THE BLACK VELVET TRAP.

CHAPTER 2

[BACK AT THE CLUB]

Irridessa arrived back at the clubhouse, slipping through the rear entrance.

She watched Spencer catering to a rowdy group of wealthy clients. Looking out over the main floor, she felt the familiar weight of the world she navigated every night.

"Wow, Dessa," a sultry voice whispered from behind her. "I'm sure you made quite an impression on your client tonight."

Irridessa turned around. It was Anastasia, her closest friend and fellow dancer. They were both playing a high-stakes game in a dangerous world.

"He definitely won't forget it," Dessa replied with a subtle, knowing smirk.

Anastasia looked out at the VIP lounge, her eyes locked onto a fresh target.

"See that wealthy guy over there? That’s my focus tonight. I'm going to ensure he leaves here with much lighter pockets. Piece by piece."

Irridessa raised her eyebrows, a focused smile forming on her lips. "Be careful out there."

Anastasia nodded determinedly, adjusting her outfit. "You've successfully handled your business for Beelzebub. Now, it's my turn."

"Oh, look, I’m going to the shopping mall tomorrow. Do you want to come along?" Irridessa asked, a bright smile on her face as she leaned back against the dressing room counter.

"Hi and Buy!" Anastasia chirped back playfully, walking into the room. "Yeah, sure! Let me get my cash ready for tomorrow."

Dessa smiled, turning around just as Spencer walked in with a warm grin. "Hey, Spencer," she said, waving a hand.

"Hi, Irridessa," Spencer replied, adjusting his collar.

"Thank God you had a nice time with that client. He paid me cash even before you left."

Dessa burst out laughing, quickly masking her true thoughts with a playful smile. "Wow! We got lucky tonight. It's great when the club gets those filthy rich customers."

Spencer laughed along, shaking his head. "They definitely aren't your ordinary patrons." He gave her a friendly wink.

"They certainly aren't," Dessa said smoothly, grabbing her luxury coat and keeping her face neutral so he wouldn't suspect a thing. "But I earned my share!"

Spencer chuckled, waving her off. "Take the coupe car tomorrow. I want it back safely. Lock the doors." He kissed her on the cheek, and she nodded back.

"Thanks!"

With that settled, the two girls looked forward to a fun day of spending their hard-earned money.

[THE NEXT DAY]

[HI & BUY. 8:15pm]

The atmosphere inside Hi & Buy the following evening was the epitome of luxury, smelling of rich leather and expensive cologne.

"Omg! I love that watch!" Anastasia pointed excitedly toward a blue, stone-encrusted luxury timepiece glittering inside a glass case.

"I prefer that red one," Irridessa remarked, pointing at a sleek row of watches further down the display. "Let's check the price tag so I can buy it."

"Ana, look at this one," Dessa added, pulling out her phone to take a quick picture.

As she did, a bright notification flashed across her screen. Intrigued, she began reading a highly confidential text message.

Anastasia chattered beside her, choosing a watch, but Dessa was completely carried away by the phone screen.

Distracted by the text, Irridessa took a blind step backward—and slammed hard into someone standing directly behind her.

Her grip loosened. Her phone slipped from her fingers, clattering loudly against the polished marble floor.

Anger flared in her chest instantly. Without even looking at the face of the person she had bumped into, she snapped, "Blind pig!"

She bent down quickly to snatch her phone off the ground and stood back up.

"Excuse me?" a deep, smooth voice rumbled above her.

The stranger tapped her firmly on the shoulder. When Dessa turned around to face him, she was completely blindsided by the man standing before her.

He was breathtakingly handsome, dressed in an impeccably tailored suit, but his jaw was tight with arrogance.

"Did you just call me a pig?" the man asked, his tone dripping with cold amusement.

"Hey!" Dessa snapped, her eyes narrowing as she stepped closer. "What?! I mean, you're too blind to see that I'm on my lane and you ran into me!"

The stranger's lips twitched into a smirk. He stared down at her intensely, his eyes scanning her face with a piercing, calculated gaze.

Dessa's heart did a sudden flip. Her mind raced as she stared back at his sharp features.

Wait... this is Drake Walker. The last person on my target list. He's the one who bears my surname.

So cute to notice... she thought to herself, a thrill of danger running through her veins.

Drake moved a step closer, invading her personal space. "You keep repeating the word 'blind,' you scumbag. You were pressing your phone and ran into me."

Irridessa let out a sharp, mocking chuckle. "If you knew what I do, and what I'm gonna do to you, you wouldn't call me a scumbag," she said, her voice dropping to a dangerous, icy whisper.

Anastasia stood just a few feet away, completely silent.

She was casually eating a bag of chips she had smuggled in, watching the drama unfold like a movie.

She glanced over at Drake's massive, stone-faced security team and ate quietly into her chips.

"I don't speak to ragamuffins like you" Drake said highly entertained by the chaos and Irridessa snorted.

Drake let out a dark, arrogant laugh, looking down at Dessa. "Now who's the pig here?"

He didn't wait for her reply. He turned on his heel, motioning to his massive bodyguards. "Let's just go."

His security detail flanked him immediately, and they strode toward the exit.

"Anastasia!!" Dessa hissed, her hands clenched into fists, her eyes practically burning with fury as she watched him walk away.

Anastasia raised an eyebrow, dusting chip crumbs off her fingers. "What? Didn't you see his eyes? They were burning fiercely with anger. So you better stay cool." Anastasia saw how furious Dessa was and added, "He's bound to find you anyway."

Dessa smirked, watching the heavy glass doors close behind Drake Walker. "Oh, he will." she said as she gathered her stuff leaving the shopping mall, Anastasia did the same.

Irridessa opened the door of the driver's seat and sat down as another round of rage took over her.

"Did there have to be a rule that says that motherfucker can talk to me?!" Irridessa snapped as she and Anastasia drove back

Anastasia smiled dynamically from the passenger seat. "I'm not supposed to share in your law, but at least respect the stranger."

"He's my target," Dessa replied, her eyes narrowing as she stared out at the asphalt. "He caught me off guard, but I promise him a gruesome death. Drake Walker..."

Irridessa spoke his name with pure venom, and Anastasia smirked in response.

"Aww, girl, I love you when it comes to cruelty! You're the boss."Anastasia saw how intensely Irridessa smiled at that.

"The pleasure is mine, babe," Dessa murmured, and they both burst out laughing as the coupe sped onward.

[SOMEWHERE AROUND A LARGE DESERT]

The midday sun beat down mercilessly on the vast, empty sands.

"Where are the others?" a masked man demanded, his voice cutting through the heavy heat.

Right on cue, two women on sleek motorcycles tore across the dunes, roaring into the clearing.

The crowd gathered in the sands was a grim assembly of men and women, every single one of them dressed in tactical black.

"You're just arriving?" another man barked, checking his watch with a scowl.

"You guys are exactly four minutes and thirteen seconds late."

Without a word of excuse, the two female riders dismounted and quickly slipped into the disciplined ranks.

The tense silence returned, broken seconds later by the ferocious roar of a high-end engine.

A pitch-black Lamborghini tore through the desert sands, drifting to a sharp halt in front of the gathering.

The door swung open, and a man dressed entirely in black stepped out.

His face was completely obscured by an imposing mask as he strode forward to stand at the head of the formation.

"Shaniya?" the leader called out, his voice carrying absolute authority.

A woman stepped out from the line.

"How did you send your victim to his grave?" he asked.

Shaniya smirked coldly. "I drowned him in a bathtub. No marks left on his body, meaning the cause of death can never be traced back to us."

The leader huffed, unimpressed. "I expect the absolute best out of you guys. You can do better than a simple drowning." Shaniya nodded silently and stepped back into formation.

"Amer," the leader called next.

Another woman stepped forward, nervously biting her lower lip.

"How did yours go?" he questioned.

"I trapped him in quicksand," Amer replied, a cruel gleam in her eyes.

"And watched as it slowly choked the life right out of his throat.

Very good. Keep it up," the leader nodded approvingly.

"Though I still think it could have been executed with a bit more flair." Amer bowed her head and returned to the line.

"Ariadne," he called out.

Ariadne stepped forward, a savage smile lighting up her face.

"I poisoned him first. Then, I cut him into pieces, harvested his organs to sell on the black market, and fed whatever flesh was left to my wild dogs."

The masked man smiled beneath his visor. "Ah, a piece-by-piece kill. I love that kind of dedication. Job well done." Ariadne smiled proudly and stepped back into the ranks.

The leader turned to face the entire syndicate, raising his voice so it echoed across the vast, empty sands. "Attention, everyone! The award for this year's top executioner goes to... Irridessa!"

Irridessa confidently stepped out of the line, swaying her hips with a triumphant grace.

The leader extended his hand, and she accepted the handshake, a wide, victorious smile on her lips.

The entire crowd of Harzarders erupted into loud applause. Irridessa took a dramatic bow before stepping back into her spot.

The leader’s gaze then shifted down the line.

"Anastasia, you're up next."

Anastasia stepped forward casually."So? Let's hear it," he prompted.

Anastasia chuckled darkly. "Well, for the first target, I used a sledgehammer until his brains burst right out of his skull. And the last one I did yesterday? I tied him down, pinned his eyelids back so he was forced to watch, and poured pure acid directly into his eyes. Then I covered his body in leeches and slit his throat."

The leader burst into a loud, dark laugh. "I love everything about that! You are officially our Terminator for the year. Outstanding work. You really took after—"

Anastasia opened her mouth, about to casually shrug it off, but the leader’s eyes flashed with a sudden, lethal coldness beneath his mask.

The sheer weight of his ruthless presence pinned her in place.

He was the boss, and he did not tolerate being cut off by anyone in his ranks. Anastasia swallowed her words, quickly bowing her head before stepping back into the line.

The leader turned his head toward the only woman standing by his side who held any real power.

"Friend, go on with that," Irridessa said smoothly, stepping forward with a sharp, knowing smirk.

She was the only one in the entire syndicate who possessed the status to interrupt him and get away with it.

The boss looked at Irridessa, the lethal tension in his posture easing just a fraction, acknowledging her unique position before continuing.

"Everyone of you can leave except Irridessa and Anastasia," the Boss commanded, his voice booming over the dunes with a chilling authority.

The rest of the Harzarders took their cue, mounting their motorbikes and roaring away into the desert one by one until only the inner circle remained.

Irridessa walked closer to him, her movements effortless and confident. She looked up at the man who ruled both the syndicate and the dark realms.

"Hold my hand," Beelzebub murmured, reaching out his hand toward her.

Irridessa chuckled warmly, shaking her head playfully. "No. I mean, you’re the boss, but I can't do that entirely—" She gestured toward Anastasia, who was standing nearby, keeping her distance from the terrifying ruler.

"I’m the one who raised you to become this version of yourself," Beelzebub said softly, a rare, genuine warmth breaking through his imposing, underworld aura.

He gently took her hand in his and smiled down at her.

"Come here now. I praise you and your work because you're the one I love to send on death errands of course. Yes, please, I never want to see you structural or weak. God knows of your clever choices. You should have been powerful, and you are."He leaned in closer, his dark eyes locking onto hers. "Finish him off."

Irridessa batted her eyelashes sweetly, a lethal, devoted glint in her eyes. She reached into her gear and pulled out the drive holding the encrypted data.

"I will finish him completely, I promise. The secret code is yours."She dropped the codes directly into his palm.

Beelzebub nodded in absolute approval, slowly letting go of her hand. "You may leave."

Irridessa and Anastasia mounted their bikes, kicked them into gear, and tore away into the distance, leaving the powerful underworld king alone in the desert sands.