MATED BY DECEPTION

Two

Ruelle let out a yawn and stared blankly at the man in front of her. "You're wasting my time," she said, not bothering to mince her words. As expected, the other's face darkened.

She tapped her finger on the desk, growing impatient. "Get straight to the point, Mr. Barone."

The buyer, Tommaso Barone, was undeterred. He le leaned forward, a confident smile on his lips. "I'm sure we can negotiate the price—

Ruelle clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Our goods are top-notch. Anything less would be demeaning to its quality."

"The price is non-negotiable."

Tommaso regarded her for a moment. "You are new into the business."

Ruelle's lips quirked slightly at the poor attempt of diversion but said nothing.

Tommaso mistaking her silence for weakness, let his pheromones spill into the air, hoping to intimidate him. "But a woman has no place in a world ruled by men."

"They're meant to be serving their alphas and taking knots."

Ruelle smirked, unaffected by the pathetic show of dominance. "And who are you to decide what I get to do?"

The omega glanced around the room, noting the man's armed guards. "You claim to be an alpha but couldn't even earn your position." She tilted her head, watching as Tommaso's expression had grown dark.

"You had to murder your sister for it, didn't you?"

"How did—"

"Pathetic coward."

The insult hit home and Tommaso's face darkened in offense. "You've crossed the—"

"Rein in your pheromones," Ruelle ordered, interrupting him. She wrinkled her nose. "You smell awful."

That was the worst insult to give someone. Especially an alpha who prided in the appeal of their scent to others.

Face red with fury, Tommaso retracted his pheromones. He leaned back in his chair. "If you don't sell to me, you won't get a better offer anywhere else."

The omega raised an eyebrow, nonchalant. "So? I can keep the goods to myself."

The man's confident facade cracked. "You'll encounter losses," he pointed out.

"That will be my problem, Mr. Barone," Ruelle responded, crossing her legs. "Not yours."

Tommaso glared at her. "You're arrogant, Miss Moretti."

"Arrogant?" Ruelle repeated, an amused smile on her lips. "I'm confident."

"You're going to ruin your family with this kind of reputation."

The omega tilted her head, eyes filled with amusement. "Our family reputation is my worry about, Mr. Barone, not yours."

She stood up. "We're done here."

"Wait," Tommaso said. "I'll purchase the goods at your price."

"A wise decision indeed," Ruelle murmured, looking down at him. Her lips curled into a wicked smile. "The goods are not for sale."

The other's eyes widened in disbelief. "What? But—"

"Don't you know the first rule of business?" the omega questioned. "Never waste an opportunity."

With that, she walked out of the building, Nico following behind her.

"Is there a new buyer, Boss?" the bodyguard asked as they entered the car.

They drove off and Ruelle watched the tall buildings and shops. "No. There isn't."

Nico frowned. "Then who's going to buy the goods?"

"Mr. Barone will buy it for three times the actual price," Ruelle stated calmly.

"Desperation makes people do unbelievable things." She wrinkled her nose at a man being dragged into an alleyway.

It was nighttime but still the city was bustling and alive. Yet, no one bothered to help and went about their business like it was normal.

Valentieri was a a two faced city.

On the outside, it looked beautiful, with it's tall establishments and buildings and the people happy and satisfied.

But Ruelle knew it was a city built with corruption, manipulation and thrived on the pain, tears and blood of the innocent.

To her, it was a city of blood and nothing in it, interested her anymore.

Then a pair of headlights appeared in the rear mirror and Nico glanced at it, eyes narrowed. His change of expression didn't escape Ruelle and her lips curled in amusement.

“Are we being followed?” she asked quietly.

Before Nico could respond, the first gunshot shattered the night and glass exploded across the back seat.

“Get down, Boss!” Nico shouted.

Ruelle clicked her tongue in annoyance and she ducked, unbuckling her seatbelt. "Getting enemies on my first day?"

"How iconic."

The bodyguard resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

Only, Ruelle Moretti would make light of such a situation.

The car swerved violently as another bullet slammed into the rear window. Tires screeched against the road. The vehicle behind them sped up, its headlights glaring like eyes in the dark.

More gunshots rang out and Nico pressed down on the accelerator, trying to lose them, but a second black SUV suddenly pulled out from a side street ahead.

“Damn it!" he cursed.

He slammed the brakes and turned sharply, but it was too late.

The car clipped the edge of the road barrier and the vehicle spun sideways before crashing hard into a streetlight with a deafening crunch.

For a moment everything went still.

Smoke curled from the hood and the air smelled of burnt rubber and shattered glass.

Ruelle's ears rang so loudly she could barely hear anything else. Pain throbbed in her shoulder where she had been thrown against the door.

"Boss..." Nico whispered, head bleeding. "You have to get out of here..."

Right. The assassins.

She forced herself to move and pushed the door open. "We're leaving together."

Nico shook his head. "I'll stay back and distract them."

Ruelle shot him a look. "I'm not letting you kill yourself."

"Get out."

Nico grunted but obeyed and they both stumbled out of the wrecked car.

Headlights washed over them as voices shouted from the road.

“They are still alive!"

"Find them!"

"Don't let them escape!"

The duo didn't wait to be caught.

Ruelle slipped between two parked cars, Nico right behind her. Her pulse pounded in her ears as they ran into an alleyway.

They pressed against the wall, holding their breaths.

Behind them, footsteps thundered across the pavement.

"They must have gone this way!"

"Let's split up and find them, else Boss will have our heads!"

Ruelle watched as they ran past them, perfectly hidden in the shadows. "Amateurs."

After a while, they stepped out of hiding and walked to the road. The omega flexed her injured shoulder. "Those motherfuckers nearly removed my shoulder," she hissed.

Nico stepped beside her. "Are you alright, boss?"

Ruelle hummed. "Those—"

A low engine hum cutting through the silence and she lifted her head to see a car approaching.

A Cadillac Escalade—black, polished to a mirror sheen, windows tinted so dark they swallowed any hint of who sat inside.

Nico's brows furrowed. "I don't think—"

"Save your thoughts for later," the omega cut him off as the car neared them.

The Cadillac stopped in front of them and the window was wounded down. The driver flashed them a grin. "Is there problem?"

Ruelle immediately made a pitiful expression and as if on command, tears welled up in her eyes. "We were robbed!"

"And now we can't go home."

The driver paused for a moment and looked to the backseat, making her wonder who it was.

The other looked back at her. "My boss has offered to drop you home. Get in."

"I'm Matteo by the way. Your companion can stay at the front."

Nico frowned at this but one look from his boss and he wisely zipped his mouth.

"I'm Ruelle. Thank you very much," Ruelle whispered, wiping her tears. The door of the backseat was opened and the omega entered.

The smell of peppermint slammed into her as she sat down and Ruelle let out a gasp, lifting head. The omega stared into dark eyes.

She couldn't resist whispering, "It's you."