Chapter 2 Chance Encounter

The girl was a little annoyed.

I'm this pretty — shouldn't that count for something? And he's actually charging me.

"Deal. Just get rid of them for me." She agreed quickly.

A group of suits closed in around them.

"Sir, I'd advise you not to make trouble for yourself. You don't want to mess with the Adams family." The lead man's face was tight with barely contained anger.

Nathaniel kept his expression neutral while quietly sizing up everyone around him.

Old habit from his days as a hitman.

He could read a person's threat level just from how they carried themselves — their posture, their words, the way they moved.

These guys were classic gym-rat bodyguards.

The type that looked intimidating but would fold like extras in an action movie.

Nathaniel ignored him and looked down at the girl still gripping his arm.

She caught on immediately, straightened up, and said in her most composed voice, "Cameron, watch how you talk to my boyfriend."

"Ms. Adams, this isn't something to joke about." Cameron said flatly.

"Since when do I need to report my love life to you?"

"Mr. Adams will be very displeased." Seeing Leah Adams hold her ground, Cameron softened his tone slightly. "You know what this engagement means to the Adams family. The Calvino family is already on their way. If you refuse tonight, it creates problems for the whole family."

"The Calvino family?" Nathaniel spoke up suddenly.

Everyone turned to look at him.

"You mean the Calvino Furniture family?" There was a faint amusement in his voice.

Cameron's expression shifted.

In New York's underworld, "Furniture family" was a code. The Calvinos had a monopoly on high-end furniture imports along the entire East Coast — but everyone knew those shipping containers weren't full of sofas and mattresses.

"Who exactly are you?" Cameron's eyes turned sharp.

"Her boyfriend. Does that clear things up?" Nathaniel drew Leah closer to his side and took her hand in one easy, natural motion.

"Ms. Adams, you can't just tell an outsider about these things." Cameron looked like he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Leah blinked.

"The point is, I have a boyfriend. Keep pushing me and you'll regret it."

Cameron took a slow, deep breath, clearly fighting to keep his temper in check.

The men behind him were already cracking their knuckles. The tension in the alley spiked.

"Sir." Cameron said each word deliberately. "I'll say this one last time. This is Adams family business. Walk away now, and we'll pretend none of this happened."

"And if I don't?"

"If you don't," Cameron paused, "you might not fully appreciate the Adams family's reach in Brooklyn."

Oh, Nathaniel understood it perfectly.

As the husband of the Mafia Queen, he had a clear picture of every power player in the world.

In the US alone, there were nine super-conglomerates that dominated entire economic sectors, plus five dynasties with deep political roots going back generations.

The Adams family didn't come close to making that list.

They were a third-rate outfit at best.

Which was exactly why they were in a position where they had to practically sell Leah off to the Calvinos — a family that made its money smuggling contraband.

"I'd like to find out." Nathaniel replied, calm and unhurried.

"You might not know much about me either." He continued. "My greatest quality is that I take very good care of my girlfriend."

Leah's face went bright red. She hugged his arm tighter.

She really loved this feeling — a man who made her feel completely safe.

"You—" Cameron's patience finally snapped. "You're looking to die."

He stepped forward.

Then stopped.

Because somehow, without anyone noticing, Nathaniel's hand had come to rest on his shoulder. The gesture was light and casual — the kind of easy pat between friends.

But Cameron's face froze instantly.

His shoulder felt like it had been caught in a vice. He could hear the faint sound of his own bones grinding.

He tried to pull away and found he couldn't move at all.

A primal fear took over his body, the way prey freezes when a predator locks eyes on it.

"Let me be clear," Nathaniel's voice dropped low, low enough that only Cameron could hear. "You brought eight men tonight. If this turns into a fight, most of you end up in the hospital. Then you go back and tell your boss that some unknown man got involved. Your boss will send people to look into me. It'll cost time, money, and manpower. And in the end, you'll find nothing."

He let go.

The pressure vanished.

Cameron stumbled back two steps, his face tight with humiliation. The men behind him had no idea what had just happened and were still itching for a fight.

"Who are you?" Cameron said through clenched teeth, his hand already on his gun.

"Go back and tell your boss," Nathaniel cut him off, "that his daughter has a date tonight and won't be home for dinner. We'll come by another time to apologize in person."

Cameron stared at Nathaniel for a full five seconds.

Then he did something that left every one of his men stunned — he turned around, waved his hand, and said quietly, "Let's go."

"Cameron? We're just leaving?"

"We're not bringing Ms. Adams back?"

"I said let's go." Cameron repeated, his voice cold and flat.

He could tell. Nathaniel was dangerous.

Besides, the alley was too narrow. If a fight broke out and Leah got hurt, they'd be in far worse trouble.

After a moment's thought, Cameron decided the smart move was to report back to his boss first.

The group pulled out of the alley like a dark tide receding, their footsteps fading into the distance.

Leah stood there with her mouth slightly open, eyes wide.

"How did you do that?" she stammered. "You didn't even hit him. You just... touched him."

"The art of communication." Nathaniel said casually.

"The art of communication?"

"Right. Talk to people nicely and the world stays peaceful." He bent down, picked up the black backpack from the ground, dusted it off, and slung it over his shoulder. "Alright, temporary boyfriend mission complete. That'll be five hundred dollars."

"Five hundred dollars!" Leah exploded. "You said like one sentence!"

"It was the right sentence." Nathaniel held out his hand. "You pay for expertise. Price is firm."

Leah glared at him.

He looked back at her.

Three seconds of standoff.

Leah pulled out her wallet, counted out five hundreds, and slapped them into his palm.

Nathaniel glanced at the bills, folded them, and slipped them into his pocket.

"Thanks for your business. Need anything again, you know where to find me." He turned and headed toward the end of the alley.

"Wait!"

Nathaniel stopped and glanced back.

"Who said you could leave?"

"The job's done." Nathaniel shrugged.

Leah pouted. "Five hundred dollars doesn't buy that little, you know."

"Oh?" Nathaniel's mouth curved slightly.

"You have to spend the night with me at least!" Leah grabbed his arm again without giving him a chance to argue.

Nathaniel laughed. "Leah, spending the night with me costs a lot more than five hundred dollars."

"More money again? I've never even had a boyfriend before — you should be doing this for free!" Leah said, looking genuinely put out. "What if I stay with you for the day and then they come after me again once you're gone?"

Nathaniel thought about it. She had a point.

"Since it's your first time, I'll give you the discount rate."

When Nathaniel agreed, Leah couldn't hide how happy she was.

She thought her friend had been completely right.

Don't go for a guy who's incredibly sweet from the very start — that can be faked.

But always go for a good-looking one, because looks can't be faked.