Her Mafian Professor

Chapter 4~Bastard

Tiffany's POV

The warehouse was uncertainly quiet as I stood face-to-face with Tarzo De Salvatore as I didn't bother to sit like he told me to. His calm demeanor only made him more menacing.

“You’ve made your point,” I said, forcing my voice to stay steady. “Now let Laurel go, and we’ll walk away.”

Tarzo smirked faintly, his dark eyes scanning me like I was a challenge he couldn’t wait to solve. “You misunderstood, Tiffany. Your best friend was never in any real danger. She was merely… the bait.”

“What?” My gaze darted to Laurel, who was perched on a crate, completely at ease. “You knew about this?”

She shrugged, avoiding my glare. “It wasn’t my idea, Tif. He said it was important.”

I felt the blood drain from my face. Betrayal stung like a slap to the face. “How could you do this?”

“It’s not as bad as it seems,” she said weakly.

“Not as bad as it seems?” My voice rose, cracking. “You lured me here for him? Do you realize what you’ve done?”

Tarzo cut in, his voice calm but firm. “She did what was necessary to bring you to me. Now that you’re here, let’s discuss business.”

I turned back to him, my hands trembling with rage. “Business? You think you can just toy with me, threaten my cousin, and call it business?”

“I think you need to listen,” he said coldly.

I clenched my fists, torn between wanting to attack him and walking away entirely. But his next words stopped me in my tracks.

“You’re in over your head, Tiffany,” he said, his tone steady. “Your family put you on a dangerous path, one that will destroy you if you’re not careful. I can offer you a way out.” He sounded so sure of himself.

My anger simmered beneath the surface, but I forced myself to meet his dark gaze. “A way out? By working for you?” I asked, my tone one of disbelief.

“Exactly,” Tarzo said, stepping closer. “You’re talented, resourceful, and capable of things most people can’t even dream of. But right now, you’re a pawn in someone else’s game. I can help you become more.”

I laughed bitterly. This had to be some kind of practical joke.

“And if I say no?”

Tarzo tilted his head, his smirk returning. “Then I’ll take what I know about your skills, your family’s operations, and make sure the right people hear about it. "You know what happens if that kind of information gets out.”

I wanted to punch him, slit his throat like I had planned earlier, but I knew what a bad idea that was.

The implication was clear. My family would be exposed, hunted down by rival groups or worse, the f*cking government authorities. I swallowed hard, my mind racing for an escape, but there was none.

“And if I say yes?”

“Then you work for me,” he said simply. You’ll do the same things you’ve been doing for your uncle, but for a far more capable employer. In exchange, I’ll protect you from anyone who might come after you. Including your own family, if necessary.”

His offer hung in the air, suffocating me. The logical part of my brain told me this was a trap, but another part—the part desperate for freedom, saw the opportunity.

“I’ll think about it,” I said cautiously.

Tarzo’s eyes narrowed. “No. You’ll decide now.”

Fuck! I hated this guy, but he was smart; I'd give him that. Too smart even.

I hesitated just a bit, my heart pounding in my chest. If I refused, he’d make good on his threat, and I’d lose everything. But if I agreed, I’d be tying myself to a man I couldn’t trust, someone who already had too much leverage over me.

“You’ll do it,” Laurel said suddenly.

I whipped around to face her, betrayal flaring in my chest. “Stay out of this, Laure!”

“No,” she said firmly. “He’s right, Tif. You don’t have a choice. This is bigger than you or me. If you don’t take his deal, we’re both screwed,” Laurel said, and I shot her glare.

“Fine,” I said finally, my voice trembling with anger. “I’ll work for you. But don’t mistake this for loyalty. I’m doing this because I have no other choice.”

Tarzo’s smirk softened into something almost resembling approval. “Loyalty is earned, Tiffany. I’m patient.”

I turned on my heel, grabbing Laurel by the arm. “We’re leaving.”

“Of course,” Tarzo said smoothly. “But don’t forget, we’ll be in touch very soon.”

“Whatever,” I said as I trudged off.

Back at my apartment, I paced the floor, my thoughts racing. Laurel sat on the couch, watching me like a guilty child waiting to be scolded.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” I said finally, stopping to glare at her.

“I didn’t have a choice,” she said softly. "He found me, Tif. He knew everything about me, about you. If I didn’t cooperate, he said he’d make it worse for both of us.”

I sighed, my anger deflating. Laurel wasn't strong like me. She didn’t have the same training, the same defenses. It wasn’t fair to blame her for trying to survive.

“We’re in this mess now,” I said, sinking into a chair. “But if he thinks I’m just going to roll over and do his bidding, he’s wrong.”

“What are you going to do?”

I stared out the window, the city lights twinkling in the dull darkness “I don’t know yet. But I’m not giving up my freedom, not without a fight.”

*I think you should just listen to him for now, play his game.”

“Yeah…” I nodded but something told me that the professor was not a man to be played with. I had seen it in his eyes. If I was going to get out of this. I had to have the upper hand, like finding out something that would destroy him as much as it won't destroy me.

The next day, I tried to go about my routine as if nothing had happened, but the weight of Tarzo’s deal hung over me like a storm cloud. Every time my phone buzzed, I jumped, expecting it to be him.

It wasn’t until late afternoon that the message came.

“Meet me at the Black Orchid tonight. Midnight. Come alone.”

I stared at the screen, dread curling in my stomach. The Black Orchid was a high-end nightclub, known for being a hub of underground dealings. Tarzo wasn’t wasting any time.

I debated ignoring the message, but I knew that wasn’t an option. If I didn’t show up, he’d find another way to remind me of his power.

By the time I arrived at the Black Orchid, the place was alive with music and laughter, the air thick with perfume and alcohol. I wove through the crowd, my senses on high alert until I spotted Tarzo at a private booth in the back.

He was dressed sharply in a dark suit, his posture relaxed but commanding. When he saw me, he gestured for me to sit.

“I wasn’t sure you’d come,” he said, his voice smooth and calm.

“I didn’t have much of a choice,” I said bluntly.

He smiled faintly. “You’ll find that you always have a choice, Tiffany. It’s just a matter of whether you’re willing to live with the consequences.”

“What do you want?” I asked, cutting straight to the point.

“To discuss your first assignment,” he said, sliding a folder across the table.

I opened it, my stomach tightening as I skimmed the contents. It was a dossier on a man named Matteo Ricci, a mid-level arms dealer with ties to my uncle’s organization. Just Great. He wanted me to snitch on my Uncle.

“What about him?” I asked cautiously.

“I need you to get close to him,” Tarzo said. “Earn his trust, learn his operations, and report back to me.”

“And if I refuse?” I asked, gauging his expression.

His gaze darkened, and his voice dropped to a deadly calm. “You won’t dare,” he sud casually.

Bastard!

As I left the club, the weight of the folder in my bag felt like a ticking time bomb. This wasn’t just about me anymore, Tarzo was dragging me deeper into a game I didn’t understand, and every move felt like a step closer to disaster.

I thought about just telling my uncle about this, but I knew what he would say, and I didn't want to have to work for two masters at the same time.

“Face it now Tiffany, you're on your own in the midst of this s**t”