I’ll Ruin You

[Bianca]

The moment our eyes locked, my entire body tensed. I knew instantly who he was—the same twisted, masked figure from last night. The man responsible for the bruises I'd hidden beneath my uniform, and now he was here, smirking at me like this was all some dark joke.

"You..." My voice came out in a low hiss, and his gaze narrowed with recognition. Keith, seated across, shifted uneasily, trying to stand, but Dante held up a hand, silencing him with an iron glance. They weren't equals in this relationship—that much was clear.

All I wanted to do was wipe that smug look right off his face. I swung my fist, aiming right for his perfect, punchable jaw. Before I even got close, he caught my fist in midair and pulled me straight up to his lap without letting go. His face was close now, so close that I could feel his breath, low and steady against my cheek.

"Bianca," he murmured in an undertone that sent shivers down my spine. "You're going to keep last night to yourself, aren't you? If not... well, I'd hate for you to lose more than just your job."

I swallowed hard, my heart racing painfully as his grip tightened just enough to remind me he held all the control here—he'd casually threatened my life and I didn't have a comeback. "Do you understand?" he murmured, each syllable controlled as if he enjoyed watching my fear. Too rattled to do anything else, I managed a small nod, but my heart was racing, and every nerve screamed at me to get as far away from him as possible.

I could feel his bulge swell underneath me—was he aroused by my fear? That would be disturbing...

"Good girl," he whispered with satisfaction, his grip loosening on my arm just enough for me to realize my other hand had landed on his chest. And wow. Beneath the crisp shirt, his muscles were solid and warm, the outline of each one pressing against my palm. He really did work out...a lot. For a fleeting moment, the smell of his cologne and the warmth of his chest almost felt soothing.

Until that is, he shoved me off him roughly, his expression all business. I landed awkwardly, my hip colliding painfully with the marble floor. Dazed and humiliated, I pushed myself upright, massaging my side.

Keith finally spoke, his tone vaguely curious. "Do you two... know each other?"

"Not at all," I replied swiftly, my gaze darting to Dante, who only looked down at me coolly as if I were no more than an insect.

"Not in the slightest," he added, that familiar smirk playing on his lips. My cheeks burned, but I managed to force my face into neutrality as I rose. Serving customers was a job that had to do with patience—especially when they were powerful enough to make you wish you'd stayed unemployed.

I looked at his now-ruined suit, forcing myself to offer, "Let me cover the cost of dry cleaning." After all, I wasn't as broke as I'd been yesterday.

Dante dismissed the offer with a scoff. "It's hardly worth it. I'll throw it out." He pushed himself up, adjusting his coat as he turned to leave. "Besides, I've lost my appetite."

I clenched my jaw, resisting the urge to hurl the tray at his head.

Keith sighed, casting a mournful look at his barely touched meal. "Really, Dante? You're just going to leave me here starving?" He tossed a few bills on the table with a dramatic sigh, muttering something about wishing he'd ordered lunch instead before he finally got up to follow his companion. As he reached the door, he turned back and flashed me a hopeful grin, mimicking a calling gesture with his hand and winking before disappearing after Dante. Now that I took a good look at him, he was likely younger than me, maybe in his early twenties.

Kids these days...

I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself as I started cleaning up the mess. My hands were still shaking, and the thought of Dante's arrogant smirk made my blood boil.

"Bianca," Cassie's voice cut through my thoughts, her tone irritated. "You didn't hear me calling you?"

I looked up, holding back a groan. Cassie was giving me her classic 'I'm-too-good-for-this' look, her hands on her hips. "The manager wants to talk to you," she said plainly.

Great. Just great!

The conversation with the manager went about as well as expected. He sat me down, his expression grim, his fingers steepled as he lectured me on 'professionalism' and 'respecting the clientele.' I stood there, nodding along while internally screaming. There was no use arguing; I knew exactly how this would end. When he finally said the words, "We're letting you go," I bit my tongue to hold back a sarcastic response. I'd hate to ruin Grayson's friendship with the manager in a bid to save my ego.

I couldn't believe that bastard had reported me the moment he stepped out. Didn't he have any bit of compassion?

By the time I left his office, not only was I jobless, but the meager pay I'd earned today had been docked for 'damages.' Fantastic. Just the cherry on top of a flawless day.

As I trudged out of the restaurant, I barely resisted the urge to kick the door on my way out when it caught my sleeve. I shoved my hands into my pockets, grumbling to myself as I made my way home. "Should've punched him anyway. Or at least spilled something worse."

When I finally made it to my apartment, I was drained and in an even worse mood. My empty, silent apartment greeted me, the faint hum of the fridge the only sound. Not exactly the warm, supportive atmosphere I needed after a day like this. It made me think of the days when I had a dog. Unfortunately, he was given out for adoption when I got sick. My family didn't want him—just as they'd never wanted me.

"Fuck them," I mumbled, taking off my shoes.

After getting comfy, I pulled out my phone alongside the business card Keith had handed me. Like hell I would actually call such an obvious pervert. I didn't blame him though, seeing the type of company he kept.

I typed out his full name in my browser and after roaming through a few results, the familiar face of Dante popped up.

"Well well," I grinned, settling into the bed as his full name popped up and hitting the search button, "Let's find out who you truly are, Dante Wentworth."