Page 11 of Indigo Deception
She wraps herself around his arm, her head tilting back in laughter at something he says. Of course. The notorious playboy with a different woman every night.
I turn away, ignoring the unexpected twist of... something in my chest. Not jealousy. It can't be jealousy. I knew exactly who Angelo Bellanti was when I took this assignment—rich, handsome, with womenfalling at his feet. I've read his file. I've seen the parade of models and socialites who've shared his bed over the years.
So why does the sight of him with another woman bother me at all?
"Pull yourself together, Gianna," I mutter to myself as the taxi speeds through the nearly empty streets. "He's a target, not a prospect."
But as I close my eyes, it's not evidence, or surveillance plans I see. It's green eyes, a genuine smile, and the unexpected revelation that Angelo Bellanti might be more complex than the criminal mastermind I've been sent to bring down.
And that realization is far more dangerous than any attraction could ever be.
5
Angelo
Istareatthereportsin front of me, my jaw tightening.
The Kovacs family has just made its first move, attempting a hostile takeover of Bellanti Pacific Shipping—our key East Asia subsidiary. It's not just an attack—it's a declaration of war.
"You've read through all of this?" I ask Veronica, who sits across from me in my penthouse office.
"Every page," she confirms, her silver-streaked black hair pulled into its usual immaculate bun, her elegant posture perfect as always. "They've been accumulating shares through shell corporations for months. "We caught it because of the algorithm you designed last quarter."
I allow myself a small smile. "At least something's working right."
My phone vibrates against the mahogany desk.
Matteo.
I silence it.
My brother can wait until I figure out how deep this shit goes.
"They've acquired twenty-seven percent," I say, tapping a finger against the spreadsheet. "Not enough for control, but enough to cause problems."
Veronica leans forward, her silk Armani blouse rustling softly. "The Kovacs aren't doing this just to get under your skin, Angelo. They want something."
"They always have." I loosen my tie, irritated. "First it was the distribution routes in Queens. Then it was a seat at the table with our European connections. Now they want our foothold in Asia." I knock back the rest of my scotch, welcoming the burn. "Stefano Kovac has been desperate for a partnership for years."
"Which you've consistently refused," Veronica notes, her dark eyes studying me carefully.
"Because they can't be trusted." I push away from my desk, walking to the window. “And they've just proven me right by trying this bullshit instead of coming to me directly."
Veronica sighs behind me. "There's something else you should know."
When I turn, her expression is grave. She slides another folder across my desk.
"What am I looking at?" I ask, flipping it open.
"Chinese regulatory changes affecting our Hong Kong operations. They're implementing new transparency requirements for foreign-owned businesses."
I skim the documents, my mind already calculating implications. For most companies, this would be a minor inconvenience. For us, with our elaborate web of laundered funds flowing through these channels, it's potentially catastrophic.
"Fuck." The Chinese government has unknowingly created the perfect storm—tightening regulations just as the Kovacs make their move.
Veronica watches me. "We need to restructure our Hong Kong holdings immediately to protect our assets."
I snap the folder shut. "How much time do we have?"
