Page 76 of His

I gave him a small smile, careful to keep my tone neutral. “I’m here, aren’t I?”

He nodded, looking pleased. “Yes, you are. And I appreciate that. But you know… trust is a fragile thing in our world. I need to know that you’re serious about this.”

“I am,” I replied, my voice steady. “But I want something in return.”

Raffaele chuckled. “Always the negotiator. What do you want?”

I took a step closer, lowering my voice just enough to make him lean in. “I want to know who’s really running things on your side,” I said softly. “I want to know who you’re working with.”

His smile faltered for just a moment, a flicker of suspicion crossing his face. “Why would you need to know that?”

“Because if I’m going to put my neck on the line, I need to know it’s worth it,” I replied smoothly. “I’m not here to play games, Raffaele. If you want my loyalty, I need assurances.”

He studied me for a moment, his gaze sharp. “And if I refuse?”

I shrugged, keeping my expression calm. “Then maybe I rethink our little arrangement.”

Raffaele’s eyes narrowed, and I could see the gears turning in his head. He was trying to figure me out, trying to decide if I was bluffing. But I could see he was intrigued—curious, even.

Which was exactly where I wanted him.

After a long moment, he gave me a small nod. “Alright, Sofia,” he said slowly. “I’ll give you some of what you want. But first, I want to see this shipment disappear. Then we’ll talk.”

I nodded, keeping my expression neutral. “Deal.”

Raffaele turned away, barking orders, his voice confident, commanding. I watched as his men moved into position around the warehouse, preparing to intercept the shipment. I forced myself to stay calm, to keep my expression neutral, even though my heart was pounding in my chest. Raffaele needed to believe everything was going smoothly.

I could see the headlights of the truck carrying the shipment approaching in the distance, its engine a low rumble that grew louder as it drew closer. Raffaele’s men tensed, ready to move the moment it arrived. I stood near the center of the warehouse, feeling the weight of Raffaele’s gaze on me as he waited for his prize.

As the truck pulled up to the loading dock, I squared my shoulders, ready to do my part. The truck came to a halt, and the driver—a burly man with a grizzled beard and a hard, suspicious gaze—stepped out, his eyes narrowing as they landed on me. He seemed surprised to see me, but he approached slowly, his posture tense.

“Where’s Massimo?” the driver demanded, his voice gruff. “He was supposed to be here.”

I offered a tight-lipped smile, doing my best to appear confident and in control. “Massimo couldn’t make it,” I lied smoothly. “He sent me in his place.”

The driver’s eyes narrowed further, suspicion clear in his expression. “And why should I believe that?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

I took a step closer, keeping my voice steady. “Because he trusts me,” I replied firmly. “And because he knows I’m the best person to handle this. Look, we don’t have time to argue about this. The longer we stand here, the more we risk drawing attention.”

The driver hesitated, glancing back at the truck and then over at Raffaele’s men, who were waiting for his signal. I could see the uncertainty flickering in his eyes, the doubt, but I knew I had to push him just a little further.

“Massimo’s got a lot on his plate right now,” I continued, leaning in slightly as if to share a secret. “He couldn’t be here tonight, but he needs this shipment to go smoothly. You know what will happen if it doesn’t.”

The driver’s jaw clenched, and he glanced around once more before finally nodding. “Fine,” he muttered, clearly still unconvinced but not willing to risk it. “But if you’re lying to me…”

“I’m not,” I interrupted, keeping my tone firm. “Now, let’s get this done before we have any more eyes on us.”

He hesitated for a moment longer, then turned and moved to the back of the truck, yanking open the heavy doors. Inside, the crates were stacked neatly, and I nodded to Raffaele’s men to begin unloading them. The driver watched them closely, still on edge, but he didn’t object.

When I looked over my shoulder, I saw that Raffaele seemed pleased, and that was exactly what I needed from him. I could see the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he watched his men work.

He believed everything was going according to plan.

He had no idea what was really happening behind the scenes.

The last of the crates were unloaded, and the driver gave me a final wary look before closing the truck’s back doors. “This better be for Massimo’s sake,” he grumbled.

I nodded, maintaining my calm façade. “It is,” I assured him. “You’ve done your part. Now, let me do mine.”

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