Chapter 2 - The Standoff at the Bar
Vincent stepped closer to the counter, his weathered face turning into a mask of arrogant disbelief. In all his forty years ruling the city’s underground, no civilian had ever dared to speak to him in such a tone.
"Do you have any idea who I am, girl?" Vincent sneered, his voice dropping into a dangerous, low gravelly tone that signaled a death sentence to anyone who knew the Moretti name.
Emily didn't step back. She didn't drop her gaze. Instead, she placed both palms firmly onto the Formica counter, leaning forward until she was mere inches from the terrifying Don.
"Shout at me again..." Emily warned, her voice calm, precise, and laced with deadly composure. "...and I’ll end you."
The entire diner froze in suffocating silence. Even the bodyguards held their breath, waiting for their Don to give the signal to destroy this reckless waitress.
Vincent stared into her striking green eyes. A strange, haunting shadow flickered across his face. The furious scowl faltered for a fraction of a second, replaced by a sudden, chilling memory that he had buried twenty-five years ago.
Instead of drawing a weapon, Vincent slowly reached inside his expensive wool coat. He pulled out a crisp hundred-dollar bill and tossed it onto the wet counter beside the broken white ceramic shards.
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"Two dollars for the cup," Vincent grumbled in a hushed, restrained rumble. "Keep the change."
👉 Click to continue reading and find out what Matteo said to Emily at the doorway.
