Page 10 of Lord of the Dark

Russo shattered the pretense with a look that cut straight through me. "I think we both already know," he said quietly, his voice soft yet edged. "You’re not the kind who shatters easily."

I paused briefly before fixing him with a defiant stare. "And what gives you the thrill in all of this? What’s it really about?"

A crooked smile spread across his face, and for a moment, it seemed as if he were considering my question. "I suppose it’s the hunt for what can’t be easily grasped," he finally answered, his tone turning more contemplative.

"The hunt?" I held his gaze, feeling a faint tingling at the nape of my neck. "And once you have it, what then? Does it get boring?"

Russo leaned slightly forward, as if trying to pull me closer with his gaze alone. "It only gets boring when the goal is too easy to reach." His look was challenging, as if deliberately provoking me. "But I have a feeling you’re not the type to be caught so easily."

"Maybe it’s not the goals that are hard to reach, but the question of whether they’re worth being hunted in the first place."

"You’re right about that," he replied, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "But easy things were never what tempted me."

"Then perhaps you should reconsider your hunt. Not everything that’s hard to grasp is worth it in the end."

"And yet, it’s precisely that uncertainty that makes it thrilling. The moment when you still don’t know whether it’ll succeedor not." His gaze pinned me with an intensity that left me immobile.

I felt my heart skip a beat. Russo knew exactly how to challenge me. The tension between us was palpable, the air in the room thickening as if each word added another layer. It infuriated me how effortlessly he invaded my world, as if he’d always known how to spot the cracks in my façade. But before I could seize the chance to respond, he abruptly shifted direction.

"How about coffee?" he asked finally, his voice so calm and casual, as if he’d just made the most mundane suggestion. "Perfectly harmless."

I blinked, startled by the sudden change of topic. "Perfectly harmless coffee?" I repeated, a trace of irony seeping into my voice. "It almost sounds like you need to convince me."

He smiled faintly—a dangerous smile that told me nothing about his offer was harmless.

"Ms. Robertson," he said, "it’s just coffee. Nothing more."

But we both knew it had long since been about more than that.

I gave a slight shake of my head, a thin-lipped smile playing on my lips. "You really should try harder if you want to seem harmless."

"Maybe I don’t want to. Being harmless isn’t exactly my strength." He shrugged indifferently.

"I’ve noticed." My words were dry, but the unspoken attraction between us grew heavier.

"And yet," he continued, "coffee might be exactly what you need right now. A moment to… relax."

I crossed my arms over my chest, as if bracing myself against him. "Relax? Do you really think you could make me relax?"

His smile deepened. "Probably not in the way you’re used to."

A laugh escaped me—dry and sharp—before I could suppress it. "Remarkable that a busy lawyer like you suddenly has time for such a spontaneous coffee break. I appreciate the invitation,but my afternoon is already packed with appointments," I lied, unwilling to fall into his trap.

"For the things that truly matter, one always finds time." Then he pulled out his phone and dialed a number without breaking eye contact. "Move the next two meetings to Tuesday… yes, that works. I’ll be needing a little more time here. Thanks."

Had he really just cleared his afternoon—for me?

A pulse shot through me. He had actually rescheduled appointments without batting an eye. For me. Or rather, for the coffee that had suddenly taken on so much more significance.

"I don’t know whether to be impressed or concerned."

He pocketed his phone and gave me a smile that spoke louder than any words. "Perhaps both."

I took a deep breath, wrestling internally with the decision of whether I should really play along with his game. Part of me wanted to refuse, to stand up and make it clear I had no time for such games. But another part—one I didn’t fully understand yet—was fascinated by his audacity.

"What do you expect now?" I finally asked, locking eyes with him. "That I’ll just agree? That I’ll drop everything for a coffee?"

"Exactly that." He straightened up, a smirk playing on his lips as if he were already certain of his victory.

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