EXTRAORDINARY GIRL (DANTE)
1011 Words
Dante watched through the screen, his jaw tight, his fingers curled into fists.
The camera planted in her home was perfectly placed—hidden where she’d never find it. He saw everything. The blood. The tears. The way she desperately tried to scrub away the horrors of the night.
His angel was broken.
And he was going to fix her.
Even if it meant burning the world down.
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The air in my office was thick with silence, save for the rhythmic tapping of Xavier’s fingers against his keyboard. He was hunched over the monitors, his expression shifting between focused and frustrated as lines of code flickered across the screen.
“Nothing,” he muttered, pushing back from the desk with a huff. “It’s like she doesn’t exist.”
I leaned forward, fingers steepled under my chin. “Impossible.”
Xavier ran a hand through his messy hair. “Believe me, I checked everything. Birth records, hospital files, school databases, government systems. There’s no trace of a Zanya anywhere. It’s like someone wiped her clean.”
That didn’t sit well with me. People didn’t just vanish from existence—especially not in this world.
I exhaled slowly, my grip tightening around the armrest. “Hack into her phone.”
Xavier let out a low whistle. “Yeah, about that…” He swiveled back to his screen. “Her phone’s security is insane. Whoever set it up knew what they were doing. Firewalls, encrypted connections, double-layered VPNs. It’s not just your everyday hacker work. This is government-level security.”
Aaron, who had been leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, let out a low chuckle. “Our girl’s got secrets.”
I didn’t respond. But I knew one thing—whoever Zanya really was, I would find out.
Even if I had to tear the world apart to do it.
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THE CAFÉ
The scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the air as we stepped inside the café. The place was packed as usual, but my eyes found her instantly.
Zanya.
She moved with effortless grace, slipping between tables, taking orders, and handling customers like she belonged in this world. Like she was normal. But I knew better.
She wasn’t normal.
She was extraordinary.
She just didn’t know it yet.
As soon as we settled into a booth, Xavier’s attention snapped to one of Zanya’s friends. Kaili. The petite girl with soft curls and an easy smile.
“Damn,” Xavier murmured, leaning forward with interest. “Who’s that?”
Aaron rolled his eyes. “Dial it down, loverboy.”
But Xavier ignored him, grinning as Kaili approached with a notepad.
“Hey there. What can I get you guys?”
Xavier smirked. “How about your number?”
Kaili blinked, then let out a short laugh. “Bold. But you’re gonna have to work harder than that, pretty boy.”
Aaron snickered while I simply shook my head. Xavier had always been the flirt.
Meanwhile, Queenie—Zanya’s other friend and self-appointed protector—approached our table, her gaze immediately locking onto Aaron.
“Oh, great,” she muttered. “Who let you in?”
Aaron smirked, leaning back lazily. “Missed me already, sweetheart?”
Queenie scoffed. “In your dreams, jackass.”
Aaron just grinned. “Every night.”
The two of them immediately launched into their usual back-and-forth, trading insults like children.
But I barely paid attention.
Because Zanya was finally heading toward our table.
Her eyes met mine for the briefest moment before she looked away, focusing on her notepad. “What’ll it be?”
I didn’t answer immediately.
Because for the first time today, I felt at peace. Just watching her.
The way she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. The way she shifted her weight slightly, as if ready to spring into action at any moment. The way she was pretending not to notice that my gaze hadn’t left her.
She was trying so hard to act unaffected.
But I saw the tension in her shoulders. The way her fingers clenched just slightly.
She felt me watching her.
And she liked it.
A slow smirk tugged at my lips.
“Surprise me.”
She frowned. “That’s not how this works.”
I tilted my head. “Make an exception.”
Her lips parted slightly, like she wanted to argue. But she didn’t.
Instead, she let out a small sigh and scribbled something down before walking away.
I watched every step.
And I wasn’t the only one.
Because the moment she disappeared behind the counter, my phone vibrated.
Then Xavier’s.
Then Aaron’s.
At the same time.
Which could only mean one thing.
Business.
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THE MEETING
The room was filled with tension as we stepped inside. The other mafia leaders were already gathered, their expressions ranging from mildly interested to deeply serious.
The head of the meeting, a grizzled man named Lorenzo, tapped his fingers against the table before speaking.
“The Garcia family is coming.”
Silence.
I exchanged a glance with Xavier and Aaron.
The Garcia family.
One of the most powerful mafia families in the world. Ruthless. Untouchable. Dangerous.
“They’ve located their long-lost daughter,” Lorenzo continued. “And they’ll be arriving in Italy in three days to finalize some business.”
The murmurs started instantly.
“The Garcia family never comes here.”
“Who the hell is their daughter?”
“What business do they have in Italy?”
I remained silent, absorbing the information.
A long-lost daughter?
And they were putting together a party to welcome her?
Something about this didn’t sit right.
Lorenzo leaned forward. “We’ll all be attending the event, of course. And I suggest you bring dates. Appearances matter.”
Aaron smirked. “Guess that means we’re asking the café girls out, huh?”
Xavier chuckled. “Looks like it.”
I didn’t say anything.
But my mind was already made up.
Because Zanya was mine.
And she was coming with me.
Even if she didn’t know it yet.
- Writer
