Page 98 of Their Reckless Thief
I nodded and started fussing with the slit of my dress. Of course, it wouldn’t be easy. Nothing in The Below ever was. I glanced over at the other people seated in the VIP section and wondered if I should worry for their safety if things went south.
Before I could say anything more, Dorian leaned in closer, his breath warm against my ear. “Don’t worry, love. If something goes wrong, we’ll handle it. Vincenzo doesn’t lose. Ever.”
I glanced over at Vincenzo, who was still sitting in silence, his eyes dark and calculating. He was like a coiled snake, ready to strike when the time was right.
Finally, our mystery man walked in. He was tall, broad-shouldered, with a predatory gleam in his eye that reminded me of a wolf sizing up its prey. His entourage followed behind him, equally dangerous. The tension in the room immediately spiked.
This was it. The moment we’d been waiting for.
Vincenzo stood, his expression unreadable, and I followed suit, my heart pounding in my chest.
This would either go very well, or very,verywrong.
Vincenzo had barely shifted his gaze when the man was at the foot of the stairs.
Dorian leaned over to me. “That’s Ciro Rossi, the Wraith Lord. He governs the realm of spirits, ghosts, and other undead creatures, trafficking their services for espionage, hauntings, or dark rituals.”
His reputation preceded him—dangerous, ruthless, with ties to the black-market vault we needed access to. He wore a perfectly tailored suit, but there was a roughness about him. His eyes were the color of wet cement, cold and unyielding, and his smirk sent an uneasy shudder down my spine. His entourage radiated the kind of energy that screamed danger.
As Ciro and his men ascended the stairs to our VIP section, the guys moved closer to me and Vivian. Dorian, who had been all relaxed charm earlier, was now alert, his gaze sharp. Luca, ever the shadow, was already in place, eyes cold and unreadable as usual. Vincenzo’s presence grew heavier, darker, like a storm about to break.
Ciro’s eyes scanned the room before settling on Vivian and me. His smirk widened into something almost wolfish as he approached. His steps were slow and deliberate, like a man who already believed the game was his to win.
“Ah, Vincenzo,” Ciro said, his smooth voice dripping with false pleasantries. “I see you’ve brought the finest company tonight.”
I stiffened, every muscle tensing. The way he was looking at us, like we were something on a menu, made my skin crawl. I forced a smile, ready to deal with whatever sleazy comment would come next.
Ciro’s gaze didn’t leave Vivian as he added, “Would you do me the honor of letting me buy the lady a drink?”
Vincenzo’s eyes narrowed. “Watch yourself, Rossi.”
He shrugged and turned his attention to me, a wicked gleam in his eye. “Unless, of course, you lend out yourwhoreto others.” He nodded in my direction. “In that case, I could make it worth your while.”
My pulse spiked. The air in the room changed so fast, the tension snapping like a taut wire. The tension snapped like a taut wire. Before I could open my mouth to spit venom at Ciro, Vincenzo was already making a move.
The force of his presence was enough to silence everything else around us. He grabbed my waist, pulling me against him. His grip was possessive, bordering on punishing. I could feel his rage emanating off him.
“You seem to have forgotten yourself, Rossi.” Vincenzo’s voice was dangerously calm, though the edge in his tone could cut glass. “No one touches her. No one speaks to her without my permission. If you value your life, you won’t make that mistake again.”
Ciro raised an eyebrow. The smirk never left his face, but the tension between them had become suffocating. I could see the glint of violence in Vincenzo’s eyes, the promise of something darker lurking beneath his calm façade.
“Vincenzo, I don’t fucking need—” I started trying to pull back from his grip, but he held me tighter.
“Don’t,” Vincenzo hissed into my ear, low enough for only me to hear. “This is not up for discussion.”
His hand slid up my back, an unmistakable show of dominance. The message was clear: I belonged to him, and anyone who dared challenge that would meet a very unpleasant end.
“I meant no disrespect,” Ciro said, raising his hands in mock surrender, though his smile said otherwise. “If you’re ever willing to share, though, I’m sure we could make a... profitable arrangement.”
Vincenzo’s hold on me tightened. I knew if I didn’t defuse the situation, it would spiral out of control, and we’d lose any chance of negotiation. I placed my hand on his chest, trying to calm the brewing storm.
Just as I opened my mouth, ready to rip Ciro apart with words, a vision hit me—Vincenzo lunging at Ciro, fists swinging, turning our negotiation into a bloody mess. The aftermath was dark and violent; our deal destroyed in a fit of rage.
The vision faded as quickly as it came, and I snapped back to reality just as Vincenzo stood, his face twisted with fury, and reached to grab me. Before he could pull me to him, I stood and yanked him away from the table and the impending catastrophe.
“What the hell are you doing?” he growled, resisting just enough to make it clear he was barely holding himself back.
Ignoring his glare, I tightened my grip on his arm, dragging him around the corner. “You’re about to ruin everything. If you go back there, you’ll blow this deal and turn it into a war. Is that what you want?”
