Chapter 18: 13| Kill-1

┏━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┓ Kill ┗━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┛ : Kill (Amara's POV) The last person I expected to run into at The Dove tonight was Anastasia and knowing why I was here, when she crept up on me the way she had, it scared the shit out of me. "I feel like I haven't seen you in ages," she said, taking the spot beside me and resting her arms on the counter. "Because you haven't," I replied pointedly, "last time I saw you was at Judas when you stopped by for some practice at the shooting range. You got a work call after that and disappeared." She blinked in realization. "Oh, that's right. Duty calls, what can you do?" She shrugged with a sheepish smile. I nodded in understanding. "Everybody can't be an FBI agent, right?" I asked. Her gaze narrowed. "Say it louder will you?" "I can barely hear myself over the music," I chuckled, taking a quick scan of the place, recognizing Dante once my gaze landed on him. My eyes drifted up the staircase he walked down and then up to the glass window that concealed the room behind it. I wonder if Tristan's here. It was strange but my body always seemed to sense his presence before I noticed him and something told me that he had his eyes on me tonight. I watched as Dante made his way over, the crowd parting to give him space like the goddamn red sea parting for Moses. "Thanks," Anastasia said to the bartender, reaching for her glass. Taking a spot behind her, Dante's arm stretched out in the small gap between Anastasia and me. He then proceeded to slide the glass out of her reach. A frustrated huff escaped her and her eyes rolled as she spun around to face him, leaning against the counter. "Mr. Rossi," she greeted coldly. "Ms. Vitalio," he mocked, "time to go." "How long have you been here? Watching me?" I watched the exchange between the two of them cluelessly. "Long enough to understand who I'll be working with." "Stalking, are we?" she asked, lifting a brow sharply. "Simply doing my research, Anastasia darling," he answered smoothly, his eyes cutting to mine. "Amara," he greeted. "Dante," I offered him a small smile. He glanced at my glass briefly. "I wouldn't recommend that," he said, shaking his head lightly and looking at the bartender. When his eyes shifted to the table in the corner where a group of men were, I knew precisely who he was looking at. "Then I won't," I told him. He turned his attention back to Anastasia. "If I must work with you, I'd prefer to do it while you're alive. I've heard enough stories to know you like getting yourself in trouble, Ms. Vitalio. Since we're helping each other out, I'm afraid I can't let you do that tonight." He looked at me briefly. "Your friend is out on a mission. Don't get caught up in it yourself." She turned to me. "You're following someone?" I nodded once. "Who?" The warning in Dante's eyes was enough encouragement for me to keep my mouth shut. "That's confidential." She huffed and turned to Dante. "Must you always-" "Yes," he cut her off sharply before grabbing her arm and pulling her out of the club altogether. Letting out a small sigh, I turned to the bartender and slid my drink back with a forced smile. "Changed your mind?" he asked with a grin. You're trying to drug me, you asshole. "I guess I did," I answered, rising to my feet and glancing across the bar at the table I came to target tonight. I had too much on my mind to work on the twenty-year-old case tonight so I figured I'd get productive with the Ambrose case. I was nearly done reading up the material when Mr. Ambrose himself called to tell me that the men hired to work with his opponent would be at The Dove tonight to exchange information about him. I didn't expect Mr. Ambrose to ask nicely if I could go investigate and to no surprise, he didn't. He just offered to pay me another five hundred thousand dollars. So here I was, diligently stalking my opponents at a club on a Saturday night. Taking in a deep breath, I walked over to the table, throwing my hair over my shoulders and maintaining the sway in my hips. "Gentlemen," I greeted, standing in the open space between the two of them. It was impossible to miss the unspoken communication between all of them with a simple exchange of looks. "Is it alright if I pull one of you for a dance?" I glanced at each one of them. They're already suspicious of me. They couldn't have known that I was tailing them, I bet they didn't even know who I was or what I looked like, let alone the fact that I was following them. Somebody definitely tipped them off tonight. I turned to the first man on my left. Surprisingly handsome. It's a pity I can't take him home tonight. "Will you dance with me?" I repeated. He set his glass down after taking a sip and briefly glanced at the man across from him for approval. Pussy. "As gorgeous as you look, Ms…?" "Adriana," I lied through a teasing smile. "I'm afraid I can't," he chuckled. "Why not?" I pressed, dropping a hand on his arm as I leaned into his ear and whispered, "are you scared?" Drawing back, I left bare inches between us. "Or do you not have permission?" I mumbled, holding his gaze without wavering. "Do we really need someone else's permission?" I smiled. He caved in. Sighing softly, he rose to his feet and grabbed his hand in mine. "Sorry boss," he said to the man sitting across from him, "can't say no to a pretty lady." "Jay," the man warned. "Come on boss," I sang, turning to the man, "don't make him say no to the pretty lady, hmm?" I laughed and glanced at the man over my shoulder as I let Jay lead me into the crowd until we found a spot. "Do you come to The Dove often?" he asked, leaning closer so I could hear him. "Only when I'm looking for a good time," I said, grabbing his shirt and pulling him closer. He laughed lightly. "What does a 'good time' look like for you?" I stepped back for a second and made a show of checking him out. "Tall, dark hair, black shirt," I paused, "pretty eyes and a pretty smile?" He grinned, taking my hand in his and spinning me around once. Pretty smile indeed. "What about you?" I questioned, "do I look like someone you'd have a good time with?" "Definitely," he nodded, "is this okay?" he asked, lifting his hands to my waist. Oh… oh no. He's too good to kill tonight. I nodded, "It's great." As we continued dancing, inch by inch, I began shifting closer to the exit of the club, taking him with me. Before I could suggest that we get some air, he spun me around, keeping my back against his chest. "You have no idea how much trouble I'm in tonight for dancing with you," he mumbled in my ear.