Page 180 of Teacher's Pet

My hands curl into fists. "So… undercover work?"

Roman scoffs. "Don’t tell me you can’t act."

His smirk is razor-sharp. "You lied to everyone about you and Ana with a smile on your face. I’m sure you can slip right back into those Antonov shoes and get me the intel I need to make this world a little less dirty."

"So what?" I mutter. "You offer me the job, and that’s it-"

Roman exhales, shaking his head. "You’ll have to meet my boss first."

Something in his tone shifts.

A name surfaces in my mind before he even says it.

Echo.

The faceless name that every person in my family’s world fears.

Roman catches the flicker of recognition on my face and grins.

"Ah," he muses, satisfaction lacing his voice. "So you are aware of who my boss is."

"I’d be a fool not to," I whisper, my voice barely audible over the hum of the party. "Echo is one of the most nefarious thorns in any crime family’s side-"

Roman cuts me off with a knowing smirk. "Then you understand the opportunity I’m giving you is a one-time offer."

His words carry weight, the kind that settles deep in my chest.

"Echo doesn’t take kindly to criminals in his inner circle," he continues. "He’s choosing to trust my judgment, and I’m choosing to trust that your love for Ana is as genuine as it looks."

Then, he holds out his hand.

I stare at it—rough, calloused, steady. A symbol of power. A line drawn in the sand.

"Shake my hand now, Noah," he says, voice even, "and I make all your problems go away."

He pauses, letting the moment settle before adding, "But walk away and you’ll know very soon what the inside of a cell looks like."

The air shifts.

His voice drops lower, just enough to send ice through my veins.

"And Ana becomes my problem… for my wife’s sake."

A slow smirk tugs at his lips. "You’re lucky Eden has taken such a liking to the girl."

My jaw tightens. My pulse hammers.

Roman’s hand remains extended, his words digging in, sinking deep into my mind.

This is it.

A choice. A line.

I exhale sharply. "If I shake your hand now, you ensure Ana’s safety?"

Roman chuckles, shaking his head. "Ensure? No, Noah." His eyes lock onto mine, unrelenting. "You would be ensuring her safety."

A pause.

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