Chapter 11
Arcane
“How’s the mission going?” Mr. Valenti’s words cut through the tense atmosphere of the conference room, where I sit hidden in the shadows, eavesdropping on the meeting unfolding.
One I should be attending, yet one I didn’t even know was happening until I saw the Garcías enter the perimeters of our manor.
Since the Valentis are working with the Garcías, Antonio called a meeting between the two families to discuss important business matters. It’s the first-ever official meeting between them in a conference room, with everyone attending.
Everyone except me.
It infuriates me to my core, forcing me to clench my fists from the overwhelming emotions raging within me, or else I’d do something stupid like punch the locker I’m hiding inside. A plant right outside covers some of my view, but I only need to listen.
I didn’t think they’d discuss these matters, but of fucking course , the criminal families in this world don’t call in for meetings without reason. The skin breaks underneath my fingertips with the force with which the anger radiates through my body. It’s a smoldering one that brews underneath my calm exterior.
“It’s going great,” a darkened voice erupts in the room.
As usual, he hasn’t taken off his helmet, face obscured by it, and veils his identity from prying eyes. It makes me wonder if I’ll ever get to see the face behind the mask.
Why do I even care?
Mr. Valenti arches an eyebrow at Viper when he steps forward, obviously not believing him. Has Alec betrayed me? Divulged to his father that I’ve failed to cooperate with Viper on our missions?
The mere thought causes a heavy feeling to settle in my gut, its weight dragging me down as my muscles tense involuntarily. I feel like a helpless rabbit caught in a cage while waiting for any of the wolves to realize I’m here. Out in the world, I’m thriving, being the she-wolf, but I stand no chance against a room filled with two of the most dangerous criminal families in this town.
“Has it now?” Mr. Valenti voices his thoughts, a look of distrust in his eyes. “Because it has come to my attention by my associates that you and Ms. Grimaldi haven’t collaborated on these preparations.”
I grit my teeth until the muscles in my cheeks spasm from the pain at the mention of my former surname, causing hatred to erupt within me. He fucking gave me the Valenti name to protect me. I’ve been with them for the other half of my life, fighting my ass off to prove myself and my worth. Wasn’t that enough?
I close my eyes, steeling myself for the explosion to erupt when Viper reveals he hasn’t worked with me at all—mainly because I’ve been keeping him out of this. Do I regret it? Fuck no.
A strange stiffness momentarily grips Viper’s posture at the mention of the Grimaldi name, but it quickly dissipates, and he relaxes. He sighs, facing Mr. Valenti head-on, with the rest of the Garcías positioned behind him. The room bristles with tension with everyone on high alert, surrounded by security guards.
Seeing Viper here and not his father raises questions within me about a possible leadership shift, making me wonder what I missed regarding the García cartel.
“That person must have the wrong information because we’ve been working very closely.”
It’s not just his composed demeanor that gives away his nonchalance; it’s the unhurried shift of his weight from one foot to the other, as if lying to another mafia boss is nothing to be bothered about.
“Do you have any proof of this?” Mr. Valenti asks after one minute of thick silence.
“On June twenty-eight, at midnight, was the time for the congregation between the Grimaldis at the Ivanovas,” he reveals, voice unwavering, like a solid wall of confidence. “You wanted me as a business partner, and here’s my deal. Both families are working together, and the proof is in this hard drive. It contains written documented plans, complete with time stamps, discussing the forthcoming delivery scheduled in five days.”
He allows his words to hang heavy in the air as if we’ve all been sucked underneath a suffocating blanket. Mr. Valenti’s hand twitches, the only indication of his distress and a sign that this is the first time he’s heard about this. No one knew about the Ivanovas—another of the five ruling families in Penumbra Crest— conspiring with the Grimaldis, and no one knew they had moved up the date for the car to be delivered to their dock.
Viper holds up the drive, but right as Mr. Valenti tries to snatch it out of his hand, Viper throws it toward another male behind him. The resemblance between the other man and Viper’s father, Louis García, is uncanny, with the same shape of nose and eyes. They must be siblings.
“I’d like a personal meeting with Arcane to go over the information within this drive.”
My pulse beats harder at the way he pronounces my name, his voice so dark and masculine, with an alluring tone that could trap anyone.
“Speaking of which, why isn’t Arcane here?” He looks around the room, tilting his head as he stares at Mr. Valenti, who clenches his fist at the obvious disrespect.
“That’s none of your business. This is a meeting for us men,” he seethes through his teeth.
Viper tilts his head. “And yet, you allow a woman to take over a heist as important as this.”
There’s something about his words that doesn’t appear misogynist at all, and it fills me with a sensation I cannot quite make out.
“Don’t question me.” Mr. Valenti’s voice is deadly cold as he speaks, causing the rest of the Garcías to glance at each other.
“I’ll make it clear for you, Benjamin Valenti.” Viper’s voice carries a sharp edge. “When I ask for something, I shall receive it. I expect Arcane to meet me by the docks tonight, and then she can share the details of this hard drive with you. If she refuses or fails to comply, this information will stay buried, and we’ll have the upper hand.”
My breath hitches at the silent threat in his words. How the fuck did he come across those files?
Of course . He stole the schematics before I had the chance. Dammit! I’d been searching for those a while ago, to get my hands on their detailed plans and logistics for their delivery with the seller of the car that has the drive, but Viper had beat me to it.
The meeting soon dies out as both families turn to leave the conference with a formal goodbye. I wait for a few seconds, making sure no one is inside the room before I slip out of the locker. The cramped space has left my body aching from the uncomfortable position in which I sat.
Opening the locker, ready to get out of there and think of my plan on how to proceed next, I’m suddenly met by a hard, solid wall where I should be able to roam freely.
Shock renders me motionless as I stop in my tracks, looking up through thick eyelashes. It’s not a concrete wall; it’s a wall of muscles, defined underneath a dark shirt. My heart is a frantic bird attempting to escape my chest as I meet shadowed eyes behind the tinted helmet. Despite the obscured features, it’s as if his intense gaze pierces through.
“Tsk, tsk. Little angel, spying on a conference she wasn’t invited to,” Viper remarks with a tinge of disapproval and amusement, crossing his arms over his chest which accentuates the bulging muscles beneath. And those damned veins. The sight of his tattoos adorning his arms like sleeves is undeniably captivating, and I feel myself staring at only them for a brief moment.
He’s the same height as me, but with me crouching down, he towers above me. A swift breeze of his scent washes over my senses and trails to my nostrils, something leather-like mixed with an earthy cologne. I swallow hard, trying to fend off the effect of his closeness. Despite my efforts, his gaze feels directed at me, as if I’m the sole focus of his attention, hating every second of it.
“Get out of my way,” I say when I notice he’s blocking my escape from the locker.
I remain crouched, muscles straining from the position. All he does is look at me, amusement littering his features. It’s in the subtle tilt of his head, the way his posture exudes a relaxed confidence. He doesn’t move out of the way.
“Get the fuck out of my way,” I growl, trying to push past him. It doesn’t work at first, but then he finally lets me go, and I’m out of the locker.
Yet the moment I’m ready to get out of there, he traps me between the wall and his body, standing like a lethal force before me. His scent is more prominent now and seeks its way into my soul. How he stares at me causes flutters in my stomach, creatures with sharp wings whose sole mission is to slice me dry, leaving me to die alone in my misery without any mercy.
I’m ready for him to strike me for disobeying the rules and codex of our criminal world. Don’t ever spy on a meeting. Anyone else who’d been in my position would have been executed immediately. Doesn’t he have the stomach to do it? I’ve seen and heard how ruthlessly he kills people; he’s unforgiving in his ways.
“What are you doing here, little devil?”
I’m trapped in his presence, a spell bewitching me in place and rendering me helpless against this criminal man in front of me. Why didn’t I carry a gun when I decided to spy on this meeting? A weapon would’ve given me leverage, a means to force him out of my way.
Feeling daring, I reach out to remove his helmet, and to my surprise, he doesn’t stop me. As my fingers brush against the surface, my heart quickens its pace in anticipation. But it’s short-lived as I discover the balaclava mask underneath, concealing everything except his deep brown eyes and lips.
He smirks at me, before stroking my cheek, eyes remaining unwavering with a relentless intensity. As I move my head away, his hand follows, grazing against my skin even when I don’t want it to.
His upper body presses against mine, and I feel the brush of his leg. A moment of silence passes as his thumb delicately traces my lip as if savoring every tingling sensation. I’m locked in a trance, rendered speechless and unable to utter a word, as if I’m an outsider from another planet.
His thumb continues its gentle exploration of my lip, and before my brain can understand anything, his leg nudges my own in a subtle move.
Shock fills every feature as my eyes widen, struggling to grasp what’s going on.
“What are you doing?” I blurt out, my voice tinged with disbelief and apprehension.
He doesn’t say anything, merely continuing to graze my lips, as if his movements enthrall me. My pulse beats fiercely, the rush of blood drowning out any other sound. But amidst the pounding in my ears, I hear the change in his breath as it becomes heavier, huskier somehow.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I repeat, trying to shift away from him.
All of a sudden, his lips meet mine, and I realize it’s one meant to devour, slaughter, and annihilate, never to be tender or caring. He connects with me in a bruising kiss, his teeth grazing my lips until he sinks them down, biting. I feel the tang of metallic, knowing he bit down, drawing blood.
I’m too shocked to do anything, too captivated by the enchanting kiss to comprehend the turn of events. I barely know him, and yet I allowed him to kiss me. The realization sends a jolt of confusion and apprehension through me, but I’m powerless to resist the allure of his embrace.
The rivaling family’s second-born son.
The Viper García.
When I try to push him away, he only kisses me harder as his hand finds my neck, anchoring me in place. His thigh presses against my clit above the skirt, igniting a wave of pleasure that makes me lose myself as I forget about my surroundings. Pure pleasure washes over me in ways I never wished for, a primal hunger within that begs to be touched and devoured, as the depraved piece of my soul has wanted. Though I resist returning his kiss, when he bites down on my lips again and leaves a stinging sensation, I’m compelled to surrender my soul to the devil before me for the taking.
Moving his thigh, he rubs against my throbbing clit, almost causing my eyes to roll back, but I quickly recover. For a second, I swear I feel him smirk against my lips, but I dare not open my eyes, afraid that this daydream will end.
Without a second thought, too lost in myself, I find myself recklessly grinding against him while seeking that tiny piece of pleasure I haven’t felt for years. A subtle—ever so silent—hiss of breath escapes me, which only spurs him on.
His hand spans my stomach, slowly moving downward teasingly slow, as though committing me to memory. Then, his hand lifts my skirt, sliding my panties to the side before his cold fingers touch my aching clit once more, igniting a fire in me.
As his fingers breach my entrance, each deliberate thrust brings me to the edge of pleasure. It takes everything in me not to fall over from how my legs are trembling, leaning against the wall as if it were a lifeline. I cling to a semblance of strength, refusing to allow everything I’m feeling to show in my expression.
This is utterly fucked, but I can’t seem to get away.
“You like this, don’t you?” he breathes against my ear. “Your body betrays you. You’re going to come now like the little devil you are. Come for me.”
His last word is a growl, and before I know it, I’m coating his fingers with wetness, making them slick as I come undone, surrendering to the intoxicating sensations taking over my body. My limbs are trembling in the aftermath, the act causing me to pant heavily as I try to catch my breath.
As the haze of desire begins to lift, shock brings me back to reality. The fantasy I was momentarily lost in shatters, replaced by a torrent of anger radiating deep within.
My heart plummets to the pit of my stomach, and without a moment’s hesitation, I push him away with all my strength. Taken aback by the force of my action, he staggers back. The palpable intensity of my fury fills the air, evident like fuming waves.
“What the fuck was that?” I shout.
At this moment, I don’t care about the risk of anyone overhearing me. All I care about is confronting him, challenging his audacity for thinking he has the right to come into my fucking territory and do things like that.
The first intimate moment I’ve ever shared with someone since him .
The realization of it claws at my chest, making me want to tear out my chest because of it. My heart feels like a broken mirror within my chest, without any chance of saving.
Viper merely smirks in response, backing off with a promising glint in his eyes—a promise of retribution and something more sinister yet to come.
Despite the uneasy feeling gnawing at me, I can’t figure out what he’s up to. But I know that whatever it is, it’s deemed to be foreboding.