Falling for the enemy || 18+

CHAPTER 13 : PREY

I kept my face neutral as I stared at Eryx Cancio across the table. I had been trained for this, for meetings like this, where every word had a double meaning and every glance was a test of strength. But sitting across from him, I felt an unease that I couldn't quite shake.

He was even more intimidating up close than I expected. His presence was overwhelming, his gaze intense, and there was something about him that unsettled me. It wasn't just his reputation. It was the way he looked at me, like he could see right through me, as if he knew something I didn't.

But I couldn't let him see any weakness. Not now.

He wanted to know why I was here, why my father sent me. It was simple, really. A deal. A business transaction. Something **Alessandro** needed from him. But that wasn't the hard part. The hard part was keeping my composure around a man I had only heard stories about, a man who was dangerous and powerful in ways I couldn't fully understand.

Still, I was prepared for this. My father had taught me well. Keep your guard up, don't show fear, and never let them know what you're thinking. Eryx Cancio was just another opponent. An important one, sure, but still a player in a game I had been raised to master.

"Because you want to," I had told him, after he asked why he should listen to me. The words had been confident, controlled. But something in the way he looked at me afterward sent a strange chill down my spine.

He didn't respond right away, but when he finally did, his words were softer than I expected.

"I'll listen," he said, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "But not because of him. Because of you."

I felt the weight of his words settle over the table, and for a split second, I wasn't sure what he meant. Was he playing with me? Testing me? His tone was almost too personal, too intense for a simple business discussion.

Because of me? What did that even mean?

I narrowed my eyes, trying to read him. His face remained calm, but there was something simmering beneath the surface, something I couldn't quite put my finger on.

"Me?" I asked, keeping my voice steady, even though my mind was racing. "What does that mean, Eryx?"

He didn't flinch at the sound of his name. His eyes stayed locked on mine, unwavering. "It means I'm interested in what you have to say. I want to hear you out."

His tone was measured, but there was something else in it, something that made me feel like I wasn't just another person sitting across from him. It made me feel like he was seeing me as more than just Alessandro's daughter.

But that couldn't be right. This was about the deal, nothing more. He was too smart to be distracted by anything else. He had to be.

I folded my hands on the table, keeping my body language as neutral as possible. "If you want to hear me out, then let's talk about the deal."

For a moment, his eyes darkened, and I felt a flicker of unease pass through me. But he nodded, gesturing for me to continue.

Good. He was still playing along. I had to stay focused.

"Here's the situation," I began, keeping my voice calm and professional. "There's something my father needs. Something only you can provide."

He smirked, taking a sip of his whiskey. "Of course there is."

I ignored his interruption and kept going. "It's simple. My father has access to certain information you need. Information that could help you take down one of your rivals."

I paused, watching his reaction. Eryx didn't move, but I could see the gears turning in his head. He was calculating, always calculating.

He raised an eyebrow. "And what does Alessandro want in return?"

I held his gaze, refusing to back down. "He wants a partnership. A temporary alliance to take down a common enemy."

Eryx let out a low chuckle, and the sound of it sent a strange shiver through me. "An alliance? You expect me to trust your father? After everything?"

"No," I said, my voice steady. "I don't expect you to trust him. But I expect you to see the value in working together, if only for this one time."

He leaned back in his chair, swirling the whiskey in his glass, his eyes never leaving mine. "And you? Do you trust him?"

I hesitated for a moment, unsure of what he was trying to get at. "He's my father."

"That's not what I asked."

I clenched my jaw, hating that he had managed to make me hesitate. I didn't want to admit it, but his question struck something deeper than I wanted to acknowledge. Did I trust my father?

I didn't answer, and Eryx's smirk widened. He leaned forward, placing his glass on the table.

"I'll consider your offer," he said, his tone low and deliberate. "But I need something from you."

My heart skipped a beat. This wasn't part of the plan. "What do you mean?"

"If we're going to work together," he said, his voice calm but firm, "I need to know you're not just here to follow orders. That you have your own mind."

My brows furrowed in confusion. "Of course I do."

"Prove it," he said simply, leaning forward, his gaze locking onto mine with an intensity that made me feel like I was the only person in the room. "Make a decision. On your own. Show me that you're not just Alessandro's puppet."

His words hit me harder than I expected. I wasn't here to be tested. I was here to deliver a message, to negotiate a deal on behalf of my father. But the way Eryx looked at me, the challenge in his voice-it was like he was seeing through every wall I had built.

I was raised to be strong, to never back down, to always be in control. And yet, sitting across from him, I felt exposed. Vulnerable. Like he knew more about me than I wanted him to.

"What kind of decision?" I asked, my voice quieter now.

Eryx smiled, leaning back in his chair again. "You'll know when the time comes."

He wasn't going to make this easy. I could feel it. He was testing me, pushing me to see how far I could go. And I hated that part of me wanted to rise to the challenge.

I stood up, keeping my expression neutral. "I'll relay your message."

As I turned to leave, I could feel his eyes on me, watching every step I took. There was no denying the tension between us, but I couldn't let it cloud my judgment. I had to stay focused. This was just another part of the game.

But as I walked out of the bar, I couldn't shake the feeling that Eryx Cancio wasn't just playing by the rules.

And that made him more dangerous than I ever could have anticipated.