Silvija stood in the hallways just outside the private room, where a nerve-wrecking negotiation played out. Her position gave her a clear view of the door while allowing her to monitor for threats from either direction. Just her professional habit to never let her guard down.
With her arms crossed, she tapped her fingers against her bicep.
'What's taking so long? Did he…'
She forced herself to stop that thought. Dwelling on worst-case scenarios was unprofessional. Yet her mind kept circling back.
She'd built her reputation on honesty, on being a mercenary with a heart of gold.
But today, she felt like she betrayed her own code.
She had used Dante. Not entirely, of course. Her attraction to him was genuine. However, she couldn't deny the calculated reasons that had drawn her to him in the first place.
For one thing, he was incredibly resourceful. He somehow gathered key information on every major player in Manhattan and Queens, and he knew things he really shouldn't—about mutants, SHIELD, and even Emma Frost's telepathy. He simply knew too much.
Then there was his power. He outmatched her in almost every area. Today, she could defeat him using her vast combat experience. But give him a few weeks of proper training, and he'd wipe the floor with her. Not to mention his mutant powers, which were still a mystery. His ceiling for growth was high enough to make him a legendary figure in her line of work. Maybe even surpass it entirely.
And he wasn't pure brawn either, as he had seen through her intentions and made Emma Frost flinch with just a few words. Not an easy feat.
His character was what made him most enticing, though. Honest, sincere, and someone who wanted to live without a guilty conscience, and had a kind of integrity that was rarer than peace in her line of work.
All of these made him a husband candidate like no other, someone she was drawn towards like a magnet after he had taken her first kiss. After all, she was twenty-seven, and in her line of work, tomorrow was never guaranteed. If she was going to secure Symkaria's future, if she was going to have children who could make Symkari proud and carry on her father's legacy… it should be with someone who was powerful, intelligent, good-natured, and attractive.
Someone worthy.
Someone like Dante.
Unfortunately, she might not get the chance to let this relationship blossom into something real.
Emma Frost would have read these thoughts during their encounter earlier, and she would definitely use it to drive a wedge between them. To make him switch sides.
Silvija had taken countermeasures, of course. Like requesting a formal dance, showing him open affection like a real girlfriend, and making sure he knew she cared. She could only pray he'd trust her actions more than Emma's honeyed tongue.
She glanced at her wristwatch. Twelve minutes since Dante had entered, too much in negotiation time, especially when one party held all the leverage. Then again, he was up against someone who could literally read people's minds.
'He has trump cards that made him confident to confront Emma. It should be fine.'
Footsteps in the hall snapped her focus back. Relief flooded through her for half a second before dread replaced it.
Dante walked with his hands in his pockets. Not a single emotion could be seen on his face. No satisfaction of a hard-earned victory or the frustration of a defeat.
'That whore. What did she do to him?'
Silvija's fists clenched. If Emma had violated his mind and brainwashed him into forgetting everything, then she'd destroy Emma no matter what.
He stopped a few feet away and looked at her for several long seconds. Then his lips curved into a small smile. "She folded."
Joy exploded through her chest. Not because Wild Pack had one less enemy to worry about in this contract, though that mattered for her company and country. Because Dante overcame Emma's telepathy and returned to her.
He had chosen her.
Silvija closed the distance and threw herself into his arms. Her momentum should have been nothing to him since he'd taken full-force strikes from her. This time, he staggered backward, nearly losing his balance entirely.
Something was very, very wrong.
She pulled back slightly. He was biting his lower lip, and the slight tremor in his hands only raised her concerns.
"You…"
He shook his head and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Just tired… Act normal and take me home."
The words were casual, but she understood what he didn't say: 'We're still being watched. Get me out of here before I collapse.'
Silvija's training kicked in immediately. She put on a pleased smile, the kind a woman would wear when her lover achieved major success in his career. She slipped her arm through his, supporting his weight while making it look like casual intimacy.
"Come on, Dan-chan," she said softly. "Let's go home and celebrate."
She felt how much he was leaning on her. How the man who'd pinned her to the mat just hours ago could barely support his own weight.
They made it through the club without incident. Everyone was too busy to give them any attention. The winter air hit them as they exited. Dante sucked in a sharp breath, and for a moment, she thought he might collapse right there.
She quickly led him to the SUV and helped him into the passenger seat. He slumped into the seat immediately and closed his eyes.
She tugged at his arm. "Dante?"
His pulse was weak but steady, though his breathing had evened out. It was a relief that he was only passed out.
'That's good. That's... God, what happened in that room?'
Just what was his trump card to drain him this much? What power had he used, what price had he paid? Could it be Emma who made him like this?
'I'll kill her if it's her.'
She never let anyone take from her without giving something of equal value in return. It took her so long to find a partner she could love, and she would willingly burn an Emma Frost or two for him.
Silvija closed his door as gently as possible and sprinted around to the driver's side. The engine roared to life, and she rushed out of the parking lot.
The drive to her office building felt like it took hours instead of twenty minutes. She sped through every yellow light and quite a few red ones. Her diplomatic immunity would handle any tickets, and right now, getting Dante somewhere secure mattered more than traffic laws.
She pulled into the underground parking garage of Silver Sable International. She practically slammed on the brakes and turned to check on Dante.
"He seems fine, but…" She touched his forehead, finding him pleasantly warm. Some rosiness had also returned to his face. His breathing had deepened into something more like natural sleep than someone sick. "No, I'm not taking any chances."
She pulled out her phone and dialed the third number on her speed dial. The call connected after one ring.
"What is your order, Commander?" The voice on the other end was deep, gravelly, with a thick Russian accent.
"Piotr, I need your expertise at the office. Let Amy Chen take your position for the night."
"Copy, Commander. ETA twelve minutes."
Piotr Rasputin didn't ask unnecessary questions. He obeyed the command. That's what made him the most reliable man in the Wild Pack and one of her most trusted operatives.
Silvija tossed her phone to the backseat and brushed a strand of black hair from Dante's forehead. "This better not be months long sleep. I don't pay for long medical leave."
***
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