Dangerous Affection

THE UNDERCOVER GAMBIT

Roy Mathew stood in front of the cracked mirror in his bathroom, examining the reflection of a young man barely in his twenties. The dark curls framing his face were a stark contrast to the steel gray suit that clung to his lean frame. He looked every bit the part of a mafia boss, but that life was about to take a serious detour. With a deep breath, he adjusted his tie, the crisp fabric feeling foreign against his skin. Today, he was trading in his usual power plays and calculated intimidation for the mundane world of college life.

"Being a normal student shouldn't be that hard," he muttered, irritation bubbling just beneath the surface. Memories flashed through his mind-brief snippets of his childhood: his father's booming laughter echoing through the mansion, the flickering shadows of henchmen moving about, and the soft thud of his mother's voice reminding him to stay out of trouble. "Easy for you to say, Dad," he added, rolling his eyes as he recalled the countless lessons on loyalty and fear that had been drilled into him since childhood.

His father had been a legendary figure in the underworld, a name whispered with both respect and fear. But with the rise of a new rival faction, the Ferretti clan, the old rules of engagement had shifted. To gather intel on their movements and eliminate the threat once and for all, Roy was being sent undercover as a college student at Eastbridge University. The plan was to infiltrate the rival gang's operation, which was rumored to have connections with some of the students.

"Normal student life, here I come," he said with mock cheerfulness as he donned a navy hoodie and a pair of jeans that felt all wrong on him. He hated the idea of pretending to be someone he wasn't.

---

The campus was bustling with activity. Roy stepped onto the sprawling green lawns of Eastbridge, his heart racing with a mix of excitement and simmering anger. Students milled around, their laughter and chatter a stark contrast to the serious discussions of power and betrayal he was used to. He spotted a group of girls sitting on the grass, their heads thrown back in laughter. He quickened his pace, refusing to engage.

"Just blend in," he reminded himself, making his way to the Student Union. He had heard that his rival's son, Liam Ferretti, was attending the same university, and Roy had to find a way to get close to him.

"Hey! Watch it!" yelled a girl as he bumped into her, nearly spilling her drink all over his hoodie. The steam rising from her coffee cup reminded him of how easily things could boil over.

"Sorry! I was just..." he began, but his voice trailed off. What could he say? "Practicing my dodgeball skills"? Instead, he rolled his eyes and continued on his way.

"Ugh, rude!" she shouted after him, but he didn't care. He had no time for this.

Roy entered the union and walked to the bustling café, ordering a plain black coffee, a far cry from the aged whiskey he was used to. As he turned to find a seat, he spotted a familiar face across the room. It was Liam Ferretti, his imposing figure surrounded by a cluster of equally tough-looking friends. The sight sent a fire coursing through Roy's veins; Liam was notorious for his short temper and swift retribution.

"Time to blend in, Mathew," he whispered to himself, before casually making his way to a nearby table, where a group of students was playing a card game. He awkwardly shuffled in, pretending to be interested.

"Hey, you! Wanna join us?" a girl with brightly dyed blue hair called out.

"Uh, sure! I'm great at... cards!" he replied, forcing a smile as he tried to suppress the annoyance rising in him.

"Awesome! Just remember: no cheating! We have enough of that in our lives already!" she laughed, her voice grating on his nerves.

As the game progressed, Roy's mind raced. He had a reputation for being a ruthless strategist, but bluffing and playing cards were not his forte. After a few rounds of poker, he realized he had to tap into his competitive edge. "All in!" he declared dramatically, pushing a pile of chips forward. The table fell silent, and he felt a rush of adrenaline.

"Whoa, going big, huh?" said a tall guy with a beard.

"Of course! Just like my dad always said, 'Fortune favors the bold!'" Roy said, channeling the defiance of his youth, oblivious to the waves of attention washing over him.

"Did your dad also tell you that you have to have something to back it up?" the blue-haired girl said, smirking.

"Uh, well, yeah... but he also said-"

Before he could finish, Liam's voice boomed across the café. "What's going on here?"

Roy's heart dropped as he turned to see Liam striding toward him, flanked by two of his imposing friends. The laughter died down, and a tense silence enveloped the room.

"Uh, nothing much! Just a friendly game of cards!" Roy said, his voice steady, a flicker of anger igniting within him. "I mean, who doesn't love cards, right?"

Liam's eyes narrowed, scrutinizing him. "You're not from around here, are you?"

"Actually, I just transferred-uh, from... an art school! Yeah, I'm a major in... card design! I mean, art design!" He felt the sweat bead on his forehead as he stumbled over his words, but his simmering irritation kept him grounded.

"Interesting," Liam said, his smile a mix of curiosity and suspicion. "Let me see your cards."

Roy's mind raced. He couldn't reveal his hand; the stakes were too high. "Oh, these? They're just-uh-my personal collection!"

Liam's friends leaned in closer, sensing the tension. "Looks like someone's hiding something," one of them sneered.

"Yeah? Well, if you want to play games, then let's play. I'm not afraid of a little confrontation," Roy shot back, his voice steady and filled with indignation.

A tense silence filled the air, and just as he feared Liam would retaliate, the fire alarm blared through the café, red lights flashing and chaos erupting around them. Students scrambled to their feet, but Liam's gaze remained fixed on Roy.

"Let's finish this later," he growled, and with that, he stormed off, leaving Roy standing there, heart racing and mind whirling.

"Nice save!" the blue-haired girl said, still grinning. "You really know how to handle yourself!"

Roy smirked, feeling the adrenaline coursing through him. "Yeah, just another day in the life of a... student."

As the crowd funneled toward the exits, Roy knew he had to find a way to keep his cover intact. But as he slipped out into the sunlight, the looming presence of Liam Ferretti hung over him like a storm cloud, and a gnawing feeling told him that this was just the beginning of a much more dangerous game.

Just as he stepped outside, he was ambushed by a group of girls who had been watching him from the café. "Oh my gosh, you're the new guy, right? You're so mysterious!" one of them squealed, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

"Mysterious? I'm just trying to keep my head down," Roy replied, irritation creeping in.

"Can we take a selfie with you? You look so cool!" another girl chimed in, bouncing on her heels as if she were at a concert.

"Look, I'm not really into pictures or... whatever this is," he said, trying to brush them off, but they were relentless, moving closer and practically circling him.

"Oh come on! Don't be such a grump!" one of them teased, and Roy felt the heat of anger rise within him. He hated this attention, the superficiality of it all.

"Grump or not, I'm just a student here. I'm not looking for a fan club," he said, his tone icy, but they giggled as if he'd said something charming.

"Maybe you're just playing hard to get!" one girl exclaimed, winking at him, and Roy clenched his jaw, his patience wearing thin.

"Seriously, just back off," he snapped, cutting through the laughter like a knife.

As he pushed through the crowd, he could hear their chatter behind him, filled with admiration and speculation. "He's so mysterious! I love a bad boy!" one girl exclaimed.

"Bad boy? No, he's just... cold," another said, and Roy couldn't help but feel a surge of indignation. Cold? He was a lot more than that; he was a Mathew.

With a newfound determination, he straightened his hoodie and walked forward into the chaos. He might be out of his element, but Roy Mathew wasn't going to let anyone-especially not Liam Ferretti or an army of overzealous girls-stand in the way of his mission. If anyone thought they could intimidate him, or distract him, they had another thing coming.