Chapter 64 *

Chapter 64 Chapter 64
Angelina’s POV
Monday morning. Early. The school gates were still relatively quiet.
I adjusted my backpack on one shoulder and headed toward the entrance. Spirit Week started today—Sports Day. Most students were wearing athletic gear, getting dropped off by their parents.
A black van pulled up to the curb about twenty feet away from me.
Three men stepped out. All wearing black. They had that look—the kind that said they'd seen the inside of more than one police station. Tattoos visible on their necks. Thick builds. The type of guys you'd cross the street to avoid.
But I didn't cross the street.
One of them locked eyes with me and started walking over. The other two followed a few steps behind.
"Excuse me. You Aria Sterling?" the first one said. He was the tallest, maybe six-five, with a shaved head and a scar running down his left cheek.
I stopped walking. "Depends who's asking."
"Name's Garrett. I work for Mr. Wu. Victor Wu. You know who that is?"
"Never heard of him," I said.
Garrett smiled. It wasn't a friendly smile. "Right. Well, Mr. Wu would like to have a word with you. He's the boss of Blackwater Cartel. Won't take long. We'll have you inside before the bell rings."
I glanced at my phone. Fifteen minutes until first period.
I'd been planning to find Victor Wu eventually anyway. This just saved me the trouble.
"Lead the way," I said.
Garrett raised his eyebrows slightly. Like he'd expected me to argue or run. "This way, then."
The other two guys flanked me as we walked to the van. Some students were staring. I didn't care.
Garrett opened the side door.
Inside the van sat a man. He was huge. Not tall—but built like a brick wall. Mid-forties, Chinese, with a buzz cut that had gone gray at the temples. Square face, sharp angles. A scar ran from his left eye down to his cheekbone. His nose looked like it'd been broken more than once. Dragon tattoo peeking out from his shirt collar on the right side of his neck.
His hands rested on his knees. Knuckles covered in old scars.
He looked up when I climbed in. Then he smiled—wide, open, totally at odds with his appearance.
"Aria Sterling! Robert's niece, right?" He stuck out his hand. "Victor Wu. Pleasure to meet you."
I didn't take his hand. "I don't shake hands with strangers."
Victor's smile didn't waver. He lowered his hand. "Fair enough. Cautious. I like that."
I sat down on the bench across from him. Garrett closed the door but stayed outside.
"You've got five minutes," I said. "Four now. I need to get to class."
"Straight to business. Also like that." Victor leaned back. "I'll be quick then. I've heard about you. Word travels fast in certain circles. Taking out twenty-some rogues by yourself? That's impressive."
I said nothing.
"My son's got business in Wyoming over Thanksgiving break. Creek Pack territory. Their Alpha, Cory—he and I have history. Bad history. I'm concerned about my boy's safety."
"You want a bodyguard."
"Smart girl. Yeah. I want a bodyguard. Someone who can handle themselves if things go south. You're clearly capable."
"How much?"
Victor blinked. "Straight to the point."
"You said you'd be quick."
"Right." He rubbed his jaw. "Half a million. That's more than fair for a week's work."
I frowned.
"That's low."
Victor's smile froze. "Low? Kid, that's double what most bodyguards make in a year."
"I'm not most bodyguards."
"No, you're not. But half a million is generous."
"Give me a discount," I said. "Ten million."
Victor's eyes went wide. He actually sucked in a breath. "Ten million? Are you out of your mind?"
I watched him. Waited.
"That's insane," Victor continued. "Nobody pays that much for a bodyguard. I could hire a private military company for less than that."
"Then hire them."
"I—" He stopped. Stared at me. His face was turning red. "You're serious."
"Dead serious."
"Kid, I don't think you understand how this works. Ten million is—"
"You can pay me in other ways," I interrupted.
Victor closed his mouth. His eyes narrowed. "What other ways?"
I leaned forward slightly. "Partner with me."
"Partner?"
"All your legal front operations. Bars, nightclubs, strip clubs, the legitimate businesses you use to launder money. Give me full management control. I run them. I make the decisions. Hire who I want, fire who I want, expand how I want."
Victor stared at me like I'd grown a second head.
I knew how this sounded. A teenager demanding control of a criminal empire's legitimate assets. But it wasn't as crazy as it seemed.
Someone who could take out twenty-plus trained killers alone? That was rare talent. Worth investing in. And handing over the legal operations to an outsider? That actually made sense for him. Less exposure. Less risk. If things went wrong, he could cut me loose and let me take the fall.
Plus, he'd be locking down a top-tier killer for the long haul. That had value he couldn't put a price on.
And in the underworld, recognizing talent and knowing how to use it—that was what separated real bosses from pretenders. If Victor could control someone like me, it would boost his reputation. Proof he knew how to handle dangerous people.
"You keep fifty percent of the net profits," I continued. "Non-negotiable. You also keep veto power on anything involving territory disputes or major negotiations with other organizations. You can place your own people in key positions—finance, security. And all the illegal operations stay yours. Drugs, weapons, loan sharking. I don't touch those."
"You're a high school kid."
"I'm also the person you came looking for."
Victor rubbed his face with both hands. "Jesus Christ. You're serious about this."
"I am."
"You think you can manage a criminal enterprise? You think you know how to run nightclubs and casinos?"
"I think if you had someone better than me, you wouldn't be sitting in a van outside my school asking a teenager for help."
Victor's hands dropped. He stared at me.
I glanced at my phone. "Twenty seconds left. What's it going to be?"
"You really think I'm desperate enough to agree to this?"
"I think your son's life is on the line. I think Creek Pack is dangerous. I think you wouldn't be here if you had better options."
Victor let out a long breath. He looked at the ceiling of the van. Then back at me.
"Fuck," he muttered. "All right. Fine. I agree."
"Good." I grabbed my backpack and opened the van door. "Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Wu."
I climbed out.
"Wait," Victor called after me.
I turned around.
He was leaning forward, elbows on his knees. "How did you know I'd say yes?"
"Because if you could find someone better than me, you wouldn't be asking a high school girl to protect your son."
Victor opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. Nothing came out.
"See you around, Mr. Wu," I said.
I walked toward the school entrance.
Behind me, I heard Victor say quietly, "Jesus Christ."
The bell rang just as I stepped through the doors.