A Dance with Danger

Chapter sixty-One

>>Tiberius POV<<

The walk to Dante’s private office is quick, the urgency of the message pulsing through my veins. Estelle is right beside me, her presence a constant weight I don’t want to shake. I can feel her eyes on me, watching me with the same intensity that I’m watching the door ahead of us. Her fingers are gently toying with the wedding ring on her finger, the subtle movement a reminder of what we’ve already committed to. 

It’s strange, almost surreal, how something so permanent could feel so fleeting. 

I push the thought aside as I reach the door. 

Dante’s office is tucked away from the rest of the party. The moment we enter, the thick, heavy silence settles around us like a blanket. The tension is palpable, and I can almost taste the fear hanging in the air. Dante’s already sitting at his desk, his chair tilted back slightly, his fingers laced together as he studies us. Cecily’s there too, standing near the window, her arms crossed tightly over her chest as she stares out into the night. 

Dante’s gaze flickers to Estelle before meeting mine. He doesn’t say anything right away. He doesn’t need to. 

“I take it this is important?” I ask, keeping my tone even. 

Dante takes a slow sip from his glass, his eyes never leaving me. “You could say that,” he finally responds, setting the glass down. “We have a problem.” 

Estelle moves to sit beside me, and without thinking, I pull her into my lap, a smooth movement that feels so natural now. She tenses for a moment, but then relaxes, her body sinking against mine as she continues playing with her wedding ring. 

I don’t let go of her, my hand resting on her thigh as I let my mind focus on the conversation. 

Dante watches us, his lips curling into a smirk as if he finds the whole scene amusing. But his amusement doesn’t last long. His expression hardens, and he leans forward in his chair. 

“The shipment, Tiberius. It’s gone.” 

I raise an eyebrow, my grip on Estelle tightening just slightly as the words settle in my mind. “What do you mean it’s gone?” 

Dante exhales, frustration evident in his voice. “Exactly what I said. The shipment—everything we were waiting for—vanished. No one knows where it is, and worse, no one knows who took it.” 

My stomach twists at the implication. This isn’t just a botched deal; this is a betrayal. Someone has crossed us. 

“I don’t care if it’s in the hands of a rival faction, Dante. Find it. Now,” I say, my voice low and commanding. 

Estelle’s fingers still against her ring as she watches the exchange between Dante and me, her eyes flicking back and forth. She knows how to stay out of the way when it’s business, but the tension in her posture speaks volumes. 

“I’ve already had eyes on the ground,” Dante continues, his voice calm but with a dangerous edge. “The problem is, whoever took it knows exactly what they’re doing. It’s a calculated move.” 

Cecily, who had been silent until now, turns toward us. “Do you think it’s one of the families?” she asks, her voice steady, but there’s a sharpness in her eyes. 

I glance at her, contemplating the question. The possibility is there—one of the families might have tried to get a jump on us, but if that were the case, we would have known by now. 

“No,” I answer, my voice cold. “They’re too sloppy. Whoever took it is smart. They’ve covered their tracks.” 

Dante leans back in his chair, rubbing his temples as if the situation is more than he can handle. “That’s the problem. I don’t know who to trust.” 

Estelle shifts slightly in my lap, her fingers now tracing the smooth surface of her ring as if the simple action soothes her. I glance down at her, but she’s focused entirely on the conversation. 

“Do you have anyone you suspect?” I ask, my gaze locking onto Dante’s. 

He pauses, considering, before nodding slowly. “There’s one name, but…” 

“What name?” 

He hesitates again, before finally speaking, his voice barely above a whisper. “Roman Vasilyev.” 

The name hits me like a blow to the chest. Roman. The man who had been all over Estelle not long ago. The man who clearly had an agenda, even if he tried to play it off as harmless flirting. 

I can feel Estelle’s eyes shift to me as the name settles between us. The tension in her body grows as she picks up on my reaction. Her fingers have stopped moving on her ring now, and I can tell she’s holding her breath. 

“Roman?” I repeat, my voice hard. 

Dante’s lips curl in a slight, bitter smile. “He’s been making moves, Tiberius. I’ve seen him talking to the wrong people. He has ties to some unsavory individuals in the underground network. He could be the one who took the shipment.” 

“Or he could be setting someone else up,” I reply, my mind already working through the possibilities. 

Estelle shifts again, sitting up in my lap, and I don’t stop her. She’s watching me intently, her gaze flicking between me and Dante. 

“I don’t trust him,” she says quietly. Her voice is low, but the words are sharp, cutting through the room. 

I glance at her, her hand still resting on her ring. “I know.” 

Her expression softens slightly, but there’s still a hint of concern behind her eyes. “Do you think he’s really capable of something like this?” she asks. 

I don’t want to answer her directly because I don’t want to show her just how far Roman could be willing to go. But she’s not stupid. She knows the game. 

“It doesn’t matter if he’s capable,” I finally say, my voice cold. “What matters is if he’s guilty.” 

Cecily takes a step forward, her eyes narrowing as she studies us. “And if he is?” 

I look at her, my gaze hardening. “Then we make sure he doesn’t play us again.” 

Dante nods, his expression tense. “We’ll need to move fast. If Roman has our shipment, he’s already a step ahead. We can’t let him get away with it.” 

I look down at Estelle, my fingers brushing against the back of her hand as she continues to play with her ring. I can feel the weight of her gaze on me, her worry palpable. 

I tighten my hold on her, shifting slightly so she’s fully settled in my lap. “We’ll handle it,” I say, my voice firm. 

Estelle looks up at me, her eyes softening just a little as she exhales. “I don’t like this, Tiberius. I don’t like it at all.” 

I press a kiss to the top of her head, feeling the tension between us ease, even if just for a moment. “I know. But we don’t have a choice. This has gone too far.”