Chapter 4 - The Offer in the Maybach
Ten minutes later, I was walking out the back entrance of Le Rêve, leaving my black apron and silver server tray behind forever.
Rain was pouring over the slick Manhattan pavement, reflecting the red and blue neon lights of the city. A convoy of three armored black Maybachs sat idling in the alleyway, surrounded by six heavily armed men in dark suits.
Dominic held a large black umbrella over my head, keeping the rain off my hair while he got completely soaked in the process. The gesture was so bizarre coming from a man who had insulted me twenty minutes earlier that I couldn't help but stare at him.
"You're going to get wet," I said flatly as he opened the door to the middle Maybach.
"I've survived worse than rain, Elena," he replied smoothly, gesturing for me to get inside.
I climbed into the plush, leather-scented interior. Natalia slid in right after me, while Victor took the front passenger seat. Dominic sat beside me, his massive frame filling the space, bringing with him the scent of expensive bourbon, rain, and sandalwood.
The heavy doors clicked shut, locking out the noise of the city with absolute silence.
"Where are we going?" I asked, looking between Natalia and Dominic.
"To my private estate in Westchester," Dominic said, reaching into the bar console and pouring two fingers of amber liquid into a crystal glass. He offered it to me. I declined with a sharp raise of my eyebrow.
He chuckled softly, drinking it himself. "Cautious. I like that."
"Elena," Natalia began, her tone dead serious. "The man who framed your father is named Viktor Voronin. He is a high-ranking syndicate boss operating out of Brighton Beach. He used your father's stolen credentials to siphon four hundred million dollars from international accounts."
"And Voronin happens to be my main rival for the New York shipping ports," Dominic added, setting his glass down. "He's been trying to push me out of the docks for two years. If you have the decryption keys to his accounts, you can bankrupt him in a single night."
I looked directly into Dominic's sharp eyes. "And what do you get out of this, Mr. Pierce? You don't strike me as a charitable man."
"I get Voronin's territory," Dominic said plainly. "And in exchange, I pay off every single cent of your father's medical bills, secure him the top specialists in the country, and guarantee your total safety."
"And if I refuse?" I asked.
May you like
Dominic leaned in close, his face inches from mine. The dark warmth in his eyes was intoxicating, yet lethal.
"If you refuse, Voronin will find you by midnight. And unlike me, sweetheart, he won't offer you a glass of whiskey before he puts a bullet in your head."
