I stepped out of the cab, the neon glow of the club washing over me as the deep bass reverberated through the pavement. Inside, the music slammed into me like a wave, pulsing in my chest, drowning out every last thought I didn't want to have.
The crowd was thick, bodies pressed together, lost in the rhythm of the night. The air smelled of sweat, alcohol, and something electric—like the promise of bad decisions.
Ava spotted me from the bar, already two drinks in, and waved with a mischievous grin.
"Lex!" she called, practically bouncing in place. "Finally. Took you long enough!"
I slipped through the crowd toward her, eyeing the dance floor with a skeptical arch of my brow. "What exactly are we doing here?"
She slid a drink into my hand, her smirk widening. "We're drinking, we're dancing, and we're forgetting about every single thing that pissed you off today." She clinked her glass against mine. "Come on, babe. You deserve it."
I hesitated. "I've got work in the morning, Ava—"
She leaned in, dropping her voice to a teasing whisper. "All work and no play makes Lexi a boring girl."
I scoffed. "I can't believe I let you talk me into this."
Before I could argue further, she grabbed my hand, dragging me onto the dance floor. The bass thumped, the lights flashed, and I let myself be pulled into the chaos of it all.
That's when a guy—tall, confident, and annoyingly attractive—slid into our orbit.
"Hey, pretty," he said smoothly, his gaze flicking between us. "I'm Joel."
Ava smirked. "I'm Ava."
His attention turned to me. "And you are?"
I tilted my head, amused. "Lexi."
Joel grinned. "Nice to meet you, Lexi. Mind if I steal Ava for a dance?"
I raised an eyebrow at Ava, already seeing the interest spark in her eyes. "Please," I said, waving my hand. "Take her away."
Ava shot me a look. "Oh, so now you're just handing me off to strangers?"
I leaned in, whispering, "Don't pretend you don't like him."
She smirked, then turned back to Joel. "Alright, let's dance."
With a wink in my direction, she let him whisk her away into the crowd.
I exhaled, rolling my shoulders as I made my way to the bar. I wasn't drunk enough to fully enjoy this yet, so I ordered a beer and leaned back against the counter, letting the music wash over me.
And then—
"Well, well, well. Look who it is."
I stiffened. The voice slithered through the noise, too smooth, too smug, too fucking familiar.
I turned my head slowly, already knowing who I'd see.
Dominic Conti sat beside me, his sharp grin cutting through the dim light.
Of all the places…
I narrowed my eyes. "What the actual fuck are you doing here?"
Dominic raised an eyebrow, his expression lazy, amused. "Didn't know a detective liked places like this."
I scoffed. "And what's it to you?"
"Nothing," he said, lifting his drink to his lips, eyes locked onto mine. "Just surprised, that's all." His gaze flicked over me, too assessing, too knowing. "You come here often?"
I glared at him. "I don't want to see you, Dominic. I can't stand you. I'm out of here."
I slammed my beer onto the counter and stood, ready to leave, but—
He moved.
Not blocking me, not grabbing me, but shifting just enough to lean in, his scent curling around me—expensive cologne, leather, something darker.
"Don't be like that, Lexi." His voice was low, smooth as silk, dangerous as a blade. "I'm just having a drink. No need to run."
I clenched my jaw. "I'm not running," I muttered, shoving past him. "I just don't have time for your shit."
And with that, I walked out.
Dominic's POV
I watched her go, that perfect storm of a woman, all fire and sharp edges, storming away like she could actually escape me.
I smirked.
She was pissed. Good.
Women like her—they always came back.
Eventually.
But for now, I had other business to handle.
Back at the penthouse, I stood on the balcony, looking out at the sprawling city below. My team was gathered around me, each of them prepared for the job ahead.
"Tonight's target is the Starlight Necklace," I announced, my voice firm and commanding. "Worth fifteen million, and it's currently at the Bellevue Museum. We're taking it."
Julian nodded. "Security's been stepped up since the last time we hit that place."
I smirked. "I've accounted for that. Our inside guy's already provided the new schematics."
Alexander, my tech guy, glanced up from his tablet. "I've hacked the museum's system. We've got a 30-minute window before the guards rotate."
I checked my watch. "Let's move. We've got 25 minutes to get in, get the necklace, and get out."
The night wrapped around us as we moved like shadows, silent and efficient. The ventilation shaft was narrow, but we had done this enough times to make it look easy. One by one, we dropped down into the museum's security corridor, our movements rehearsed to perfection.
Alexander knelt beside a control panel, his fingers flying across the screen. "Cameras disabled. Alarms are looping old footage. We've got twenty minutes."
Samantha slid past him, nimble and precise, deactivating motion sensors with a practiced flick of her wrist. "Almost feels like cheating," she whispered with a smirk.
I stepped forward, my gaze landing on the glass case in the center of the dimly lit room. The Starlight Necklace sat there, its diamonds catching the soft glow of emergency lighting, sparkling like a promise.
Julian, standing beside me, exhaled slowly. "This is too easy."
I didn't respond. I didn't need to. My eyes stayed on the prize, the adrenaline humming beneath my skin.
"Beauty, isn't it?" I murmured, reaching for the specialized drill in my pocket.
Alexander chuckled. "You're not here for the aesthetics, Dominic."
I grinned, positioning the drill against the glass. "You're right. Let's get to work."
In less than five minutes, the necklace was in our hands, and we were ghosts—gone before the museum even realized we had been there.
The Starlight Necklace glittered under the warm glow of my office lamp, its diamonds refracting light in a way that made it look almost alive. I ran my fingers over the smooth surface, feeling the cool metal against my skin.
A satisfied smirk tugged at my lips. Fifteen million dollars worth of perfection. And it was mine.
Julian leaned against the desk, arms crossed as he watched me with an amused expression. "Beautiful, isn't it?"
I chuckled. "I do have an eye for the finer things in life."
He exhaled, shaking his head slightly. "You're the best, Dominic. But you need to be careful. The cops are closing in."
I didn't stop admiring the necklace, my fingers still tracing its delicate chain. "They always are. It's their job."
Julian's brows furrowed. "And the detective?"
At that, I finally looked up, my smirk fading just a little. Lexi Carter.
Sharp. Relentless. A problem.
I leaned back in my chair, my gaze flicking to Julian. "She's good. But she's no match for me."
The way I saw it, she was just another obstacle. And I had never met an obstacle I couldn't destroy.
To Be Continued...