And he would answer that vulnerability with action.He would prove to her that no matter what came, she could count on him—not only for money or protection, but for everything that truly mattered.
Chapter 9
RikoTanakaleanedbackin his chair at the small, dimly lit table in the back of his restaurant.He ran his fingers over the edges of his glass, swirling the whiskey inside, thinking over the latest development.Ava had met with Luca again.The thought simmered in his mind, aggravating him as much as it intrigued him.He'd heard the rumors, but hearing about this latest meeting stirred something darker in him.
What did it mean?And more importantly, how could he use this second meeting to his advantage?
The sharp clink of the door to the back office broke through his thoughts.For a moment, Riko caught sight of the two restaurant owners, their faces pale, eyes wide with terror.A wicked chuckle escaped his lips as he watched their fear.He relished it.Last month, he’d waltzed into their little establishment, told them he was taking over their restaurant “for a while,” and then smacked one of them around—just enough to make sure they understood exactly what that meant.The beating had been calculated, a demonstration of his power, and now they both flinched at the mere sight of him.
Riko thrived on their terror.It was intoxicating, feeding into his sense of control.More importantly, their fear made them malleable—pliant, submissive, willing to do whatever he wanted.They were nothing more than quaking pawns now, easily moved aside whenever he saw fit.
The door clicked shut behind the two men, their terrified expressions lingering in his thoughts.They had learned their place.Two of his thugs stepped inside, their frustration evident, their shoulders tight with irritation.They were seasoned men, used to staying in the shadows, used to doing his bidding without question.But tonight had been different.Something had gone wrong.
“Boss, we were followed all night,” one of them grumbled, shifting nervously and unable to look Riko in the eye.“Some other men.They’ve been tailing us since we left the warehouse.”
Riko’s sharp eyes flickered toward them, his irritation building.“Who?”he asked, though he suspected he already knew.
“We’re not sure,” the other thug replied, rubbing his forehead.“Couldn’t get a clean read on them.But we think they’re from one of the big crews.Maybe Luca’s people.”
The words hung in the air like smoke, thick and heavy.Riko felt a flash of anger but forced it down, keeping his tone steady.He couldn't afford to show panic.Not yet.“Keep your distance.Don’t let them know you’re onto them.I’ll take care of it.”
He dismissed the men with a wave, already formulating his next move.His frustration was boiling under the surface, but he refused to let it consume him.Not yet.He had a plan.There was always a plan.
Just then, his phone rang.Riko glanced at the screen and saw the number of one of his less reputable vendors—someone who dealt in things most people wouldn't want to know about.
He picked up the phone, his voice cool.“What is it?”
“Mr.Tanaka,” the vendor sounded distracted.“I just wanted to confirm the details of the cage you ordered.It’s extra-large, thin, correct?”
Riko's brows furrowed for a moment.“Yes, that’s right,” he said, though the specifics didn’t matter to him at all.The cage was irrelevant.“Is everything on track?”he asked, his voice slipping back into its normal calm, collected tone.
“Yes, boss,” the vendor confirmed, “everything will be ready.I just wanted to confirm the dimensions because…, well, they’re odd.”The guy chuckled, a nervous sound that soothed Riko’s temper.“But no worries.I specialize in making cages in whatever size people need.I’ll have it delivered soon.”
Riko ended the call without another word.His thoughts were already elsewhere, circling Luca.He had no intention of letting his plan be interrupted.He needed to stay focused.
The pieces were moving, and soon enough, he'd put his plan into play.
Chapter 10
“What’sthis?”Avaaskedher assistant, Sandy, when she walked into her office the following morning.She lifted the box carefully, frowning quizzically at how light it was.It seemed almost too light for its size.The box was sturdy, wrapped in plain brown paper, offering no clues as to what was inside.
Sandy glanced up from her notes and shrugged.“It came by courier this morning,” she said, clearly not finding the package particularly noteworthy.“So did these papers,” she added, handing Ava a large manila envelope.“But not by the same courier.”
Ava flipped the envelope over, trying to suppress her growing curiosity—and perhaps a little anxiety—bubbling up inside her.Then Sandy paused, as if remembering something important.“Oh, and a man called, asking if you could meet with Luca Bernardi for lunch.”
Ava’s stomach twisted slightly.Thankfully, she was able to keep her expression carefully neutral, trying not to let any surprise or emotion slip through.“Luca Bernardi?”she echoed.
Sandy’s wide eyes showed genuine confusion.“Isn’t he the man who owns half of the Vegas Strip?”
Ava took a deep breath, mind racing.She didn’t want anyone in her company to know about her negotiations with Luca.Not yet, anyway.Yes, Luca was helping her with the intimidation from whoever was behind the recent threats.And, yes, it was actually a relief to come into work and not have to deal with another vandalism or sabotage issue.But her relationship with Luca was...personal.Private.Talking about him felt like giving away a piece of herself, something she wasn’t ready to share with anyone, even Sandy.
Besides, what if everything went south?What if, the next time Luca spoke to her, he decided that she wasn’t worth the effort?Or something more important came up and he had to push Ava aside to deal with that other issue?
Ava knew her flaws all too well.She could be stubborn—painfully so.Sometimes it worked to her advantage, but other times it backfired spectacularly.She could be a little too headstrong at times, doing the opposite of what people told her to do—just because.And, truth be told, she had a tendency to lose herself in her work, staying late to finish up projects or develop new ideas.But that wasn’t the worst part.
Ava sometimes relied too heavily on her friendships with Leone and Franco.The three of them had been inseparable since elementary school.They understood her in a way no one else could.They were the reason so many of her romantic relationships had failed over the years.No one could measure up to them.
And over the past year, she’d shunned all romantic entanglements because the men who had asked her out…well, they hadn’t been Luca.
