Shades of Sins (New York Sinner Series Book 2)

8| Partner

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Partner

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Chapter 8: Partner (Dante's POV)

I followed Anastasia into the office that had always been hers. My eyes remained trained on her as she rounded the table to her chair and shrugged off her blazer, hanging it on the back of her seat, a frustrated breath escaping her. 

"We..." she began, clearing her throat and blatantly avoiding my gaze. "We clearly can't do this. It's impossible for us to work together again. You should tell Marshall you're not working on this case. It's better that way." Her fingers dug into the plush leather of her seat as she finally lifted her eyes to mine. 

I watched her for a minute, keeping my hands tucked in my pockets. "I'm not letting this case go," I told her firmly. 

She let out another sigh as she rolled her eyes and turned to look out the window briefly. "You're no longer an FBI agent, Mr Rossi. It's as simple as that. You have no right to work on this case unless a client made a specific request, and since we have no idea who the suspect could possibly be, I'm certain that nobody made that request." 

"I may not be an FBI agent any longer, but I certainly have all the duties as one in the city we live in, Ms Vitalio." 

She scoffed lightly, "Now you're just holding onto a job you don't have. The bottom line is you're not an agent." 

"The bottom line is I can do everything just as well, if not better, than any other agents here to work on this case," I persisted, shrugging off my blazer and hanging it on the seat in front of me. Adjusting my cufflinks, I braced my hands on the same chair. "Your options are limited." 

"Not limited enough to force me to work with you again," she bit back. "I have other options." 

"Enlighten me then." 

"Rose. Or even Kai," she exhaled. "They still work with the FBI after losing their jobs." 

"Rose and Kai have no interest in working on this case. They're both busy with other things at the time. It's not something you didn't know, Ms Vitalio. I'm afraid your empty threats aren't doing enough for me." 

A fire was set ablaze in her eyes as she glared at me, and I lifted a brow, daring her back. "I won't work with you," she continued. 

"I'm not exactly eager to deal with you either," I replied. "So the feeling is very much mutual." 

I could never, not in a million years, work with Anastasia again. It was a recipe for disaster. The animosity between us would never let us work well together, and a case like this had no room for errors, miscommunication, or petty arguments. If Anastasia and I worked together, it would be all that and more. 

"Drop the case," I demanded. 

A dry chuckle bubbled out of her. "Are you kidding?" 

"I'm sure as an FBI agent, there are other things worth your time." I glanced at the file sitting on her desk. It was the same file the agency had been using for decades to train new agents. "Plus, you must be having more fun training new agents," I added.