Alessia
I didn't know how long I stood there searching until I heard Elena call my name from the bar. I forced my attention away from the people by the bar and returned to her, slipping behind the counter just as she leaned in with a sigh.
"Leona, how do we come up with rent?" she asked, her voice low. "The landlord said tomorrow is the deadline, and your share is the only thing left."
I cursed under my breath. I had been too busy to even remember that rent was due. Elena had told me about it last week, but between my job at the club, keeping an eye out for Marco Montenegro, and trying to survive, it had completely slipped my mind.
Elena and I had met three years ago when I stumbled onto the streets with nowhere to go. She helped me, despite us being strangers, and we became inseparable after that. She was the closest thing I had to family.
That was why I hesitated when she brought up her second job again.
"Leona," she started, a knowing smile tugging at her lips, "how do you feel about coming with me to 'The Velvet Crypt' tonight?"
I let out a short laugh. The Velvet Crypt—a name so ridiculous it had to be a secret. And it was. Under the disguise of an elite auction house, it was where the wealthy, the powerful, and the wicked Mafia elites gathered to bid on rare treasures, weapons, drugs, and sometimes even human beings.
Elena had been working there for a while now, constantly inviting me to come. Until now, I had refused.
Tonight, though, something felt different.
I was in the mood to explore.
"Elena," I murmured, considering. "You still going to The Velvet Crypt?"
She grinned like she had already won, which she did.
"Finally, you wanna go?" Then she smirked. "Mulch will be there."
Mulch. The Russian boyfriend Elena had been raving about for months, the one she met at the auction. She had told me all kinds of things about him, some of which I was still trying to wrap my head around. If her descriptions were true, he was a terrifying but strangely charming brute, and honestly? I was curious to finally put a face to the name.
By the time the club closed for the night, we were already getting dressed. Elena insisted on something bold, dark, daring, and dangerously revealing. Heavy makeup. A mask. The kind of look that would make us blend in while standing out just enough.
By the time we arrived, it was clear this was no ordinary gathering.
Luxury cars were piled up along the entrance, their engines still warm as their owners disappeared inside. Armed guards flanked the massive doors, scanning each guest before letting them through. When Elena and I approached, they barely spared us a glance before checking us and nodding for us to proceed.
Inside, the air was filled with cigar smoke and the scent of whiskey.
Strippers draped in thin silks danced in masks, their bodies moving to the slow, sensual rhythm of music. Men in expensive suits leaned over dark booths, murmuring deals that would never see the light of day.
This was Dante's kind of party.
I didn't doubt that if I looked closely enough, I'd find him here.
A waiter passed by, handing us our own masks. Black and sleek, designed to shield just enough while maintaining the illusion of mystery. I slipped mine on, adjusting the straps before following Elena deeper into the chaos.
"There," Elena whispered, pointing toward a dimly lit corner. "That's the best spot in the house. Mulch booked it for us."
I nodded, but my eyes were already scanning the room, my senses on high alert.
A place like this where power and sin mixed so freelywas dangerous, anything could happen at any time. But it was also the perfect hunting ground.
I had no doubt that Marco Montenegro would show his face here eventually.
"Elena," I murmured, "how often does Marco come to these auctions?"
She gave me a look before sighing.
"Not as often as he used to. After what happened two years ago, he became more careful. But he will be here tonight."
That sent a chill through me. I wonder what happened two years ago.
Before I could respond, a low voice interrupted us.
"Elena," a thick Russian accent rumbled. "You made it."
I turned, and there he was—Mulch.
He was exactly what I expected and somehow even more intimidating.
A tall, broad shouldered man in his dark suit. His beard was neatly trimmed, but there was something feral about him, something untamed in the way he moved. Tattoos snaked down his arms, peeking out from under the sleeves of his white shirt.
He grinned at Elena, his gold tooth glinting under the low light.
"Ah, and you must be Leona." His sharp blue eyes pinned me in place. "Elena speaks of you often."
I raised a brow. "All good things, I hope."
He chuckled, stepping closer. "Mostly."
Elena rolled her eyes. "Don't scare her off, Mulch. She's here to enjoy herself."
He gave her a knowing look before turning back to me.
"You came on an interesting night, little one."
I stiffened. Little one? I didn't like nicknames.
But before I could dwell on it, a bell rang through the hall.
The auction was starting.
We slipped into our seats, and I watched as the first item was wheeled onto the stage. A rare painting, something stolen, no doubt.
The bidding started immediately, but I wasn't focused on that.
I was focused on the man across the room.
He was watching me.
I could feel it, an unsettling feeling pressing against my skin.
I turned my head slightly, and for a split second, I caught a glimpse of his face before he disappeared into the crowd.
A chill ran down my spine.
I had spent three years in hiding, three years crafting a new life.
But something told me…..
That they was a play tonight.
As the bidding continued, the lights dimmed for the next item. The crowd murmured in excitement. The auctioneer's voice rang out.
"Next up, a special guest. A rare beauty, hidden for years…"
I frowned, a strange sense of unease washing over me.
Then the curtains parted.
And the woman standing on the auction block…
Looked exactly like me. The old me.