Falling for the Mafia Boss
Theo
T he aroma of coffee hits me the moment I step into the shop, a haven of warm lighting and cluttered tables filled with people who look like they have nothing to worry about. Civilians are the kind who think the world’s a peaceful place… so long as they don’t look too closely.
For most of them, it is.
I scan the shop, automatically mapping the exits and mentally cataloging each face. I don’t expect my target to walk in here anytime soon, but I need the lay of the land. Luca insisted this was the best spot to get eyes on him, a man who doesn’t know he’s being watched. The stakes are high enough to put me on edge, though you’d never know it to look at me. I keep it cool, always .
The coffee shop is quaint, full of all the rustic charm and vintage décor one could want, though it’s a little too cheerful for my taste. But it’s the perfect place for a low-profile meet-up. Nobody here would think twice about a guy with a brooding stare in the back corner. Or at least, that’s what I thought.
Until she walks in.
I’m half-hidden behind a newspaper—an old habit I haven’t kicked—watching the door for my target. Instead, she barges in, chatting animatedly with the barista, her voice louder than anyone else’s. The other customers are silent, latte-sipping zombies, but this girl practically glows with energy.
She even waves at a random stranger on her way to the counter.
I huff under my breath and go back to scanning my paper, ignoring her. But then, a faint whiff of something sweet and floral hits my senses. I lower the paper, and there she is—standing right in front of my table, eyeing the empty chair across from me like she’s about to sit down.
My eyes sweep over her, taking in the fiery red hair, which is let down in loose curls and covers pale, ivory-exposed shoulders. She’s draped in a floral off-shoulder dress that hugs her ample chest and flares from her waist. Azure eyes stare down at me, swirling with both green and blue as if confused about which color to choose.
I clear my throat. “Occupied.”
She stops, her eyebrows shooting up. “Oh, sorry! Are you waiting for someone?”
“Yes.” I want to make it clear that I’m not interested in further conversation.
But instead of moving on, she grins. “Ooh, mysterious. Are you meeting a date? Or maybe someone even more interesting? ”
I scan the café, trying to find another less conspicuous spot—preferably farther from her. But every table is filled, and she’s still here, her eyes on me like I’m some sideshow attraction she’s dying to dissect.
I narrow my eyes. “That’s none of your business.”
She doesn’t flinch. If anything, she seems amused. “Chill, it’s a small town, stranger. People talk to each other here. You should try it sometime.”
I offer a tightlipped grin.
“Is that supposed to be a smile?” She laughs, an irritatingly melodic sound that grates on my nerves. “You look like you’re about to murder someone.”
I clench my jaw. If you only knew .
This girl is like sunshine in human form, bright and annoying. I’m about to brush her off when the barista calls her name. “Sierra, your chai latte’s ready!”
She waves at the barista, then looks back at me. “Guess I’ll leave you to your intense brooding. Good luck with whatever undercover operation you’ve got going here.”
I raise an eyebrow, but she’s already bouncing away to grab her drink. Shaking my head, I pull my attention back to the door. This place shouldn’t have distractions—especially not the human tornado variety.
Luca clearly didn’t do proper research.
I feel a tap on my shoulder as I return to my headspace. Sierra is back, smiling that same annoyingly friendly smile.
“Hey, Mr. Serious,” she says, leaning way too close for comfort. “Would you mind watching my stuff? I’ll be right back.”
Before I could say no, she plopped her bag down on my table and dashed off to the bathroom, leaving me staring at a floral monstrosity covered in pins and patches. I sigh, counting the seconds until I can leave this place—and her—with my sanity intact.
A minute later, she’s back, reclaiming her bag and grinning like she’s just pulled off some brilliant scheme. “Thanks, Theo,” she says, nodding at the name scribbled on my coffee cup.
I blink. “How did you—?”
She shrugs, still smirking. “Guess I’ve got a knack for figuring people out. Theo, huh? Nice to meet you. I’m Sierra.”
I don’t reply. Instead, I lift my coffee, taking a long, deliberate sip, hoping she gets the message that our conversation is done.
But, of course, she doesn’t.
“So, Theo,” she says, leaning one hip against the table like we’re old friends. “What brings you here? You don’t exactly look like the artisanal coffee type.”
“Observant, aren’t you?”
She grins, unphased by my sarcasm. “Well, I try. Besides, you kind of stand out. The whole ‘dark and brooding’ thing doesn’t exactly scream ‘community café vibe.’”
I don’t know what’s worse—that she’s completely disregarding my clear lack of interest or that she’s got a point. But I can’t help it; her grin is infectious, and before I realize it, my mouth is moving before my brain can stop it.
“Maybe I just like the coffee.”
She laughs—a sound so bright it’s almost blinding. “Yeah, right. And I’m here to study quantum physics.”
“Maybe you are.” I shrug, not letting her off that easily.
She laughs again, rolling her eyes. “I can barely do basic math without breaking a sweat. Physics would be my worst nightmare. But hey, I’m impressed that you’re attempting this whole ‘small talk’ thing. See? It wasn’t so bad, was it?”
I shake my head, a smirk slipping through despite myself. “You’re relentless, you know that?”
Her smile widens, and she leans closer like she’s sharing a secret. “So I’ve been told. But seriously, you need to lighten up a bit. Life’s too short to sit around looking like you’re plotting world domination.”
If only she knew.
The door swings open just then, and my target enters right on schedule. I force myself to focus, glancing at my watch and making note of his position in the café. But Sierra doesn’t seem to get the memo, her voice cheerfully cutting through my mental calculations.
“Oh! You’ve got that intense look again!” she says, waving a hand in front of my face. “You know, there are other ways to channel all that… uh, intensity.”
My gaze flickers to her. She’s leaning so close I can see the top of her breasts. Yes, there are certainly other ways to channel all that intensity.
I glare at her, whispering through gritted teeth. “I’m working.”
She quirks an eyebrow, not fazed in the least, sizing me up with her gaze. “‘Working?’”
“Yes,” I hiss.
“Well, I’ll leave you to your ‘work,’ then,” she says, raising her hands in mock surrender, but her smirk gives her away. She thinks this is a game.
Something about her attitude irritates me. It seems as if she’s mocking the seriousness of my world with her complete disregard for anything serious.
I force my eyes back to my target, trying to shake off her laughter echoing in my head.
Sierra finally heads back to the counter, leaving me alone at last. I focus on the target, tracking his movements as he orders a coffee and sits near the front. I’ve done this a hundred times—observe, assess, and wait for the right moment. Easy.
Except it isn’t easy with Sierra still lurking nearby, her voice carrying across the café as she chats up the other patrons. I can’t help but catch snippets of her conversation, her laughter. And despite myself, I glance over, just to make sure she’s really gone.
Big mistake.
She catches my eye, smiles wide as if we’re best friends, and waves at me from behind the counter. It’s like she has a sixth sense for ruining my concentration.
I nod back stiffly, hoping that will be enough to pacify her. But then she does something I never would’ve expected. She picks up a to-go cup, grabs a marker, and starts scribbling on it with a mischievous grin. My stomach drops as she walks over, setting it down on my table with a flourish.
“There you go, Theo. Thought you might need a refill, considering how serious you looked over there.”
“What’s this?” I ask, keeping my voice neutral.
She shrugs, arms crossed over her chest. “A peace offering. Or a bribe. Take your pick.”
I stare at the cup, then back at her, unimpressed. “Why would I need either?”
“Because you look like you’re about to snap someone in half, and I’m the unfortunate soul who had to deal with it.” She gives me a playful grin, leaning one hip against the table as though she has all the time in the world to chat. “So consider it my way of saying, ‘Relax, Mr. Mysterious. The world isn’t out to get you—at least, not in this coffee shop.’ ”
Her words strike a nerve, but I don’t let it show. Instead, I reach for the cup, wrapping my fingers around it without lifting it to my lips. “And what if the world is out to get me?”
Her smile falters, if only for a split second. She shifts, and her lighthearted tone wavers. “Then maybe you’re hanging around the wrong places.”
I don’t answer.
I lift the cup, and my jaw tightens. She’s drawn a little cartoon of a scowling face, complete with furrowed eyebrows and steam coming out of its ears. Below it, she’s written, “Lighten up, Mr. Mysterious!”
This woman is either fearless or completely clueless. I’m leaning heavily towards the latter.
I exhale slowly, gripping the cup. “Do you normally harass your customers like this?”
She grins, entirely too pleased with herself. “Only the ones who look like they’ve never cracked a smile in their life.”
I clench my jaw, willing myself to stay calm. Normally, I’d shut down this kind of interference in seconds, but something about her ridiculous cheerfulness—not to mention her total disregard for personal boundaries—throws me off balance.
“Thanks…” I say, my voice laced with sarcasm. “Just what I needed.”
She flashes me a thumbs-up like she’s just done me the biggest favor in the world. “Anytime, Theo. Don’t be a stranger!”
I watch her walk back to the counter, shaking my head. Somehow, in the span of ten minutes, she’s managed to worm her way under my skin like no one else has. To make matters worse, my target has noticed our exchange and is now glancing my way with a curious look.
I turn back to my coffee, mentally cursing her for risking my cover—if not my patience as well.
But just when I think I’ve finally gotten rid of her, she strikes again, calling out to me from across the room with way too much enthusiasm. “Hey, Theo! Next time, try the cinnamon roll! Best in town!”
Several heads turn, including my target’s. He eyes me suspiciously now, clearly wondering who this “Theo” character is and why the loudest person in the café is suddenly so invested in his pastry preferences.
I glare at her, and she just winks in response, completely oblivious to the fact that she’s jeopardizing my mission. Or maybe she just doesn’t care.
By the time I’m back to focusing on the job, my target is getting up, checking his watch, and making his way toward the door. This meet-up has been a disaster, but I can’t let him leave without at least getting a read on him. I’m about to make my move when Sierra’s voice chimes in again.
“Bye, Theo!” she calls, giving me an exaggerated wave as my target exits. “Don’t forget to smile!”
As he leaves, he throws one last wary glance over his shoulder. I exhale sharply, realizing I’ve lost him for good.
And all because of her.
Once the door swings shut, I stand up, ready to speak with this walking ray of sunshine who has single-handedly sabotaged my operation.
Sierra is wiping down the counter, humming to herself like she doesn’t have a care in the world. As I approach, she looks up, startled, and a grin spreads across her face. “Well, if it isn’t Mr. Mysterious himself. What can I do for you?”
I lean in, lowering my voice. “Do you have any idea what you just did? ”
She bats her lashes at me, feigning innocence. “Oh, did I ruin your brooding session? So sorry, Theo.”
“This isn’t a joke,” I growl. “Some of us actually have work to do, and I don’t appreciate being turned into a circus act.”
She crosses her arms, arching an eyebrow. “Maybe if you didn’t look like you were plotting someone’s untimely demise, I wouldn’t have felt the need to intervene.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose, forcing myself to stay calm. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Then enlighten me.” She shrugs, completely unfazed. “I’m all ears.”
I stare at her, tempted to say something that’ll wipe that smirk off her face. But somehow, I sensed that nothing I could say would break her composure. She’s either oblivious or fearless; I don’t know which is worse.
Finally, I straighten, exhaling. “Just… stay out of my business.”
“Fine.” She holds up her hands in surrender, though the smirk remains. “But if you ever need another coffee, you know where to find me.”
With that, she turns on her heel and saunters back behind the counter, leaving me fuming—and oddly unsettled.
I glance down at the cup she left me with, that ridiculous cartoon face staring back at me.
She may think she’s won this round. But one way or another, I’ll get the last laugh.
As I head out, I catch her reflection in the café window, laughing with her coworkers, completely oblivious to the fact that she’s made herself the last person I want to run into again—and the first person I can’t seem to forget.
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