Page 7 of Their Reckless Thief (The Below #1)

“Time’s running out,” Vincenzo growled. His deep, dangerous voice filled the room like a thunderstorm.

He sat at the head of the table, dark eyes gleaming with a sharpness that made his chiseled features stand out.

He swirled a goblet full of viscous liquid as he studied the map spread before him.

The blood caught the low light, casting a haunting, crimson glow over his fingers.

“The Shadow is closing in on every inch of our territory. If we don’t figure out how he’s doing it, we’ll lose control of the entire east sector, and once that happens.

..” He didn’t finish the sentence, but the implication was clear.

In The Below, losing territory meant losing power.

Dorian leaned forward. “He’s already several moves ahead of us.

The women, the drugs... it’s all too coordinated.

He’s infiltrating your operations, Vincenzo.

Twisting them against you.” He exhaled loudly, the only sign of frustration in his otherwise calm demeanor.

“We’re being pushed back. Territory we thought was secure is slipping through our fingers.

But it’s more than just that. It’s like the ground itself is shifting. ”

Vincenzo slammed his fist against the table.

“My borders are fucking shrinking. No one else in The Below seems to notice, but I know they are. The Shadow is using his illusions to make me seem weak, like I can’t control my own drug supplies or protect our women.

He’s pushing the lines of control in subtle ways that even some of my best men haven’t noticed. ”

From what I understood, Vincenzo noticed everything.

“Make sure the bribes are flowing to the Veil Guards who’ve pledged their allegiance to me. We need to make sure no one in the magistrates’ office investigates the uptick in overdoses until we have a chance to get to the bottom of this fucking mess.

“We’re blind to his illusions. That’s the real threat here,” Vincenzo continued. “We need the Mirror of Truths if we want any hope of seeing through his tricks. Without it, we’re fighting blind. And once The Shadow takes control, he’ll be unstoppable.”

A knot formed in my stomach. The Mirror of Truths.

I recognized the name. I’d heard whispers of it—an ancient relic capable of piercing through any illusion, revealing the truth behind every lie.

The Shadow had already manipulated The Below without anyone being able to see it.

That kind of power could shift everything.

“What if the mirror isn’t even real?” Dorian asked. “I’ve always thought it was just a myth.”

Luca cleared his throat and finally spoke. “I don’t want to throw fuel on the fire when I don’t have evidence to back it up, but I have it on good authority that the mirror is real.”

Dorian rolled his eyes. “We need a backup plan.”

“What we really need is to know what The Shadow’s planning…

what he wants…” Vincenzo said in a low growl.

“He’s making a mockery of me. His drugs are slipping into our veins and killing our people.

” He was lost in thought for a moment. “We need to further streamline our distribution process. From now on, only men who have been thoroughly trained, and are trustworthy beyond doubt, touches our Phantomine. Then, it’s straight to the dealers with no delays.

Someone trustworthy needs to check every fucking batch before it leaves the warehouse. ”

Luca nodded. “We’ll get it done.”

Vincenzo continued, clearly riled up. “And those missing women? He’s hunting them in my streets. My streets. Right under our fucking noses.”

He slammed his fist onto the table again, this time hard enough to rattle the glasses.

My heart leapt into my throat, and I covered my mouth to keep from gasping.

“We get the damn mirror before he makes his next move. I don’t care how many people we need to bleed dry to get it. Otherwise, we’re fucked.”

Silence settled over the room. The weight of their words pressed down on me. These men weren’t simply in the mafia; they were the kings of The Below, fighting a battle that could tear the entire supernatural world apart. And me? I’d walked right into the middle of it.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

I needed to get out of there before they sensed me. My stomach twisted, and sweat beaded on my forehead as the reality of what I’d stumbled into settled in. Vincenzo, Luca, and Dorian—three of the most dangerous men in The Below—and here I was, an uninvited guest.

What the hell was The Shadow after? The way they talked, it wasn’t only about territory. It was control—control over everything, from the drugs running through their streets to the women disappearing into the dark. If Vincenzo didn’t stop him, the whole empire would collapse.

“Celeste? Celeste, if you can hear me, don’t make a move. Lay low and stay silent,” Vivian’s voice came through the earpiece.

That did nothing to calm me. I was in way over my head. I should turn around and leave, but my feet were frozen in place.

My pulse thundered in my ears as I pressed harder against the wall. Vincenzo’s dark gaze flicked toward the door, and I sucked in a sharp breath, praying he wouldn’t notice me. He narrowed his eyes, scanning the room like he could sense something wasn’t quite right.

“Luca.” Vincenzo’s voice was deadly calm. “I want your people on this. The moment we get a lead on the mirror, we act. No more delays.”

Luca’s silver eyes gleamed. “Understood.”

Dorian sat up straighter, his lazy smirk turning dark. “We’re going to need better intel. The last magical artifact source? They found him dead in an alley. Torn to shreds.”

Vincenzo’s jaw tightened. “Then find another fucking source. Whatever it takes to find that damn mirror.”

I had to leave. Now. Before they realized they weren’t alone.

Most supernatural creatures had enhanced senses—if I so much as breathed too loud, they’d be on me.

The only reason they hadn’t noticed me yet had to be because they were so engrossed in discussing the conflict with The Shadow.

I edged back slowly, every muscle in my body tight, praying they wouldn’t notice me slip away from the door.

Something sharp snagged my jacket. Before I had time to curse internally, my earpiece slipped from my ear and clattered to the floor.

The sound was deafening in the silence.

Vincenzo’s head snapped toward the door, his dark eyes narrowing like a predator who’d just scented his prey.

“What the fuck was that?” he growled as he pushed up out of his chair.

I was so fucked.

I froze. Every muscle in my body screamed at me to move, but I stayed still, praying to whatever gods there were that the shadows would keep me hidden.

Dorian’s wolf-like senses seemed to pick up something. He raised his head, nostrils flaring, and a slow grin spread across his face. “Looks like we’ve got company.”

He was on his feet before I could even blink, his movements fluid and quick. His amber eyes locked on mine through the crack in the door, and a slow, dangerous smile spread across his face.

“Well, well, well,” he drawled, taking a step forward. “What do we have here?”

Shit.

Vincenzo’s gaze followed Dorian’s, his eyes darkening with realization as he spotted me half-hidden in the doorway. “You’ve got five seconds to explain why you’re in my fucking house.”

I forced a grin, straightening up and stepping fully into the room like I belonged there, even though my heart raced like a frightened rabbit’s. “Oh, you know. Just... got lost. Happens sometimes in sprawling mansions.”

Luca’s expression didn’t change, but his eyes flicked to the earpiece on the ground. “Who were you talking to in that earpiece of yours?”

I swallowed hard, refusing to let the panic show on my face. “No one important.”

Vincenzo’s jaw tightened. “Tie her up,” he ordered, his voice low and cold. “We’ll deal with her after the meeting.”

Dorian’s grin widened as he stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over me with a mix of amusement and intrigue. He picked up my earpiece and spoke into the speaker with a menacing tone. “Guess we’ll find out just how important you are.” Then he crushed it between his fingertips.