The First Encounter

Rome, Italy.

Souline's pov:

After Alliana and I finished eating, we ordered an Uber to take us to Kai and Carlos's place—well, their mansion. All of my hunger had faded after the meal, and honestly, that was a relief because at least I didn't starve or collapse from exhaustion. Now that we were both satisfied, we didn't have to keep up our "resting bitch faces" anymore. We looked calm and professional, just as we always do.

The drive to their mansion felt like it took forever. Their home was secluded, far from the hustle and bustle of the city, nestled in a vast, open area. Once we finally arrived, I was completely taken aback by the size of the place. The mansion was massive, with acres of land surrounding it. I couldn't believe how big it really was.

I glanced at Alliana, but she didn't seem as shocked by the size of the mansion as I was. Furrowing my eyebrows, I asked, "Do you not like it?" "Eh," she shrugged, stepping out of the Uber and grabbing her things. "Girl, you must be crazy if you don't think this place looks radical," I said. "I've seen better," she said, shutting the door behind her. We started walking toward the entrance when we noticed a few people outside, armed and standing guard. "What the hell is this?" I asked, completely confused. "Bodyguards," Alliana said.

"How are we supposed to get past them without getting shot?" I asked, worried. "Just tell them why you're here and hope we don't leave with a bullet somewhere in our bodies," she said, sounding way too calm. "How are you not scared?" I asked. "I've worked for delinquents. I'm used to this," she replied, as if it were no big deal.

We both walked toward the entrance, but two of the bodyguards immediately looked us over, and the others quickly surrounded us, weapons raised. "Who are you two?" one of them asked. "I'm Alliana, a lawyer, and this is my assistant, Souline. We're here for a meeting with Kai and Carlos," Alliana said, her tone calm but firm.

"Are you sure you two aren't prostitutes from a strip club coming here for hookups?" another bodyguard asked, and the rest of them laughed. I crossed my arms and shot back, "Nice of you men to judge two pretty females trying to be professional and help get your daddy out of legal problems." "Be realistic. We didn't fly all the way from Ontario to Rome just to help a mafia with their legal issues, only to get disrespected by egotistical bodyguards," Alliana said.

I watched as the bodyguards' cocky grins faded into pissed-off expressions. "What's the issue now? Mad because both of us corrected you? Have some respect," I said, eyeing them. "Now, for the love of God, can you guide us to our clients before I chop off y'all's cocks and feed them to you differently?" Alliana asked. The bodyguard's tough exterior cracked, their expressions shifting from anger to nervousness. "You two win," one of them muttered while unlocking the door. "Thank you," I said, stepping inside.

Alliana didn't respond; she just followed silently behind me. We entered the mansion and took in the vast interior; everything about it screamed excess. But then my attention shifted to something that caught my eye: a white fluffy cat staring at me. "Awweeeee," I cooed as I approached it. "How adorable," Alliana said, smiling at the cat.

"When are we going to get our pet?" I asked, gently petting the cat, watching it purr. "When we get a room for it," Alliana said. I stood up and stepped away from the cat. "Follow me, madams," one of the bodyguards said, motioning for us to follow as he headed upstairs. We trailed behind him, our footsteps echoing on the grand staircase.

The bodyguard knocked on a door, and a voice from inside called out. "Your guests are here, sir." "Let them in," came the deep voice. The bodyguard opened the door and ushered us into a spacious conference room. As I stepped inside, my eyes locked with a pair of brownish hazel eyes that seemed to pierce right through me.

His hair was neatly brushed back, and two silver piercings adorned his left ear. He adjusted his dress shirt under a tailored suit, his gaze never leaving mine. My thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Alliana's voice as she introduced herself, causing his attention to shift away from me.

"Hello, I'm Alliana Mercedes, and this is Souline Marie, the one you've been speaking to most on the phone," Alliana said, extending a hand to Kai. He shook it firmly, a polite smile on his face. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Mercedes and Ms. Marie. I'm Kai Rivera. Glad to finally meet both of you in person," he said, his tone warm and welcoming.

"Likewise," I said, returning the smile as I shook his hand as well. There was a brief moment where his eyes held mine, and I couldn't help but feel a slight tension in the air. "So... where's Carlos?" Alliana asked, breaking the moment. "He's changing right now, but feel free to make yourselves comfortable," Kai responded smoothly, nodding toward the seating area.

Alliana gave a small nod, settling into a chair beside the table. I followed her lead, pulling out my files, but I couldn't shake the feeling that Kai's gaze was still lingering on me.

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Rome, Italy.

Carlos's pov:

I was in my room changing when I heard Alliana and Souline had arrived as planned. Kai was already in the conference room with them. I quickly changed into my suit to look presentable and professional. Standing in front of the mirror, I adjusted my jacket, making sure everything was in place.

Once satisfied with my appearance, I left my room and headed toward the conference room. I knocked on the door before stepping inside, closing it behind me. "Good afternoon, and please pardon my tardiness," I said, offering a polite smile. Kai stood up and nodded, "It's okay." My gaze immediately landed on a woman with light brown hair and warm brown eyes.

She held some documents in her hands, and the watch on her wrist caught the light as it reflected off the mirrors on the walls. She was dressed sharply in a black skirt, a white top, and white and brown heels. "Hello, you must be Carlos Romano. I'm Souline Marie." Souline greeted me. I extended my hand for a handshake, smiling warmly. "Yes, ma'am, it's a pleasure to meet you." 

When Souline shifted to the side, I finally got a clear view of the woman standing next to her. She had long, curly hair, dark brown eyes, and full pink lips. Her curvaceous figure was concealed by a black skirt and a light brownish blouse. An ankle bracelet adorned one of her legs, while black matte heels added to her striking look. "You must be Mr. Romano," she said, holding out her hand. "My name is Alliana Mercedes."

I took her hand and smiled, "Nice to meet you, Ms. Mercedes." "Likewise," she said, returning the smile. Just then, Kai applauded, breaking the moment of introduction. "Well, let's get down to business," he said, taking a seat. I sat next to him, and Souline took her place beside Alliana. "First off, I just want to express my gratitude to both of you for traveling all the way from Ontario to Rome to discuss my case; your generosity means a lot to me," I said.

"No issue," Souline said. "You two did; I wouldn't exactly say the same about your bodyguards." I raised an eyebrow, confused. "What do you mean?" I asked. "Well, when we got there, your bodyguards labeled us as 'one of your prostitutes' and insulted us," Alliana explained. "I promise to speak with them later," I said, trying to keep the situation under control.

Both Alliana and Souline nodded in response. Souline then pulled out a few papers and laid them on the table. "So, should we start the case?" Alliana asked, her tone shifting to business. I grinned. "Yes, please," I said.