Chapter 2 - The Five Minutes
The cinematic tension hanging over the white tablecloth was absolutely suffocating.
Roman didn't look down at the folded note immediately. A man didn't survive at the absolute apex of the criminal underworld by reacting with sudden panic.
He slowly rested his chin on his heavily tattooed hand. His dark, incredibly lethal eyes locked entirely onto Tessa. He didn't see a frightened waitress; he saw a civilian who had just risked her own life to pass him critical intelligence.
"Five minutes," Roman replied, his voice a low, steady, and terrifyingly calm rumble that barely carried over the grand piano music.
It wasn't an order about the food. It was a tactical command. He was telling her she had exactly five minutes to get completely out of the crossfire before all hell broke loose.
Tessa gave a subtle, almost imperceptible nod.
She turned and walked smoothly away toward the kitchen, forcing herself not to sprint, desperately hiding her racing heartbeat.
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A medium shot captured the background behind Roman’s table. Sitting at a booth near the massive windows were three men in sharp gray suits. They weren't eating. They were subtly, intensely watching Roman through the reflections in the expensive decorative mirrors lining the restaurant walls.
👉 Who is the beautiful woman sitting across from the crime lord?
