Tonight.
The word lingered in my head like a promise… or maybe a warning.
I leaned back in my chair, eyes half-lidded as the memory replayed without permission.
Luna Gambino.
Standing there in that conference room like she owned the air everyone else was breathing. Calm on the outside. Fire underneath. The kind that doesn't scream—
—but burns.
"Edible," I muttered under my breath, a faint smirk pulling at my lips.
Adorably angry.
The way she held herself together… even after last night.
Even after me.
Most women either leaned in… or backed off.
She did neither.
She stood her ground.
That alone made her dangerous.
And interesting.
Very interesting.
I exhaled slowly and dragged my focus back to the desk in front of me. Papers. Numbers. Deals. Control.
Things that actually mattered.
Unlike her.
…Right.
My jaw tightened slightly at the thought, and I picked up the file in front of me, flipping it open with practiced ease.
Germany.
A small operation. Or at least, it was supposed to be.
Now it was starting to smell like betrayal.
Pathetic.
I skimmed through the reports, piecing it together quickly. Missing shipments. Altered numbers. Someone thought they were smart—
—or thought I wasn't paying attention.
A mistake.
A very expensive one.
A quiet knock broke through my thoughts.
I didn't bother looking up. "Come in."
The door opened.
Familiar footsteps.
I smiled faintly. "Well, look who decided to show up in daylight."
"Hi, fucker," Xander's voice came easily, amused as always. "Good to see you too."
I leaned back, finally glancing up as he dropped into the chair across from me like he owned it.
Alex didn't speak.
He never did much.
Just moved to the window, hands in his pockets, watching the city like it personally offended him.
"Thought you two were allergic to sunlight," I added dryly.
Xander chuckled. "Only when there's nothing interesting going on."
He slid a thick file across the desk toward me.
"I got what you asked for."
I didn't touch it immediately.
Didn't need to.
I already knew what it was.
"Our future sister-in-law," he continued, tone just slightly teasing now. "Full history. School, habits, preferences… everything."
A pause.
"And Adrian Gambino."
That made my fingers finally move.
I pulled the file closer, opening it without hesitation. Pages of information. Clean. Organized.
Predictable.
Unlike her.
Xander watched me carefully, one leg crossed over the other, studying my face like he was waiting for something.
A reaction.
He didn't get one.
"What?" I asked without looking up.
He snorted. "You tell me."
I flipped a page.
Luna's name stared back at me.
Achievements. Failures. Gaps.
Interesting gaps.
"Zane," he added, leaning forward slightly now, voice losing some of its humor. "If she's your future fiancée… why not just ask her what you want to know?"
I paused.
Just for a second.
Then continued reading.
Because asking her directly would be too easy.
And Luna Gambino…
…was not a woman who gave easy answers.
"She wouldn't tell me the truth," I said finally, voice flat.
Xander raised an eyebrow. "And you think paper will?"
I smirked faintly. "Paper doesn't lie. People do."
Alex finally spoke from the window, his voice low. "You're not looking for information."
Silence stretched for a moment.
Then I closed the file.
"Be careful," he added, not turning around. "You're starting to sound interested."
That made me laugh.
A short, humorless sound.
"Interested?" I repeated. "In a Gambino?"
I stood up slowly, buttoning my suit jacket.
"Don't be stupid."
But even as I said it—
I remembered the way her breath hitched this morning.
The way her fingers moved to her lips.
My mark.
Yeah.
Definitely not interested.
A sharp knock hit the door again—this time urgent.
Before I could respond, it opened.
One of my men stepped in, slightly out of breath. "Boss."
My expression shifted instantly.
Back to business.
"What."
"Shipment from Hamburg," he said quickly. "It didn't arrive."
I went still.
The room changed.
Xander straightened slightly. Alex turned from the window.
"Explain," I said quietly.
"They… intercepted it," the man continued. "Our own people. They switched sides."
A slow exhale left me.
Not anger.
Not yet.
Just… confirmation.
"I see."
I walked around the desk, each step measured.
Controlled.
"Where are they now?"
The man hesitated.
That was his first mistake.
"We tracked them to one of the docks—"
"Which one."
"Pier 17."
I nodded once.
Then looked at Xander and Alex.
"Looks like we're going out."
—
The dock smelled like salt, rust, and bad decisions.
Night had already started to settle in, shadows stretching long across the empty space. Perfect place for betrayal.
And consequences.
I stepped out of the car, adjusting my cuffs as my men spread out around me.
There they were.
Three of them.
Nervous.
Good.
They should be.
One of them stepped forward, trying to look brave.
"Zane—listen, we can explain—"
I didn't let him finish.
The gunshot echoed sharp through the air.
He dropped instantly.
The other two froze.
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Final.
I lowered the gun slightly, tilting my head.
"That was your chance," I said calmly.
The second one panicked, reaching for something—
Another shot.
He fell.
The last one didn't move.
Smart.
Very smart.
"Please," he said, voice shaking now. "We—we just needed money. That's all—"
I walked closer.
Slow.
Deliberate.
"Then you should have asked," I said softly.
I stopped right in front of him.
Close enough to see the fear in his eyes.
To feel it.
"Because now…" I added, almost gently, "you've made it personal."
The final shot was quieter.
Or maybe the world just went silent.
For a moment, no one spoke.
No one moved.
Then I handed the gun back to my man like it meant nothing.
"Clean it up."
Business.
Simple.
Done.
—
Back in the car, the city lights blurred past the window.
But my mind wasn't on the docks anymore.
It drifted back—
To her.
Luna.
The way she said "That meant nothing."
I smirked faintly, leaning my head back.
"Keep telling yourself that," I murmured.
Tonight was going to be interesting.
Because one thing was becoming very clear—
This wasn't just business anymore.
And neither was she.