Page 42 of Masked Mafia's Runaway Bride

“The Raven wishes to have lunch with you,” he said, his tone neutral.

I raised an eyebrow. “Lunch? You sure about that?”

“She’s waiting inside.”

The man didn’t offer any more information, and I wasn’t in the mood to ask questions. This could easily be an ambush, but turning it down wasn’t an option. Not if I wanted answers, not when I wanted to get the shipments back.

I got out of the car and followed him toward the entrance, keeping my steps slow and deliberate. My mind was racing, running through every possible scenario. Would she be alone? Armed? Was this a trap?

The interior of the restaurant was elegant but understated. Candlelight flickered on each table, casting soft shadows against the walls. The place was empty, save for one figure sitting in the corner.

She was hard to miss. Dressed entirely in black, she wore a mask that covered her face completely, with detailed designs etchedinto the material. The mask didn’t even reveal her eyes, but it was the voice that threw me.

“Mr. Sergio, I appreciate your punctuality, even though I never got a memo about a meeting,” she said, her voice smooth but mechanical, altered just enough to make it unrecognizable.

I pulled out the chair across from her and sat down, my eyes narrowing. “I aim to please.”

There was a pause before she spoke again. “Pleasing me wasn’t part of the game, but I appreciate the effort.”

I couldn’t help the smirk that tugged at my lips. “Charming. Do you always hide behind masks and voice changers, or am I just lucky?”

Her posture didn’t shift, but I could feel the weight of her gaze through the mask. “Caution isn’t the same as hiding, Mr. Sergio. Surely, a man like you understands that.”

“Caution,” I repeated, leaning back in my chair. “And here I thought this was just lunch.”

“It is,” she said, gesturing toward the empty table. “Though I find conversation far more satisfying than food.”

“Good,” I said. “Because I’m not hungry.”

She tilted her head slightly, and I wondered if I’d hit a nerve. “Then let’s skip the small talk,” she said, her voice steady. “Why are you here?”

I shrugged, keeping my expression neutral. “Curiosity. Plus, you stole my shipment, that wasn’t nice.

“Stole?” she scoffed, “That is such a huge accusation. I hope you have proof to back up your boldness.”

“You’re not exactly subtle, Raven. People talk.”

“People talk about you too, Mr. Sergio. But I doubt you lose sleep over it.”

She had a point, but I wasn’t about to admit it. “Fair enough. So, what’s the real reason you invited me here? If you wanted me dead, I’d be dead. And if you wanted to negotiate, you wouldn’t need all this.” I gestured toward her mask.

“Perhaps I simply enjoy the company,” she said, her tone light but unreadable.

“Do you?” I asked, leaning forward slightly. “Because I can’t tell if you’re flirting or plotting.”

“Maybe both,” she teased without missing a beat.

I chuckled, shaking my head. “You’re something else, you know that?”

“So, they tell me,” she said. “But we’re not here to exchange compliments, are we?”

“No,” I admitted, my tone turning serious. “We’re not. Let’s cut to the chase. What do you want, and is there a world where we come to terms, and you hand over my shipment to me, or do I have to ambush you too?”

She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she leaned back in her chair, her gloved fingers steepling in front of her. The silence stretched, and I forced myself to stay still, to not react.

When she finally spoke, her voice was calm but deliberate. “What I want, Mr. Sergio, is control. The kind of control your father has taken from too many people. The kind of control I’m willing to fight for.”

I didn’t flinch, though her words hit harder than I expected. “And you think you’ll get that by meeting with me or by stealing our shipment?”

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