Ace POV:

As I lay there, the mix of annoyance and irritation swirling somewhere behind my eyes, Aiden’s relentless assault on the sole of my foot continued with the dedicated persistence of someone who had genuinely nothing better to do with his life.

I am going to pull off his nails and throw him into an ocean filled with snakes.

Not venomous snakes.

No.Venom kills too fast.

Justlong, slimy constrictorsbrushing against his legs for hours while he screams and hyperventilates.

“Stop it, Aiden, before I kick your ass,” I murmured, voice muffled against the pillow before letting out a long sigh and rolling onto my stomach.

“But you don’t even feel ticklish, then why are you bitching?” Aiden said, laying beside me like some invasive parasite that learned human speech.

Then suddenly—

his fingertip gripped my closed eyelid and forced it open.

My entire eye burned instantly.

What the fuck.

Pain shot through my skull and I glared at him through one half-open eye.

Aiden paused.

“…Why are you looking at me like that?” he muttered cautiously.

I blinked once. Slowly.

“You don’t fear death either,” I said flatly. “Should I test that theory?”

His face twisted immediately.

Meeting his disappointed gaze as he shook his head dramatically in disbelief like I was the unreasonable one here.

“Come on, bitchy darling,” he scoffed. “Wake up. We’re all here to see your ungrateful ass and you’re behaving like that?”

I roughly smacked his hand away from my face—hard enough to make him hiss—and rolled onto my back.

A long groan crawled out of me as I dragged both hands down my face.

Why?Just why?

Opening my eyes again, I immediately regretted it because the harsh sunlight crashed directly into my skull.

Squinting hard, I glared toward the windows.

Who the hell wide-opened the curtains?!!

Glancing around the room, I noticed the familiar faces scattered across the space, immediately making irritation crawl under my skin.

Actually— irritation was too soft of a word.

Violence.

Thatwas the feeling.

The urge to get up, grab their wrists one by one, and twist their arms all the way behind their backs until something popped pleasantly.

Aiden was perched beside me like an overgrown rabbit with brain damage. Nitwit.

Felix sat casually on the couch armrest, smirking faintly while typing on his phone with terrifying focus.

Probably ruining somebody’s relationship.

Liam lounged on the edge of the bed, completely absorbed in his phone while beside him Leo was squeezed against his side, head resting on Liam’s shoulder as if the room lacked furniture.

Hudson sat on the nearby table, arms crossed tightly, giving me that stern glare of his.

The disappointed-parent glare.

The kind that made a tiny part of me frown automatically.

Alex sat beside him, quietly patting his shoulder and murmuring something under his breath in a failed attempt to calm him down.

Now why the fuck is this entire circus and the royal leech is here at seven in the morning?

“Good morning, pornstar,” Leo turned around, smiling widely. “Did you forget your promise about hanging out with us every weekend?”

Oh…

…Oh

It’s weekend.AAHH.

I tried sitting up with a groan, already irritated, while pushing Aiden away because he had somehow started climbing on top of me during the last five seconds.

Chuckling like a complete idiot too.

Honestly,Aiden was going to die one day because of how he woke people up.

His arm suddenly wrapped around my waist in a strong grip and he pulled me right back down onto the mattress.

“Come on honey,” he said dramatically, giggling against my shoulder. “Let’s sleep more.”

I stared at the ceiling.

Then at him.

Sliding out from the blanket, I crawled away while prying his arm off me finger by finger.

Pushing him backward onto the bed, I finally stood up and grabbed the flask from the side table before drinking the warm water.

“Honeyyyyy~,” Aiden whined loudly, half dangling off the bed.

“Are you doing chest workouts?” Liam asked abruptly, finally looking up from his phone.

I paused mid-gulp.

“…What?”

“Yeah,” Aiden added immediately from the bed, “and are you skipping meals again? Your waist looks thinner.”

In one swift motion, I threw the empty flask directly at his face.

Unfortunately—

he caught it.

Tch.

“Hah!” He grinned proudly. “Are you feeling shy that you’re trying to ruin my perfectly sculpted face?”

He cupped his cheek dramatically and blinked at me.

I grimaced.

Turning away, I walked toward the washroom and slid the door shut before locking it.

I took a piss, washed my hands thoroughly, then grabbed my toothbrush and started brushing my teeth slowly.

Outside, muffled voices echoed through the room.

“Why don’t we go on a vacation? It’s been years.”

“But we recently went to Rome.”

“Yeah, but not all of us together.”

I spat foam into the sink and scowled at my reflection.

Yeah.

A fucking vacation.

If they all disappeared for a week, that alone would feel like the greatest vacation of my life.

Leaning against the sink, I continued brushing while listening to their useless conversation.

Luckily the firecracker wasn’t here.

If Su came here this early in the morning, she would’ve already ruptured my eardrums by now.

That woman didn’t speak.

She exploded verbally.

Every sentence sounded like she was either starting ariotor announcing the apocalypse.

Well, I took my sweet, long time getting freshened up for straight forty minutes, hoping they would leave by then.

I trimmed the sides of my hair carefully, cleaning the edges near my neck with slow precision and blowdried it.

Cut and cleaned my nails. Filed one corner because it looked uneven and it annoyed me.

Opening the towel rack, I wrapped one around my hips while the other rested over my shoulder.

Steam still clung to my skin as I slid the bathroom door open—

Thankfully.

No one.

Peace.

Stepping into the closet room, I dried myself thoroughly before dressing in a dark maroon shirt, tucked in loosely, paired with charcoal loose-fit pleated trousers.

Slicked my hair back until not a single strand sat out of place.

A dab of attar behind the ears. Neck. One drop on each wrist. Collarbone.

Walking out of my room while staring at my phone, I was immediately greeted by missed calls from Susan and a horrifying amount of messages.

I opened them against my better judgment.

“Keep an eye on my bunny.”

“I am busy with some property work in England.”

“Don’t miss me too much.”

“I will grace you with my presence after two weeks.”

My forehead creased instantly.

My nose scrunched in pure disgust.

In one swift motion, I selected every message and deleted them permanently.

My legs stopped the moment I entered the hallway.

Of course.Of fucking course.

The living room was filled with snickering, arguing, voices. Felix was laughing at something on his phone while Leo practically folded himself over the couch armrest, clutching his stomach. Hudson looked two seconds away from developing a stress-induced migraine.

My eyes darkened.

My fists clenched automatically.

“Morning Ace!” Felix chirped brightly.

My jaw ticked hard.

I hummed in response and immediately started walking away.

Naturally—they all followed me.

“We heard that you killed some little boy,” Alex said while walking behind me as we descended the stairs.

My eye twitched.

Really,Ivan?

You fucking piece of shit.

You rat me outjustbecause I didn’t raise your salary?Fucking prick.

“Didn’t you promise not to kill children?” his tone laced with that signature concern, though I could hear the weariness behind it, like it was somethinghe had expected from me.

Reaching the end of the staircase, I spotted Ivan standing near one of the maids, aggressively stuffing a massive pancake into his mouth while flirting.

Pathetic.

The girl was holding a plate, blushing and mildly interested too.

Even morepathetic.

Then his eyes met mine.

And immediately—

He choked.Violently.

His eyes widened as he grabbed his throat, coughing so hard his entire body folded forward before he spat the whole pancake back onto the plate with horrifying force.

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Then—

Behind me came synchronized reactions.

A sigh.A disgusted gag.Snort laugh.

The maid stared at the pancake in utter disgust before glaring at Ivan. Then she cursed at him and stormed away while Ivan kept coughing and smacking his own chest, pointing after her with teary eyes.

I sighed deeply and continued walking.

Reaching the dining table, I locked eyes with Melinda—the main cook of this house.

Her family had served the Salvatore family faithfully for generations.

Unfortunately.

“Melinda, where’s Ares?” I asked while sitting down at the table, withdrawing a plate from the stand.

“He left saying he was going to the backyard,” she answered while placing plates in front of everyone else while vibrating with glow.

Looks like she’s happy today.

Everyone settled around the table.

Chairs scraped. Cutlery clinked. Leo was already chewing before everyone properly sat down.

But above all that—

I could feel Hudson staring at me.

Burning holes through my skull.

Not even burning.Scratching.

“It’s not like he was innocent to begin with,” I sighed, pouring myself coconut water slowly.

Hudson’s jaw clenched instantly.

“Still—!” he snapped, voice rising, before abruptly stopping midway.

Alex.DefinitelyAlex. Probably grabbed his arm under the table.

“Ace…” Alex drawled carefully, already sounding tired. “No matter what it was, you can’t justify killing a child—”

“Why not?” I cut in flatly.

Aiden chipped in, “Because they’re small—”

“So are spiders and ants,” I replied immediately. “Yetyoucrush them the second you see them.”

A scoff burst out of him.

“YEAH!— because they can literally kill a pers—.”

“So can a sixteen-year-old boy.” I took a sip calmly. “Or child. whatever.”

Felix immediately folded over laughing.Actually laughing.

Hudson looked like his blood pressure was preparing to burst out of his veins.

“He’s a rapist, not some innocent child,” I continued, cutting into my eggs. “And I didn’t even kill him. I just cut off his toe and stuffed his asshole with an ee—”

“OKAY, STOP!” Hudson barked suddenly.

His face twisted in outright horror.

I stared at him, flatly.

“I just helped Mother Nature a little bit since apparently she can’t sweep every bit of trash herself.” Sprinkling some pepper on the eggs, I mixed it.

“Now if the interrogation is over, all of you can use your functioning legs, why not take a walk outside, and wanderlessly return to your own homes.”

Straightening my back against the chair, I sipped the bone broth slowly.

“And don’t assume that just because I harmed one child after decades, I’m suddenly going to lose my mind and massacre civilians.” I pointed my spoon lazily toward Hudson.

“More importantly, stop sticking your noses into my business unless I ask.”

But Hudson wasn’t done.He never was.

“But you forgot our ethics,” he argued, voice strained with genuine frustration. “We specifically agreed not to kill children—”

“Well, then I’m sorry,” I replied blankly before taking a bite of toast.

Everyone except Felix looked annoyed.

Felix looked delighted.

Leo sighed loudly, rubbing his temple.

“Can you at least promise you won’t cross the line again?”

I hummed thoughtfully while chewing my scrambled eggs.

Then gave him a thumbs up.

“Okay, enough,” Felix interrupted, tapping his spoon against his plate. “He’s not a child anymore. So, chill out and trust him.”

“So,” he continued brightly, “where are we going today?”

“Maybe casino,” Leo suggested immediately.

The entire table stared at him with synchronized judgment.

Even Melinda paused.

Leo looked around slowly. “…What?”

“We are going on a picnic,” Aiden announced proudly while high-fiving Hudson. “The weather’s good and nobody has meetings today.”

Parasites…..

“Are you excited, Ace?” Leo asked while wiggling his eyebrows obnoxiously.

I stared at him for three full seconds.

“…Yeah,” I deadpanned. “So excited that I am starting to miss the people out there who want to kill me right this movement,” I said, finishing my broth soup.

Felix clutched his chest dramatically.

“That hurts,” he gasped. “I thought you missed spending time with us.”

I rolled my eyes hard enough to nearly inspect my own brain.

“I didn’t.” I took another sip of coconut water.

“Do whatever you want. But once the clock hits four, don’t expect any compliance, hospitality from me and don’t disturb me either.”

“Are you having bitchy swings instead of mood swings because you’re twenty-five now?” Aiden smirked.

Liam mused quietly, “I told you picnic would be the worst destination,” making Leo nod in agreement.

“Hospitality?” Leo repeated with his mouth full as Melinda refilled his plate again.

“The privilege of stepping inside my house, touching my belongings and— most importantly— eating food made by Melinda.”

Melinda let out a stifled laugh before quickly pretending she didn’t and continued refilling.

Alex leaned forward slightly, his chewing slowing to a stop as his eyes narrowed at the phone in his hand.

“Hey… you remember the kid, Noah?” he asked carefully.

I raised an eyebrow lazily.

“Go on,” I muttered.

“It’s already three weeks late and he still hasn’t paid the full amount.”

That made Hudson glance up immediately. “Isn’t he the only son of the—”

“Moretti & Vale Group,” Aiden finished with a hard frown.

The entire table quieted for a second.

“What are you scheming now?” Liam leaned back in his chair slowly, eyes narrowing at me.

“Well…” I hummed. “He has connections with the Centipede.”

The table paused instantly.

Even Leo stopped chewing.

“How the hell did you find that out?” Alex asked, genuinely stunned.

I shrugged lightly.

“Since Mr. Moretti is apparently the physical embodiment of fairness, kindness, justice and whatever inspirational garbage business magazines love writing about”— I paused to stab another piece of egg with my fork — “I simply pulled a few strings here and there and nudged his son toward street-racing bets.”

Felix immediately started wheezing.

Of course he did.

An experienced ex-street race gambling addict.

“Aaaaah…” Felix sighed nostalgically. “That shit is addicting.”

“Especially when you’re born rich and stupid,” Alex added calmly.

Noah truly was the perfect product of entitlement.One that knew how to manipulate it.

Which made manipulating himembarrassinglyeasy.

“Even ONE person from the Centipede would be sooo perrrrrfect for me,” Aiden groaned dramatically, clenching his fists against his cheeks.

I stared at him.

“You sound like a teenage girl talking about boy bands.” Liam added.

“I HEARD,” he continued loudly, ignoring him completely, “the police willingly provide protection during their street races.”

Leo’s eyes widened. “Seriously?”

“They host arcade tournaments too!” Aiden added excitedly. “And barbecue competitions exclusively for members!”

“…Barbecue?” Hudson repeated blankly.

“And street food contests,” Aiden said with genuine reverence.“FOR FREE.”

Everyone clicked their tongues at him in unison.

“Have you contacted Noah?” Liam asked, his voice flat.

“No,” I replied calmly, tapping my thumb against the rim of my glass. “But he contacted me three days ago saying he’d pay today.”

A smirk tugged at my lips.

“He said he’ll pay today,” I repeated slowly. “But I definitely know he won’t.”

I leaned back slightly in the chair.

“So now I’m curious what exactly he plans to offer instead.”

The anticipation sat pleasantly in my chest.

I have to say he’s rather not a boring person.

“By the way,” Leo mumbled through a mouthful of food, cheeks puffed like a squirrel preparing for winter, “how much did you even lend him?”

“Just one million,” I answered. “But overall he’s accumulated around five million from various other sources.”

Silence.

Then Felix looked at me with genuine admiration mixed with disgust.

“Even Satan is better than you.”

“Yeah…I heard Noah’s father is really a good person,” Hudson agreed, sighing heavily.

“Yeah… I heard Noah’s father is actually a decent man.”

“Well,” Aiden muttered thoughtfully while poking at his food, “I would’ve just asked my father for money instead of borrowing from Ace.”

He paused.

Then added solemnly—

“You know… the devil is still better than Satan.”

I stared at him.

“What the fuck does that even mean?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “It sounded wise in my head.”

The topic drifted briefly after that as everyone started discussing the picnic again.

I quietly stared at my fingertips, thoughts circling back toward Noah.

Mr. Moretti had apparently made it very clear years ago that he wouldn’t hand Noah any large amounts of money unless he proved he could handle it.

Fatherssomehowalways knew exactly how financially incompetent their sons were. Especially rich sons.

And that man was right.

Here he was, digging himself deeper into debt.

Exactly what I wanted.

May he drown deeper.So much so that he eventually starts to panic… and becomes useful to me.

I leaned back in my chair slightly, smiling to myself.

Honestly, I was enjoying this more than I should.

Pretending to be Noah’s supportive friend had become weirdly entertaining.

The calls.The fake reassurance.The casual “Don’t worry, Noah, you’ll recover the losses next round.”

I was practically feeding him rope and complimenting how nicely he tied the noose.

Man. I really am a good actor.

Once he sank deep enough, extracting information from him would become effortless.

And afterward?

I could negotiate directly with his father—Mr. Moretti gallo.

The same righteous old man who once said— in broad daylight, publicly, while staring directly at me— “Scum like you deserve to die on the roads.”

He’sreallyboringunlikehis son.

“Do you plan on forming an alliance with the Centipede?” Alex asked, a small smile tugging at his lips.

“An alliance would be ideal,” I admitted with a sigh. “But they’re too large and too scattered. Finding the actual leadership structure is difficult.”

I tapped my finger lightly against the table.

“So unfortunately, an ally is more realistic.”

Felix raised an eyebrow.

“Weren’t you extremely strict about repayment deadlines?”

That made me hum softly in agreement.

In the business world, lateness, delays, and unreliability were the worst kind of sins.

There was no excuse for them— especially when it came to money.

If you owe someone, you pay punctually. Simple as that.

“In the first place, why do you even want an ally with them?” Alex questioned.

“You already have enough power,” he continued, studying my face carefully. “And stronger alliances and connections than the Centipede.”

I didn’t bother answering. Instead, I looked at him flatly, with a slightly raised brow.

That alone made him click his tongue in exasperation.

He already knew my answer.

Alex always asked questions he already understood the answers to.

A very irritating habit.

“So you’re giving Noah special treatment because of this?” Felix asked, sounding genuinely perplexed.

I already knew Noah wouldn’t be able to repay the debt when I handed him the money.

That was the entire point.

Why?

To use his father.

To keep a backup body around in case my curiosity became unbearable again.

Again—

helping Mother Nature.Amen.

“Even with tailing,youstill can’t find their location?” Liam asked quietly.

“No,” I replied, standing up and handing my empty plate to Melinda. “Every time we get close, they disappear right in front of us.”

That part irritated me.

Both emotionally. Professionally.

I disliked elusive things.

“Let’s go,” I said flatly before walking toward the sink.

Behind me, Aiden immediately started whining.

“I didn’t finish my breakfa—”

“You inhaled enough food to survive till lunch.” I cut him off while drying my hands with a towel. “You’ll live.”

“I made shrimp,” Hudson announced while nudging my arm as we walked outside.

“You didn’t forget my cheesiest sandwich, right?” Aiden asked instantly, hooking himself onto Hudson’s shoulder.

“Yeah.” Hud nodded.

“Fried rice?”

“Yeah—”

“Mac and cheese?”

“Ye—”

“Salad?”

“Y—”

“P—”

SMACK!

Hudson’s palm slammed directly over Aiden’s mouth so hard the sound echoed.

Aiden’s eyes widened.

“Shut. The. Fuck. Up,” Hudson gritted out through clenched teeth while literally twisting Aiden’s lips shut in his grip.

A muffled whimper escaped him.

Hudson shoved him away and threw the gate open before climbing straight into the driver’s seat.

Alexander sighed tiredly while shutting the door.

Meanwhile Aiden had fallen directly onto his ass.

He hissed, gripping his hip.

Then slowly blinked up at me, his lower lip trembled forward, quivering.

I stared at him for three seconds.

Then stretched my hand out.

He grabbed it immediately and stood up.

Dusting off his pants, he continued staring at me with that same wounded expression.

I turned around and started walking away.

“WAHHHH~~ ACE!!!”

Suddenly—

Weight.Crushing weight.

This absolute parasite launched himself onto my back with terrifying accuracy.

His legs wrapped around my waist while his arms—literally—locked around my neck hard enough to mildly restrict oxygen.

What the fuck.

Does he think he’s still fourteen?

“No one loves me, Ace~~~” he cried loudly into my ear. “If Su was here, this wouldn’t have happened!!!”

His voice echoed directly into my skull.

Not ears.Skull.Like his words were printing itself one by one.

Without a word, I grabbed him by the legs and marched toward the car.

Opened the door.

And literally threw him inside.

“Ack—!”

I shoved him fully into the seat and aggressively clicked the seatbelt across him.

“If Su was here,” I said coldly while staring at his offended face, “she would’ve thrown you on the ground and kicked your ass herself.”

SLAM.

I shut the door hard enough to make him flinch.

Opening the backseat door, I slid inside beside Liam while Leo sat on the other side, preparing to nap, his head on Liam’s shoulder, already.

Opening the back door, I slid inside and sat beside Liam and beside him, Leo.

“FUCK YOU AL—” Aiden started yelling from the front.

But before he could finish, Alexander calmly shoved an entire chocolate bar into his mouth.

Aiden immediately started choking and coughing violently.

I leaned my head back against the seat and closed my eyes, hoping to steal a quick nap.

Because thissooo calledstupid picnic would be anything but peaceful.

Looking at my watch, it showed seven on the clock, making my jaw tick hard.

Just because I was a bit lenient with him didn’t mean I had suddenly evolved into a charitable organization.

Rule number four of life—never, and I mean never ever, be late when repaying borrowed money.Especially my money.

The audacity of this fucking leech.

Ten minutes late already, and still no sign of him.

I leaned back deeper into the leather booth, fingers tapping once against the glass of scotch resting in my hand.

The soft hum of jazz music filled the room—annoying me—wrapping around the dimly lit club like some seductive perfume commercial designed for middle-aged divorced men with gambling addictions.

God, I hated jazz.

Strippers swayed gracefully on elevated platforms, their bodies twisting beneath crimson lights while rich idiots stared up at them like starving retards discovering hips for the first time.

Servers moved between tables balancing trays of expensive liquor and cigars.

The air was thick with smoke, whiskey, and the faint nauseating scent of overpriced cologne.

Ivan sat across from me in our usual booth at the farthest corner of the room.

His posture was straight, alert. His eyes moved constantly—entrances, exits, reflections in glass, shifts in crowd behavior.

I sipped my scotch, the bitter taste doing little to soothe my growing annoyance.

“Ivan,” I called lazily, my voice low and clipped as I swirled the amber liquid in my glass. “Shouldn’t the kid be waiting for me instead of me waiting for him?”

Ivan smirked slightly, though his attention never stayed still.

“He did say he was here…” he said, then paused—like even he didn’t believe his own sentence. “So either he’s lying, or I’m going to break his legs.”

I checked my watch again.

Eleven minutes now.

My fingers tightened around the glass slightly.

Noah was lucky I wanted something from him.

Otherwise, tardiness alone would’ve gotten him kneecapped already.

Then Ivan’s head tilted—tiny motion. “There he is.”

I followed his gaze.

And immediately felt my irritation sharpen.

The twink bastard finally arrived. Late. Sweaty. Nervous.

Tsk.

But then my eyes narrowed further.

Because not only was this toothpick dick late— he had brought a girl with him.

She wasn’t with him as a partner nor friend, not in any real sense and wasn’t dressed for the occasion either.

From the way he gripped her by the forearm, not casually, but with the ownership of a man who thinks possession absolves him

Her hoodie was frayed, stained, hung loosely on her. She kept her head down, hood pulled up; looking smaller than she should.

She stumbled once as Noah dragged her forward; his grip tightened immediately, as if correcting an object that had dared to malfunction.

I rolled my eyes, sighing in irritation.

Ahh…This fucking pathetic thing.

Ivan leaned slightly, eyes narrowing as he took them in.

“What the hell is this?” he muttered under his breath, tone low with immediate suspicion.

My eyes locked on the pair as they crossed toward our booth.

I tilted my head slightly, trying to get a better look at her face beneath the hood.

Impossible.

The fabric swallowed half her head.

She looked tiny.Like…genuinely tiny.

The size of a mushroom.

One strong wind and she would probably roll across the street into traffic.

His voice trembled when he finally spoke, “Mi scusi, signore, sono in ritardo (Sorry, boss, I am late).”

I stared at him, flatly.

His fingers flexing unconsciously against her forearm like he was terrified she’d suddenly develop survival instincts and sprint away.

“Il mio denaro? (My money?),” I responded calmly, though the underlying threat in my tone was unmistakable.

He didn’t release her.

Instead he slid into the seat beside Ivan, offering Ivan a grin— too wide. Too eager.

Ivan returned it with an easy, ominous “you’re lucky tonight” smile.

Meanwhile, the girl stayed strangely composed.

That caught my attention more than Noah did.

No crying. No trembling meltdown. No dramatic pleading.

Just quiet.

Head lowered. Breathing steady enough to notice.

That wasn’t normal for people dragged into places like this.

Most either panicked immediately or dissociated so hard they looked dead already.

But her composure— it felt controlled. Or exhausted.

Hard to tell yet.

Noah swallowed. “Sì, capo (Yes, boss)” he began, his voice practiced. “A proposito, non posso pagare l’intero importo, ma ne ho già versato la metà.(About that, I can’t pay the full amount, but I’ve already paid half).”

He said it like he expected some kind of ovation for scraping togetherhalf.

Congratulations, Noah.You managed to repay half the debtyoucreated yourself.

Thefuckingnerve.

“Pensi che stiamo giocando o qualcosa del genere, Noah?(You think we’re playing or something, Noah?)” I smiled coldly at him. Not warmly. Not angrily.

Just enough to let him understand the civility was beginning to rot away.

I fucking gave you three weeks, punk.

Three. Whole. Weeks.

He straightened slightly in his seat, like he now understood, all the humility I showed was just an act.

“No, capo, so che al momento non posso saldare l’intero importo residuo. Le chiedo gentilmente di concedermi un’altra settimana per racimolare i fondi necessari.(No boss, I know I can’t repay the remaining amount in full right now. I kindly request one more week to gather the required funds.)”

A week. Another fucking week. Always the same story.

Debtors really shared one collective brain cell internationally.

I sighed loud enough for them to hear, palms splayed on the table, a small laugh escaping me—part scorn, part boredom.

God.How badly I wanted to grab his skull and slam it into the table until his teeth decorated the carpet.

Just once.Maybetwice.

The image alone was therapeutic.

I can’t kill him.Ican’t kill him.

I still had a spare body in the basement that would last at least another week if rationed correctly.

“va bene (Alright)” I said, slow and measured. “Se sei disposto a offrire qualcosa di valore in cambio, sono disposto a prorogare la scadenza di un’altra settimana. (if you are willing to offer something of value in return, I am willing to extend the deadline by one more week.)”

Noah’s face lit up, like he thought he’d found a way to wriggle out of the noose.

How predictable.

“Sì...capo, a proposito di questo... questa ragazza può restare da te per un po’. (Yes...boss, about that... you can have this girl temporarily.)” His voice stayed smooth. Detached. Casual.

My jaw ticked.

“Ma mi prendi per il culo?! (Are you fucking kidding me?!)” I snapped, unwilling to entertain such a degrading offer that went against my principles.

Both of them flinched, even Ivan went still beside him.

As I glared at Noah, I caught genuine surprise flash across his face. Actual confusion.

Like he truly expected this to work.

My irritation deepened immediately.

I mean seriously—Why does everyone think this method works?

Every disgusting lowlife with debts suddenly starts offering human around like discount coupons.

Even my “mother nature services” had standards.

This?

This was lazy. Pathetic.

My eyes shifted toward the girl squirming beside him, and the moment she felt my attention land on her, she immediately looked down.

Maybe for a split second— she had been looking at me. Wide-eyed.

The oversized hoodie swallowed half her face, and the club lighting kept flickering gold and crimson over her like a dying church candle.

In that fleeting moment, as I observed her demeanor, an overwhelming sense of nostalgia washed over me.

I sighed and pushed away the memories and focused on the present.

How the hell did she end up with this bastard?

“Posso trovare anche qualcuno più grande (I–I can arrange someone older too),” he offered, voice pleading, slamming his palm on the table to punctuate it, nodding, smiling.

Like this was some brilliant negotiation strategy.

God.

Really, Noah had been interesting.

Manipulative.Entitled.Desperate enough to be useful.

But to think he’d let me down this badly?

Tch.

Even my life didn’t let me down like this.

“Do I look that cheap that he’s offering me that?” I sneered, turning toward Ivan.

“Huh?” Noah blinked, genuinely confused.

Ivan, however, wasn’t reacting normally either.

His face had gone strangely rigid. Serious.

Way too serious for somebody who usually looked mildly bored in these types of dealings.

His gaze stayed fixed on the girl.

Meanwhile, her head stayed bowed. She kept swiping the sleeve across her nose—little, frantic wipes. Sniffling quietly every few seconds.

I leaned back slightly, letting my gaze swept the place— if not, I would really lose my control.

But I caught a rat of a man sitting a few tables away— He was watching her and talking quietly to his group; his face was open about the way he catalogued her.

No one here pretended to be decent.

After all,decency would get in the way of profit.

They were scum—every last one.

Well.Who am I to judge them?

I literally had a beaten body stitched and breathing in my house basement.

Noah suddenly stood up. Too fast.

His hand clamped around the girl’s forearm again, dragging her toward my side of the booth like he was hauling luggage.

She stumbled immediately— shoes slipping against the polished floor with a soft skrrk— but she still didn’t resist.

Didn’t yank away. Didn’t even glare at him.

Nothing.

Like somewhere along the line she had already accepted nobody was coming for her.

…Wow.

Ialmosthad to respect the self-awareness.

Ivan rose as if to intervene, but I raised a hand to stop him. He complied, settling back in his position, though his eyes never left the girl.

He dragged her closer— too close— practically shoving her into my personal space.

A tiny gasp escaped her lips from the force before she straightened herself upright, stiffly and cautious not to even breathe in my direction.

Like I was something filthy.

“È praticamente una tela bianca! (She’s practically a blank canvas!),” Noah exclaimed desperately.

My eyelid twitched.

Fucking hell.

Give me patience.Not strength.

Because if I got strength right now, I would genuinely split his skull open on this table and ruin everybody’s evening entertainment.

“Chi è lei per te? (Who is she to you?)” I asked quietly.Very quietly.

Which somehow made Noah visibly more nervous.

My fingers lifted toward the fabric of her hoodie.

I gripped it gently— but firm enough to drag her to my left side, instead of standing there like a bollard.

“No one (Nessuno),” Noah answered quickly. Cold. Detached.Relieved, even.

I sighed slowly through my nose, irritation crawling higher and higher inside my chest as I looked at her again.

Her head remained lowered, but angled strangely toward my hands.

Watching them.

Then the moment she realized I noticed— she looked away immediately.

Like the mere act of meeting my gaze might condemn her.

Fuck me.

Many people had tried to offer me women like this before, thinking it would buy them favor, mercy or time.

It never did.

And those men?

They never lived to try it again.

Word spread fast after the first few or maybe ten examples.

Nobody dared pull this kind of stunt with me anymore.

Untilthis dickweed.

Unfortunately— thisparticulardickweed happened to be my current golden ticket toward Centipede.

Meaning I had to tolerate him breathing for a little longer.

“È un’orfana? (Is she an orphan?),” I asked, my voice calm but edged with steel.

Noah’s eyes lit. He nodded, a spark of confidence returning as if this detail sweetened the offer.

“Non ha nessuno (She has no one),” he said, his tone casual. As if being alone in the world somehow increased market value.

I clenched my jaw hard enough to feel the pressure near my temple.

My gaze shifted toward the girl again.

Honestly, part of me wanted to knock some sense into her skull or maybe knock my knuckle on her head, hard.

Because seriously—

How in this generation does a girl still fall into traps like this?

Most girls pushed into situations like these were trafficking victims.

Those cases were simple.

I sent them back to their families.Disposed of others.Everyone moved on.

But this?

No family. No support. No one searching. No one waiting.

And judging by those worn sleeves, fidgeting fingers, and the cheap shoes barely holding together— she probably had nothing waiting for her outside either.

Maybe some moldy room to stay.Some leaking ceiling.Some alley that smelled like wet garbage and cigarettes.

“Portala via di qui, Noah (Get her out of here, Noah),” I said, standing up. “Trova un modo migliore per saldare i tuoi debiti. Non è così che mi comporto. (Find a better way to repay your debts. This is not how I deal.)”

Noah’s face immediately twisted in panic, desperation bubbling up so fast it almost looked painful.

“Capo, lei è tutto ciò che ho da offrire in questo momento (Capo, she is all I have to offer at this moment),” he stammered quickly, eyes widened.

His fists clenched as he tried to bargain breathlessly.

“Se la prendi, potrei stare tranquillo sapendo che hai qualcosa come garanzia; altrimenti sarei in ansia.(If you take her, I could be relieved that you have something as collateral; If not I would be restless)” he blurted, voice shaking.

Bullshit.

Just say the truth, you spineless rat.

You’re terrified I’ll kill you randomly before next week arrives.

That’s all this is.

Because counting all the people he owed money to— onlytwowere dangerous enough to genuinely erase him over delayed payments.

One of them wasme.

Meaning he had probably pulled this same little “temporary collateral” stunt with the other one too.

Which explained why he was clinging to this idea like a drowning idiot hugging driftwood.

I turned to leave anyway.

But then—

“È vergine e così ingenua che farebbe qualsiasi cosa tu le chiedessi.(She’s a virgin and so naive, she will do anything you tell her.)” he blurted out loudly, his voice cracking with desperation.Too loudly.

Loud enough for nearby tables to hear.

The surrounding chatter dimmed almost immediately. Not fully.

Just enough.

That subtle shift when predators smell opportunity.

Then slowly— very slowly— I turned back toward him.

My gaze locked onto his face.

And for the first time tonight, Noah visibly recoiled.

One step backward.

What the fuck is wrong with him?

“Credimi, è davvero distratta… (Trust me, she’s really oblivious…)” he mumbled, voice trailing off as he bit his lip.

I stared at him for a long moment.

I’m no saint.Far from it.

I’ve done things most men couldn’t stomach. let alone witnessing.

But I can’t cross this line.Again. Hurting a little girl.

It was cowardly. Disgusting. Cheap.

There was no thrill in overpowering somebody already cornered.

Suddenly Noah’s eyes started darting around the room again.

One table. Then another. Calculating.

Looking at the men watching us.

Of course they understood immediately who the sacrificial goat was tonight.

Some smirked openly.Some whispered.One man actually straightened in his seat like he was preparing to bid on auction property.

I sighed deeply, irritation scraping against the inside of my skull.

Wonderful.

Now this idiot was searching for another buyer in real time.

Seriously, he might genuinely be the dumbest and most painfully boring person I’ve ever met.

Maybe his father isn’t that boring compared to his son.

If I walked away right now— he absolutely would sell her to someone else.Someone worse.

This wasn’t just business for these men—it was sport.

Even if he accidentally killed her and dragged the body onto the table afterward, half the men here would still pay and use her.

Human depravity never really stops at death.

Death just changes the texture.

I traced my tongue slowly over my upper canine, letting the practicalities govern my mind instead of the annoyance clawing at my skull.

She looked harmless— outwardly at least.

Not exactly assassination material.No visible weapon.No trained posture.

So immediate danger to my life?Minimal.

Financially though…

This entire situation was becoming irritatingly complicated.

If he sold her here, he could scrape together a quick million easily from the rich old sewer rats lurking around us.

Men with collapsing hairlines, gold watches, liver failure, and preferences that deserved public execution.Ugh..

And that would ruin everything.

Worse— if panic pushed him toward his father?

Tch.

That would be even more annoying.

Because his father absolutely had enough money to pay my share instantly if he chose to— if the man heardmy nameattached to the debt, he definitely would payimmediatelyjust to cut me off from hispreciousson’s life.

Especially since I intentionally hadn’t included any interest in Noah’s debt yet.A deliberate decision.

Most people added interest because they wanted more money.

I didn’t.

Because huge interest scares idiots early. It forces them to either disappear, or panic before they become useful.

Noah was still ripening.

And I definitely did not want him clearing his debt this fast.

That would end the leash too early.

Months of setup wasted because this idiot decided to cosplay as a human trafficker.

Fantastic.

Maybe next week he’d start selling kidneys in parking lots too.

From a purely business perspective, the smartest decision would’ve been simple:

Take the girl temporarily.Extend the deadline.Keep Noah indebted.Maintain emotional pressure.Prevent him from running to his father.

Simple. Clean. Efficient. Morally disgusting.

Gritting my teeth, I looked at the girl again, but she immediately lowered her head like I threw beams through my eyes.

Ugh.I despise this.

I looked at Noah straight in the eye, my gaze unwavering.

“Va bene, solo una settimana; se non avrai restituito il denaro, sei finito (Fine—just one week; if you haven’t repaid, you’re dead.)” My voice came out flat. Calm. Certain.

I mean…technicallyI would kill him even if he repaid the debt eventually.

So really, I was being partially honest.

Rule number five of life— Honesty is important in business.

Noah’s eyes widened instantly, relief flickering across his face so fast it almost made me laugh.

He knew this was his last chance.

“Grazie... grazie mille (Thank you— thank you so much)” he stammered quickly, bowing his head repeatedly before practically scurrying backward like the chicken-headed he was.

Coward.

I exhaled slowly, dragging a hand through my hair before placing both hands on my hips and shutting my eyes for one brief second.

Headache.

Actual headache.

“Di’ a Melinda di preparare una stanza al quartier generale. (Tell Melinda to prepare a room at headquarters.)”

Ivan, still gripping his phone, stared at me for half a second before nodding and walking away to make the call.

His expression said enough. Disapproval. Concern. Mild confusion.

Turning toward the girl, I stepped closer and bent slightly at the waist, extending two fingers near her stomach level so it would actually fall into her line of sight beneath that oversized hood.

I curled my fingers once in a silent beckoning motion. “Let’s go.”

Her head lifted just slightly— barely enough that I caught the faint shift of her gaze toward my hand first, then my chest, avoiding my face completely.

She hesitated briefly before taking one step.

Then another.

Silent. Unsure.

Her movements were cautious, stiff almost, like she was waiting for somebody to suddenly shove her again.

I watched her walk away like an otter on two legs while rolling the possibilities around inside my head.

I could send her away.Technically.

But what if she came in handy later?

Noah wasn’t completely useless.

Boring, yes.Pathetic, absolutely.

But not useless.

And people like him always leaked information accidentally when they got comfortable around someone.

Especially around women they underestimated.

Would she know anything about Centipede?

Maybe.

Maybe not.

But Noah definitely came to the U.S every two years and stayed over a month each visit.

Too consistent to ignore.

And despite how rotten he was, there weren’t any activities tying him to brothels, traffickers, or organized flesh trade networks.

I had checked.Twice.

So either:

He picked her up recently out of desperation.

She had been around him longer than expected.

And if it was the second option—

then there was a possibility she had overheard things.

Seen things.Names.Places.Habits.

Centipede operated like sewer rats— always close enough to smell, never visible long enough to catch.

Every lead dissolved halfway. Every trail conveniently died.

Annoying.

So yes— Keeping her temporarily made sense.