The Mafia Assassin's Fated Alpha

ront of me had thirty

t know t

athing becoming increasingly uneven. Behind him, the office door remained locked. Two security

ed everythi

st, I tho

raising both hands. "Whatever Marcel

ost l

they found themselves on the wrong side o

asting yo

toward the desk. "You don't eve

used against

rcello had given me the man's name, the building's layout, and a deadlin

dangerous in

anted to save his life. He looked more concerned

involved in

toward the dark

ught he was looking

he sm

t happened to the la

respond, the

ck split th

tely dark, but I didn't panic. I had been trained to move without relying on sight, to listen for changes

crossed

door

ghts finally flickere

the bla

un still raised, an

close enough to reach it before anyone c

as imp

hone

name appeared

red imm

escaped,"

ow

meone entered the room,

s a brie

en one assign

kno

centrated on completing it instea

ssion ti

id he

ve seen what happened, yet he spoke as tho

the drive

tes before the pol

all e

but the man's warnin

t happened to the l

is protection. Most never stayed long enough for me to meet th

er questi

about to

e service exit. Rain washed over my face as I stepped onto the

vibrate

ome to my offic

at the

d mission wasn't the

nly the

-

at made the property look more like a fortress than a home. Securit

n those walls for

e, and turned me into someone who could enter a danger

o called it

r known an

he main door bef

ing for yo

room smelled of leather, polished wood, and the expensive cigars he rar

ook up when

e the

bey

it

chair opp

interrupt. Don Marcello enjoyed making people wait, especially wh

e put the

hat happen

ut the man's final statement. I wanted to understand the wa

ished, he

become c

rget ha

ould have an

e known the lig

excu

my lips

rely mattered. There was always an

er the driv

N

ord caught m

ved a black folder, and

ssignment be

d at the

nig

e a problem

, s

ened

dark suit. He stood in front of a glass building,

printed benea

AN VA

new the name. He owned several companies, controlled investments across mu

sn't interested in

code was believed to be connec

cello w

he code cont

isn't necessary fo

eve something when I don't

to do what you we

ze har

the code and deliver it to me. I

ty d

assian's phot

e security

ccess, and a security chief named Adrian. Cassian

access will b

you'll find

ation about Cassian's residence, his daily schedule, an

ion had b

-IN

oked

me to ente

to retriev

a maid can ge

come whatever the s

the docume

ity system was too sophisticated to underestimate, an

e residence would have opportuniti

e the security arrangements, and identify wea

as r

the most pra

for the posi

leaned back

raised to make decisions based on your fee

ed the

derst

. Failure will n

ed the documents

he door, his v

more

urn

bout. If you discover something unusual, you rep

erst

fice without

corridor, the man's warni

to the last girl D

ertain that I didn't know

the quest

, and I intende

-

s penthouse with a small suitcase beside my feet an

ces had checked out, my employment records had been verified,

ad hired me

d worked exac

mo

ositioned at the corridor intersections. A guard stood near the elevator,

ful, expensive, and

to be a nightmar

a Vance?" a

Hayes, who held a tab

, ma

es. You will follow the household rules, respect the residents'

cour

ly before gesturing

ou your quarters and expla

mental note of every came

d a set of dar

ayes s

dy. You are not to enter unless he

d at th

aces I wanted to investigate, although I

stand,"

, and he has very little patience for

ued down t

eping my expre

dozen steps when a d

o abruptly that I ne

guard,"

urn

out of the p

s sleeves rolled to his forearms. His expression was unreadabl

e elevator straig

lowered

ned sl

n's appearance, even one as wealth

ed from Mrs.

ped on

t, neither

e, but the man standing before me was more intimidating in person. Somet

she?"

cleared h

r. The new maid

u not to h

shifted unc

pectedly, sir. I needed some

my instructions

. I only

idn't think car

in the corrido

shoulders had stiffened, and

uards had

nyone. Yet everyone around him behaved as though

fore, but there was something different abou

I felt an unfamiliar p

nore

n. Perhaps the tension of being in

refused to let it

d his attenti

ve you been

ted tod

e make some

iet, but the warning

not enter rooms you haven't been assigned to clean, and

s,

remaine

ay from my p

aze just enou

ourse

ickered acro

t, but I had spent years learning to notice

n't tr

en a l

her to her quart

s,

e and followed Mrs. Ha

ere out of his hear

always react that w

es glanc

structions to be followed. T

s quick, almo

not to p

re important thin

the household's routine, and find a way into Cassi

s, I couldn't shake the feeling that I had stepped in

t merely a wealthy man

g about him that I

, I wondered whether Don Marcello had deliberately ke

my grip on

days to retri

me distracted by question

Cassian Vanguard's pe

ind its locked doors might be