"Mafia's African Rose

Alexio

The room air with a tension thick enough to cut with a knife as I sat across from Viktor. His presence was an unwelcome reminder of the past, a constant itch I couldn't scratch. We were supposed to discuss guns and drug transportation, the lifeblood of our operations, but all I could think about was the distraction lurking just outside.

"Let's get down to business," I said, my voice steady despite the simmering anger beneath the surface. "Our shipments have been delayed. What's the deal?"

Viktor leaned back, a sly smile dancing on his lips. "You know how it is, Alexio. The longer the wait, the better the payoff. But I'll need more manpower if you want this to run smoothly."

"Manpower? You think I'll hand over my men just to line your pockets?" I shot back, my patience wearing thin. I despised his arrogance.

He shrugged, casually inspecting his manicured nails. "You need this alliance just as much as I do. With our combined forces, we could dominate the entire East coast.

I didn't give him the satisfaction of a reply. Instead, I kept my gaze steely, letting my silence speak for itself. But then, a sudden splash disrupted the air breaking through the tension as water scattered across the stone tiles. I looked up—and there she was.

Angel.

She stood in the pool, drenched, water streaming down her bare skin, her dark bra and panties clinging in ways that left little to the imagination. Every gaze in the room was locked on her, hungry, predatory, and I clenched my jaw as she slowly registered us, her eyes going wide.

The look on her face was priceless—innocent and flushed, lips parted as if she'd been caught stealing. I knew what she was doing. Reckless as always, acting without a care. She apologized and turned, rushing toward the edge, and with every hurried step, her ass moved in ways that had the men groaning under their breaths.

My Dick twitched at The sight of her—flushed, unaware of her power over the men—ignited something in me. My jaw tightened as I shifted in my seat, aware of my own reaction. The way every man looked at her, the way Viktor's gaze lingered a little too long, stirred a deep, simmering anger.

drawled, his eyes alight with interest. "Is she for
sale?"

I felt my fists clench. "No." The word came out cold, leaving no room for further questions.

"Oh, how I'd love a taste of that pussy," one of his men muttered, Both Viktor and I turned our coldest looks on him, and he shrank back, muttering apologies as I let my gaze burn through him. The room went silent, no one daring to look at me, Viktor's expression hardening.

The meeting wrapped up without bloodshed, a rarity I didn't expect. Viktor extended a hand, his lips curling into that arrogant smirk that made me clench my jaw. "Brother," he taunted, as if he didn't know I hated the title. I accepted his hand, the grip cold and dismissive.

As soon as they left, Leon turned to me, that damn smirk on his face. "You really kept your cool there," he remarked, leaning against the table. "I thought for sure someone would end up with a bullet between the eyes. All over a certain maid."

I gave him a cold stare. "I never lose my cool, Leon. And certainly not for her."A slave.

Leon raised a brow, smirking. "Mm. A maid that seems to get away with far more than others around here."

I let out a frustrated hiss, dismissing him. He was one of the few who could push my buttons and get away with it, but I didn't need the reminder. Angel was nothing—just a reckless girl in a game she didn't understand.

But that smirk lingered, and so did my irritation.

I paced the length of my office, forcing my mind back to the matters at hand. Austin stood nearby, waiting patiently, running through details of the latest shipment. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop thinking about a certain dark-skinned girl with that fierce look in her eyes and a reckless way about her that defied my every expectation.

Her image crept into my mind, her laugh echoing somewhere in my memory. Angel—innocent, careless, yet somehow rooted in my thoughts, like she was etched in my mind.

"Boss?" Austin's voice pulled me back to the present, though the girl lingered, stubborn as ever.

"Yes?" I snapped, catching the glint in his eyes that hinted he knew more than he should.

"Third shipment arrives Friday," he continued, but even as he spoke, I could feel the restlessness eating away at me, every fiber of my control fraying.

I clenched my jaw, willing myself to regain focus. Maybe the solution was simple: I just needed to fuck this distraction out of my system, to rid myself of whatever hold she had on me. I'd done it before with others; this would be no different.

But as Austin left and I was alone again, I couldn't deny it: she was different, and the thought of letting her go wasn't quite as easy as I wanted it to be.