Page 32 of The Dante
And that meant the game had officially begun.
Titus felt the shift before he heard the voice, instinct sharpening like the edge of a blade. Apresence approached—deliberate, unhurried—pressing in at the edges of his awareness, the air around him charged with something just beneath the surface. Something he recognized all toowell.
“Dante.” The voice came smooth, polished, laced with the kind of condescension that made Titus’s muscles tense beneath the surface. He turned, already knowing who he wouldfind.
Alistair Vex stood before him, his expression one of casual amusement, his posture relaxed, but Titus saw the cracks beneath the surface. The tightness at the edges of his mouth, the slight narrowing of his gaze, the way his fingers flexed before settling into a loose fist at his side—telltale signs of a mantrying to mask irritation. He hadn’t expected Jazz to brush him off so cleanly. Hadn’t anticipated her walking away unscathed, untethered. And that, more than anything, was eating athim.
Titus didn’t smile, but he inclined his head slightly, adeliberate pause stretching between them. It wasn’t submission, wasn’t deference—it was an acknowledgment of the game being played, the unspoken rules they both understood. “Senator.”
Vex took his time surveying the room, as if they were merely two men sharing the same rarified air, his words precise, polished to a fine edge before leaving his mouth. “You’ve done well for yourself, Dante. Almost like a real businessman.”
Titus felt the words settle, felt the intentional bite behind them, but he didn’t react. Instead, he released a quiet chuckle, taking his time retrieving another glass of whiskey from a passing server. “Coming from you, I’ll take that asa compliment.”
Vex’s smile stretched, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Take it however you like.”
Then—he dismissed Jazz entirely, with the effortless arrogance of a man who had spent a lifetime reducing others to afterthoughts. The flick of his gaze barely lingered before sliding away, as if she had already ceased to exist in the space between them, as if her presence held no consequence. It was a performance as much as a slight, one meant for Titus as much as it was for her—a move meant to provoke.
“Go powder your nose like a good little wife.”
Titus didn’t move. Didn’t react. Not outwardly. His fingers tightened briefly around his crystal tumbler, the sensation holding him in place when every instinct demanded he strike. Aslow breath filled his lungs, forcing the heat burning in his chest to settle. This wasn’t the time. Not yet. But beneath his skin, beneath the carefully honed restraint, something primal, something dangerously close to violence, blazed hot and darkinsidehim.
Vex was testing him. Gauging how much of the leash Titus would tolerate.
So he played along. He let Vex think he’d won this round, let him revel in that illusion, knowing full well that illusion wouldn’t last. Titus was patient. He understood that supremacy wasn’t about who threw the first punch—it was about who ruled the board, who dictated the next move before the other even saw it coming. And right now, Vex believed he was holding the reins.
Let him.
He allowed the moment to settle, let the substance of it stretch between them, then—his lips curved in something just shy of amusement. Aslow, scheming curve of his lips as he turned slightly, reaching out to skim his fingers along Jazz’s waist.
“Go on, sweetheart,” he murmured, his voice low, smooth. “Wouldn’t want you bored with all this business talk.”
His hand lingered a moment longer than necessary, not in dismissal, but in reassurance. Amessage onlyJazz wouldfeel.
Then, he looked back at Vex, his expression cool, unwavering. Vex’s jaw tightened ever so slightly, the flicker of something unreadable passing through his eyes before he forced a smile, all teeth and no warmth. Titus saw it for what it was—aman swallowing his frustration, masking the irritation that lurked beneath his carefully composed exterior.
“Now, Senator, was there something you actually needed, or did you just come to admire my wife?”
Chapter 8
VEX TILTEDhis head slightly, his gaze tightening as though stripping away all pretense, his voice deceptively mild but laced with quiet command. “Perhaps we should continue this conversation outside, Titus. There’s something delicate I’d prefer the other guests not overhear.”
Titus hesitated briefly, every instinct in him on high alert, but nodded curtly. He followed Vex out onto the hotel’s terrace, his steps leisurely, heartbeat steady, apracticed calm despite the adrenaline that surged through him. The night air was crisp, astrong contrast to the heated tension swirling in his veins. He moved to the balustrade and grippedthe cool marble railing, his knuckles whitening with the pressure.
Vex joined him. “Magnificent turnout tonight,” he said smoothly, deliberately positioning them both in clear view of the ballroom guests behind the glass doors.
He knew exactly what he was doing—making sure everyone inside saw them as allies, business partners even. Vex thrived on perception and appearances, fully aware the city’s most influential people would interpret their conversation as a friendly alliance, lending Titus’s credibility to his own carefully maintained image of legitimacy.
Vex’s eyes glittered coldly in the city’s reflected lights. “Dallas’s elite, all ready to write generous checks. Iappreciate your generosity—your presence here lends legitimacy.”
Titus forced a neutral tone, though it grated harshly against his throat. He despised playing along, even briefly, with Vex’s manipulations, but it was a necessary evil. Every carefully chosen word he spoke now serveda greater purpose. “Your reputation for charity is well-known, Senator. Congratulations.” He eased his grip on the railing slightly, forcing his posture into one of casual indifference despite the relentlessness growing inside him. “Besides, it’s a good cause,” he added smoothly, his voice betraying none of the storm raging within.
Vex chuckled quietly, his voice dropping an octave, losing its warmth. “Imagine how quickly their eagerness would fade if they knew the truth about you—if they realized the empire you’ve built is drenched in blood and dirty cash.”
The carefully veiled threat sliced through Titus’s composure. He stiffened visibly, his jaw tightening, aflash of genuine anger flickering in his eyes before he could mask it. He intentionally allowed Vex to see the reaction, knowing the senator fed off weakness like a predator scented blood. It twisted in Titus’s gut, asickening feeling. He despised revealing even a hint of vulnerability—pretend or otherwise—to a man as ruthless and schemingas AlisterVex.
“Get to your point,” Titus snapped.
The senator leaned in closer, adangerous glitter in his eyes. “Here’s the arrangement. I’ve secured the approvals for the casino expansions—luxury hotels, upscale resorts. Everything above board, naturally. But underneath...” His gaze flicked toward Titus, cold and piercing. “You handle my elite clientele. Launder their cash, run their private gambling, keep every bribe invisible. Your specialty.”
