Chapter 1 - The Unexpected Guest
Nina froze entirely as Alex Mancini stood in her doorway.
He looked too large for the narrow, peeling hallway of her Dorchester walk-up building.
His dark eyes dragged slowly down the length of her body.
He took in the deep wine color of the satin pajamas.
He noticed her bare feet pressing nervously into the scuffed hardwood floor.
A terrifying mix of severe embarrassment and raw adrenaline flooded her veins.
"Mr. Mancini," she managed to choke out.
"Alex," he corrected her smoothly.
He stepped across the threshold without waiting for an actual invitation.
He closed the heavy wooden door behind him with a quiet click.
The metallic sound of the deadbolt sliding into place made her breath hitch in her throat.
"You cannot be here," Nina whispered frantically.
"You explicitly said you were waiting for me," he replied.
His lazy half-smile was absolutely devastating up close.
"That was a massive mistake meant for my friend," she explained, her face burning hot.
"I know," he said softly.
Nina blinked in utter confusion.
"You know?" she asked.
He reached into his tailored suit jacket and pulled out his phone.
"Sariah is not just your harmless best friend, Nina."
"She is the youngest daughter of my family's biggest rival in the Boston syndicate."
Nina shook her head, completely unable to process his ridiculous words.
"Sariah works in digital marketing," Nina argued defensively.
"Sariah works for her father," Alex countered.
He walked slowly past her toward the small living room window.
The scent of his expensive cologne mixed with the cheap air of her apartment.
He carefully peered through the gaps in the plastic blinds.
"She convinced you to take this accounting job at my company to spy on me."
"I am not a spy!" Nina yelled indignantly.
"I am just a junior accountant trying to pay rent."
Alex turned to face her with a deeply grim expression.
"Then why were you reviewing the encrypted offshore accounts at four in the afternoon?"
Nina felt her stomach drop to the floor.
Those specific financial files were heavily restricted.
She had only opened them because Sariah had sent her a strange email link claiming it was a funny meme.
"Sariah sent me a link to open," Nina admitted weakly.
Alex swore violently under his breath in rapid Italian.
He suddenly lunged across the small living room with terrifying speed.
He slammed his hand against the wall switch, plunging the apartment into complete darkness.
"Get down on the floor!" he roared.
He tackled her hard onto the cheap area rug.
Nina gasped as the heavy weight of his muscular body pressed her firmly into the floorboards.
She looked up in sheer terror.
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A bright red laser dot was slowly crawling across her living room wall.
The deadly dot moved steadily through the darkness until it rested directly over Nina's racing heart.
