’s gaze on me even without looking at him. In the little time we had spent together I had somewhat gotten used to his mannerisms, so I knew he was smirking.

A promotion was something that was hard to come by in my place of work. My boss was so hard to please that she rarely thought anyone was worthy of getting promoted. I knew that if I let this opportunity slip, I would probably not get another one for years.

“I'll… I'll think about it.” I stuttered. I didn't refuse because I was still stunned by the prospect of getting promoted, and I could tell that Vincenzo had something to say.

“Don't think about it too long. You know how fast a story can get old. We'll talk later darling!” My boss' excited voice filled the air once more before she hung up.

My boss was right, online trends were like shooting stars; they burned bright and were gone just as quickly as they came. If I was going to make anything of this, I had to be fast.

I wanted a promotion desperately, but I also wanted to distance myself from Vincenzo's world. I knew I had some uncomfortable feelings for him, and I was afraid to even try to figure out what those feelings were.

Before I could continue thinking about this, Vincenzo's voice interrupted my thoughts.

“There's only one logical answer, and we both know what it is,” he said.

“Oh, really? And what is that?” I fired back.

“You heard her. This could be a beneficial arrangement for the both of us. I get elected, you get your promotion, it's a win-win.” He said, leaning in closer with each word. His voice was low and magnetic, and it sounded like he was making me an offer I could not refuse.

Vincenzo raised an eyebrow at me, as if waiting for a reply. He was still close to me, close enough that if I moved forward by one inch, we could kiss.

Despite how scared I felt, I knew that I was blushing. After the night we had spent together, this level of proximity to him made me want to spring away. However, the teasing look in his eyes felt like a challenge, and I knew that if I ran away, I would lose.

I was panicking. It felt like I was being drawn further and further into the criminal underworld.

If I was openly known as someone dating Vincenzo, that would follow me when I finally went back home. Vincenzo must have seen something in my eyes because the playful look on his face quickly disappeared, replaced by the steely look I had gotten used to.

“That's what I want. And in return, you get your promotion and safety. It's a fair trade.” His tone was as hard as the look on his face.

His voice and words were tough but I could feel something else. As he spoke, there was something about the way he looked at me, even when he was angry, that pulled me in.

He looked at me like I was the only one in his world. It was an intoxicating look, and I found that if I continued to indulge in it, I would agree to things without thinking them through.

I snapped out of it, and tried to find a way out of this mess. I had to stay safe, and I wanted the promotion. After thinking for a while, I began to see Vincenzo's point. He had told me about the upcoming election, and I realized that my connection to him put me in danger.

“Fine. I'll stay until the election. But I'm not happy about it.” I finally said.

“I wouldn't expect you to be. But you'll see, Isabelle. This arrangement might be more beneficial than you think.” He spoke with a smile, but I scoffed and got up.

With those words, the dynamics of our relationship shifted.

CHAPTER EIGHT

ISABELLE

Icould feel butterflies in my belly, violent butterflies that made me want to hurl. Yet I didn't, I stayed silent as we sat in the cafe. The only sign of the nerves was how I kept moving my hands.

I could not keep still.

I found myself using my fingers to trace the edges of my coffee cup right before I moved on to tracing the patterns on the table before us. The thought of where I was and what I was here to do was enough to send me into a panic attack.

The cafe was beautiful, with warm welcoming tones of orange and brown everywhere in its decor. It was the kind of place one could go to get away from the outside world. Right outside the window, I could see the ocean. The rushing of the waves and the sound of seagulls made for a very pretty picture. The beauty and calmness of our surroundings was in stark contrast to how I felt.

The cafe had limited staff present, just one waitress who manned the register and also worked as a barista. However, the bare bones operation didn't seem out of place here. Instead, it lent to the impression that the cafe was an intimate location.

According to Vincenzo, Elia had chosen the cafe. He was slightly superstitious and the cafe was where he had hidden once when his life was in danger.

The owner of the cafe, a nice old woman, who was either too brave or too naive, had taken him in and helped him. She had hid him from his enemies who were looking to finish the job when he was just a kid.

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