THE VENDOR AND THE MAFIA BOSS

CHAPTER FOUR

The following days were a blur for Amara. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Rafa’s cold smile and heard his words echo in her mind. Nothing comes for free.

It was a statement that both intrigued and frightened her, but it also forced her to think. The Salazar family business had been running for years, but her little corner in Divisoria wasn’t enough to shield her from the dangerous world lurking just beyond the market stalls. Every deal she made carried a risk—some risks bigger than others. And lately, it felt like she was being pulled into a game that she wasn’t sure she was ready to play.

Yet, as much as she wanted to reject Rafa’s offer outright, she couldn’t ignore the reality of her situation. The more she considered his proposal, the more she realized how little choice she had.

So, she found herself walking up the sleek marble steps of Rafa’s private residence in Makati. It was a far cry from her modest apartment in Divisoria, a reminder of just how deep Rafa’s world of wealth and power ran. The towering building stood like a fortress in the heart of the city, a symbol of everything she couldn’t touch but could now never escape.

She rang the doorbell, trying to steady her breath. When the door opened, it wasn’t Rafa who greeted her.

“Amara Salazar?” The voice was sharp, but not unkind.

She looked up to find a woman in her late twenties, dressed in a black suit that seemed tailored to perfection. Her features were elegant, and she exuded an aura of quiet authority.

“I’m Sofia, Rafa’s assistant,” the woman said, stepping aside to let Amara in. “Mr. Monteverde is expecting you.”

Amara didn’t know what to expect—if she was even ready to be there. But she stepped inside and was immediately taken aback by the lavish interior of the apartment. The space was minimalistic yet luxurious, with a view of the city skyline that took up an entire wall. The furniture was sleek and modern, and the ambiance was calm and controlled, much like its owner.

“Follow me,” Sofia said, leading her down a long corridor into an expansive living room. Rafa was there, standing by a window, his back to her, his silhouette bathed in the soft golden light of the setting sun.

“Amara,” Rafa’s deep voice sliced through the silence, and he turned to face her. His sharp gaze flicked over her, taking in her wary posture before he spoke again. “I’m glad you came.”

She didn’t respond right away, choosing instead to take in the vast space around her. It was both intimidating and strangely inviting—an atmosphere of power and control that she had no doubt Rafa was accustomed to.

“I was wondering what your game was,” Amara said finally, her voice steady despite the fluttering in her chest. “You’ve offered me a deal I can’t refuse, but what’s the catch?”

Rafa gave a slight smirk, his expression unreadable. He motioned to the couch across from him. “Please, have a seat. We have a lot to discuss.”

Amara hesitated but eventually sat, the cool leather sinking beneath her as she watched Rafa take a seat across from her, his gaze unwavering. He studied her for a moment, his eyes calculating, before he began to speak.

“You’ve been living in a world where the lines between right and wrong are often blurred. You keep dealing with threats, deal-making, and keeping things afloat. What I’m offering is stability, protection. A way to step out from under the radar while still thriving.”

Amara didn’t say anything at first. She had heard promises like these before. Promises that were all too often empty.

“And what do you get out of it?” she asked, her voice cutting through the tension in the room.

Rafa’s lips curled upward ever so slightly. “I have a profitable business partner, one who knows how to navigate the underground market and avoid the law. I get someone who can supply the things I need, someone with access to places and people I can’t easily reach. I get someone who is smart enough to make us both a lot of money.”

Amara felt the weight of his words. It was a tempting offer, one that spoke to her survival instincts, but she couldn’t ignore the feeling that there was more to it.

“And if I refuse?” she asked, her voice steady but laced with caution.

Rafa’s gaze softened just slightly, but there was no mistaking the steel behind his words. “Refusing isn’t an option. We both know that. You’re already in too deep, Amara. The people you’ve been dealing with—the ones you’re hiding from—they won’t let you walk away. You’ll need protection. I can give that to you. But I’m not in the business of charity. The deal I’m offering will benefit both of us. You’ll get to keep your business, and you’ll get to keep your life.”

Amara’s breath caught in her throat. It was clear now that Rafa wasn’t offering a mere business partnership. He was offering her survival.

“Why me?” she asked, finally leaning forward in her seat. “You could have anyone. So why choose me?”

Rafa paused, his gaze never leaving hers. There was something about her—something defiant in the way she held herself despite the uncertainty—and something in the way she demanded answers that intrigued him.

“You remind me of someone I used to know,” he said, his voice low. “Someone who wasn’t afraid to get their hands dirty, someone who knew how to survive when everyone else would have crumbled.”

Amara raised an eyebrow at that, sensing a deeper story there, one Rafa clearly wasn’t ready to tell. But she knew better than to press him on it.

“So, what’s the next step?” she asked, shifting in her seat.

Rafa’s lips twitched in amusement, though his expression remained calm. “The next step is simple. You take the deal. You come to work with me, and we start with a few small jobs. We’ll see how you do. If you prove yourself, we expand. But make no mistake—this isn’t just business. If you work with me, you’re in my world. And in my world, there’s no turning back.”

Amara sat back, her mind racing. This wasn’t just about business; it was about stepping into a world she had only ever skirted around. But it was a world that could offer her the protection she needed, the resources to keep her family business afloat, and a chance to get out from under the thumb of the people who had been watching her every move.

“I’ll do it,” she said, her voice steady but firm.

Rafa’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “Good. Welcome to the team, Amara. You won’t regret it.”

But even as the words left his lips, Amara couldn’t shake the feeling that this deal was only the beginning of something far more dangerous than she had ever imagined.