Chapter 2: Pulling the Threads

The next few days passed in a haze for Jay. He went through the motions of work and sleep, but his mind kept circling back to Dante. The power that radiated from him, the sharpness of his words, and the way he looked through Jay—as if he’d found something valuable buried under layers of ordinary life. Jay’s life had been marked by monotony, loneliness, and shadows of memories he didn’t care to revisit, but after that night, everything felt a little sharper.

Finally, he found himself back at the club, an act that felt less like his own choice and more like being pulled along by invisible threads. The club had the same smoky haze and low-lit shadows, filled with people who looked like they came to forget something. Jay tried to blend in, but his eyes sought out the corner where Dante had been, almost instinctively.

But Dante wasn’t there. A wave of disappointment hit him, absurdly strong for a man he barely knew. Jay almost laughed at himself; he couldn’t understand why he’d let one encounter take root so deeply in his mind. He felt stupid, foolish, maybe even weak.

Just as he was about to turn back toward the bar, a hand clasped his shoulder. It wasn’t gentle. Jay froze, feeling the familiar chill of danger brush over him.

“You were looking for someone?”

The voice was smooth and laced with an underlying threat. Jay turned slowly, meeting the eyes of a man who wore a suit like armor and held a smirk that didn’t reach his eyes. He was one of Dante’s men; Jay recognized him from that night. The bodyguard’s eyes raked over him, assessing, like he was some creature that had wandered into the wrong territory.

“I… uh, was just here for a drink,” Jay replied, not wanting to sound defensive.

The man’s grip on his shoulder tightened slightly, and Jay resisted the urge to pull away. “Boss wants to see you. Now.”

Jay felt his heart skip a beat. Dante wanted to see him? Why? Had he done something wrong? Doubts and curiosity tangled together, but Jay nodded, swallowing the questions that threatened to spill out.

The bodyguard didn’t waste time on explanations. He guided Jay through the club, past the crowd, and up a staircase that led to a private lounge. Jay felt his nerves prickle as they reached a door guarded by two more men who eyed him with cold indifference. They stepped aside, and the bodyguard gave a nod, as if signaling for him to go in.

Jay pushed the door open, and there he was—Dante, sitting in a leather armchair with a glass in his hand, watching the city lights beyond the tall windows. The room was quieter, more luxurious, and somehow even darker than the club below. The air felt thick, carrying a strange, almost electric tension.

Dante turned as Jay entered, his gaze sharp and unreadable. “You came back,” he said, more an observation than a question.

Jay shrugged, trying to mask his nerves. “Seemed like an interesting place.”

Dante smirked, taking a sip of his drink before setting it down on the table beside him. “And here I thought you might be more interested in the company.”

Jay felt his pulse quicken. Dante’s words hung in the air, deliberate and weighted, yet there was an almost teasing edge to them. Jay managed a half-smile, feeling like he was stepping into a game where Dante had set the rules without telling him. “Maybe I am.”

Dante studied him for a long moment, and Jay had the distinct feeling that he was being analyzed, broken down piece by piece. “Do you know what happens to people who get involved in my world?”

Jay held his gaze, unwilling to show fear, even though his heart was pounding. “I imagine they don’t get out easily.”

Dante’s smile widened, but there was no warmth in it. “They don’t get out at all. Once you’re in, you’re in. There’s no turning back. And that’s especially true for people like you.”

Jay frowned. “People like me?”

“People who have nothing to lose,” Dante replied smoothly, his voice almost gentle, but his words cut deep. “You think you can dance with danger because you’ve convinced yourself you have nothing left worth holding on to. People like you are drawn to people like me, thinking you’ve found something exciting, something worth dying for. But what you find is something else entirely.”

Jay’s throat felt dry, but he refused to look away. “Maybe that’s exactly what I’m looking for. Something… different.”

Dante’s expression shifted, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. “You’re not afraid, are you?”

Jay felt the weight of the question, realizing that Dante was testing him, pushing him to see where his boundaries lay. He didn’t want to give Dante the satisfaction of seeing him flinch. “Maybe I am,” Jay said, his voice steady. “But I think I’m more afraid of staying the same.”

A strange look crossed Dante’s face, as though Jay’s answer had surprised him. He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, and his gaze softened, just for a moment. “Be careful what you wish for, Jay. In my world, nothing stays the same.”

Jay opened his mouth to reply, but Dante silenced him with a glance, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. “You’re an unusual man, Jay. I meet many people—some who want power, others who want money. But you don’t seem to want anything, and yet you came here. Why?”

Jay felt his mask falter just slightly. “Maybe I just wanted… something to make sense.”

Dante’s lips twitched, a humorless smile touching them. “Sense is something you won’t find here. But if you’re looking for purpose, I might have something to offer.”

Jay’s pulse leapt. The weight of Dante’s gaze felt like a trap and a promise all at once, and despite the warning bells ringing in his head, he found himself drawn in. “What do you have in mind?”

Dante took a long, deliberate pause, letting the tension build. “I need someone to do things for me. Someone… inconspicuous. Someone who doesn’t fear the shadows or what they might find in them.”

Jay’s breath hitched. He knew what Dante was implying, but he didn’t feel fear—only a dark, exhilarating thrill. “And what do I get in return?”

Dante’s smile was razor-sharp. “Loyalty has its own rewards. And who knows? Maybe you’ll find the purpose you’re so desperately seeking.”

Jay nodded, feeling as though he’d crossed a line he could never uncross. “Then consider me in.”

Dante’s gaze lingered on him for a moment longer, and Jay felt the strange pull between them tighten, something intangible yet powerful. Dante finally leaned back, his expression unreadable. “Good. But remember, Jay—once you’re in, there’s no turning back.”

The words echoed in Jay’s mind as he left the room, the door closing behind him like the sealing of a pact. He walked out into the night feeling more alive—and more in danger—than he had in years.

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