Page 49 of Their Reckless Thief (The Below #1)

Vivian walked in, her face a mask of irritation.

She took one look at me, then at Dorian, and her expression darkened.

“Well, I see you’re doing just fine,” she said, her tone biting.

“Nice of you to check on me, by the way. I’m great, too.

Thanks for asking. It’s not like I’ve been thrust into a fucking horror movie or anything. ”

I swallowed a bite of toast, and a knot formed in my stomach. “Viv, I was on my way to find you when Dorian came and got me. I had every intention of checking on you. This place is a damn maze.”

She sighed, rubbing her temples before sitting down next to me. “Yeah, well, it’s fine. I’m here, aren’t I?”

An awkward silence settled over us, but I knew I couldn’t avoid what I had to say next. I had to tell her. I had to break the news about Roberto. I drew in a breath, my voice low. “Viv... Roberto’s dead.”

There was no reaction. No shock. No horror. Vivian stared at me, then shrugged. “Good. About time someone took that bastard out.” Her expression was neutral, almost cold. “Only thing that worries me is how we’re gonna get a paycheck now.”

I stared at her, taken aback by how little she cared. But then again, why would she? Roberto had been nothing but a nightmare to us. Still, it felt strange. Something had shifted between us that I couldn’t put into words.

I sat in silence, the weight of everything pressing down on me. I wasn’t sure if I was relieved or horrified. Maybe a bit of both.

Vincenzo and Luca walked into the kitchen like they owned the place.

Well, they did. Everything shifted the moment they entered, all business, barely sparing me a glance.

I clenched my jaw, anger boiling beneath my skin.

I was ready to give Vincenzo a piece of my mind.

He didn’t get to waltz in here and pretend everything was fine after what he’d done.

After dropping that little surprise on me this morning.

Vincenzo didn’t even acknowledge me as he turned to Dorian, his voice hard and clipped. “Meeting in my study. You too, Luca. Now.”

I stood up abruptly, my chair scraping against the floor, drawing all their attention. “Oh no, you don’t. You’re not getting rid of me that easily. I’m coming with you.”

Dorian cocked an eyebrow, clearly amused, and Luca stayed silent. But Vincenzo? He looked right at me, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes and a hint of a smirk playing at his lips. He crossed his arms over his broad chest, looking like he was about to laugh. “Sure, dolcezza . You may join us.”

His voice was dripping with amusement, like I was a stubborn child throwing a tantrum. I shot him a glare that could melt steel, but he just turned and headed toward the door. I glanced at Vivian. She shrugged and shoved the last of a bagel into her mouth. “Good luck,” she mumbled around her food.

Heart pounding, I followed them down the hall. I wasn’t entirely sure what I was about to walk into, but I was pissed. I wasn’t going to let Vincenzo walk all over me, no matter how much power he wielded or how godsdamn charming he thought he was.

I entered his study for the first time since he’d decapitated a man in front of me.

Without all the death and blood, I could actually admire the space.

Bookshelves lined the walls, ornate wooden furniture arranged with precision, and the faint smell of leather filled the room.

Vincenzo strode to the large desk at the center and picked up a goblet of blood, but before he could get too comfortable, I stormed at him.

“You had no right,” I snapped, clenching my fists at my sides. “No fucking right to make that call.”

Vincenzo stopped in his tracks, turning slowly to face me.

His eyes darkened, a predatory glint flashing in them.

His fingers tightened briefly around the goblet’s stem before he brought it to his lips, the blood’s metallic scent mingling in the air between us.

The intensity in his gaze never wavered as he swallowed.

He didn’t argue with me, didn’t push back.

Instead, he reached out and cupped my face, his touch warm but unyielding.

Before I could react, he kissed me on the forehead, his lips lingering just a moment too long.

“Isn’t that what you really wanted, Celeste?” he murmured against my skin, his voice low and dangerous. “You’d never fucking admit it, but I just solved a huge problem for you.”

I jerked out of his grasp. “I never asked for your help! You just took away my one source of income. Roberto might have been a piece of shit, but he was my only handler and my landlord, and now? What the hell am I supposed to do?”

Vincenzo laughed. Actually laughed . “You think I can’t provide what you need?”

I clenched my jaw so hard it hurt. “I’m not accepting handouts from you or anyone else. I don’t need your charity, Vincenzo.”

His laughter stopped abruptly, his eyes narrowing as he gestured around the opulent office, his hand sweeping over the expensive furnishings, the sheer luxury of everything.

“Charity? You think I’m offering you a handout?

No, Celeste. I’m offering you something much better than that.

A job. And this isn’t a request. It’s an order. ”

Just when I thought he was done, his eyes narrowed. “If you think I didn’t enjoy every second I had that bastard writhing beneath my grip, that I didn’t cherish every scream, every drop of blood, you’re kidding yourself. I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Hate me if you want. Now sit the fuck down.”

His tone left no room for argument. I glared at him, then looked at Dorian and Luca. They stood there like silent sentinels, watching, waiting. With a resigned sigh, I sat down in the leather chair in front of his desk, and Dorian and Luca took their places on either side of me.

Vincenzo leaned against his desk, crossing his arms, but his eyes softened slightly as he nodded toward Dorian. “Fill them in on the intel you’ve gathered on the Mirror of Truths.”

Dorian straightened, his usual easygoing expression turning serious.

“After a conversation with Fred about succubi that I’d rather forget, I tracked down the mirror’s last known location.

It’s in the possession of a stray and has been passed down through generations.

I get why people think it’s a myth. It’s been off the radar for centuries.

The current owner is a ghost—can’t track him down—but he’s got connections to the black market.

The mirror is being kept in a vault, deep underground. We need a key to get access.”

“A key?” I asked. “And where do we find this key?”

Dorian glanced at me before continuing, “The key is currently in a black-market vault within the Wraith territory. Problem is, the vault is a fortress. You don’t just walk into it.

We need to get past multiple layers of security, and even then, getting out with the key is going to be a whole other challenge. ”

Vincenzo’s gaze settled on me. The amusement from earlier was gone, replaced with something sharper. “This,” he said slowly, “is where you and your little partner come into play.”

My stomach twisted. He wanted me to pull a heist. A high-stakes, impossible fucking heist.

“What’s the plan?” I asked, keeping my voice steady, even though my heart was racing.

Vincenzo flashed a dark, predatory smile that sent chills down my spine. “You and Vivian are going to break into the vault, bypass every security measure they have, and retrieve the key.”

I blinked as the enormity of the task settled in. “You’re serious.”

“Dead serious, dolcezza . You’ve got the skills, we’ve got the connections. You’ve pulled off heists of this magnitude before. This is just another job. And this time you’ll have our protection behind you.”

I shook my head in disbelief, swirling with anger and irritation. “You’re using me.”

Vincenzo’s gaze didn’t waver. “I’m giving you an opportunity to be useful. To prove yourself. This isn’t a game, Celeste. The mirror is the only way to get ahead of The Shadow, to figure out what the fuck he’s up to with the women, the drugs, and why he’s making moves on my territory.”

Silence fell over us. This wasn’t just a heist… It was about survival. My survival. Vivian’s. All those women who had been taken.

I sighed and rubbed my temples, trying to think through the fog of frustration and anger. “And if we don’t succeed?”

Vincenzo’s smile faded, his eyes darkening again. “Failure isn’t an option.”

I glanced at Dorian and Luca. They were watching me closely. Dorian gave me a small, almost encouraging nod, while Luca’s expression remained cold and unreadable.

Finally, I let out a long breath, accepting the inevitable. “Fine. I’ll do it. But Vivian and I… we’re partners. You don’t get to call the shots on this.”

Vincenzo’s smile returned, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes. “Whatever you say, dolcezza . Don’t forget, this is your shot to prove you are useful to me. Don’t fuck it up.”

As much as I wanted to slap that smug look off his face, I couldn’t deny the thrill that coursed through me. The heist was dangerous, high-risk, and probably suicidal, but for the first time since I’d gotten caught in this mansion, I felt something other than anger and confusion.

I felt alive.