Chapter 2
1095 Words
Chapter Two
Alessia’s POV
The station smelled like old coffee and sweat, the air thick with tension as I marched toward the interrogation room. My boots echoed against the cold tile floors, each step fueled by pure rage.
Leonardo Ricci. The man who had turned this city into his personal empire. A man whose crimes spanned across nations, whose name sent fear into the hearts of even the most dangerous criminals. The bastard I had spent five years trying to pin down.
And now, he just walked in and surrendered?
Bullshit!
I pushed the door open and stepped inside, my blood boiling the moment I saw him.
Leo sat there like he owned the damn place, leaning back in the metal chair like it was his private penthouse couch. His navy-blue suit was crisp, a Rolex glinting under the flickering station light. Even in handcuffs, he exuded power, his mere presence suffocating the room.
And the worst part?
He was smirking.
That infuriating, arrogant smirk that made my fingers twitch with the need to punch him.
“Well, well,” he drawled, his voice thick with amusement as he slowly dragged his gaze over me. “If it isn’t my favorite detective. You look pissed, sweetheart. Should I be flattered?”
I folded my arms, leaning against the table, glaring at him. “Cut the crap, Ricci. Why the hell did you turn yourself in?”
He chuckled, tilting his head. “Maybe I missed you.”
I scoffed. “Or maybe you realized your reign is finally over.”
Leo let out a low, husky laugh, shaking his head like I was some clueless little girl. “Alessia, Alessia, Alessia…” He sighed, eyes gleaming with something dark, something dangerous. “You really think you’ve won, don’t you? That all your hard work, all those sleepless nights obsessing over me, would finally pay off?”
My jaw clenched. “This isn’t a game, Ricci. You’re going to prison for the rest of your miserable life.”
His smirk widened. “You’ve got a filthy mouth for a cop. But I guess that’s expected when you spend all your time chasing bad boys instead of finding a good man to—”
“Shut the hell up.” My nails dug into my palms. “You think this is funny? You’ve killed innocent people with your dirty drug empire. Destroyed families. You think you can just walk in here, play your little games, and walk out?”
Leo exhaled, shaking his head. “Oh, sweetheart. You’re wasting all that fire on the wrong things. A woman like you shouldn’t be running around in trousers with a badge, pointing guns at men.” He leaned in, his voice dipping into something low and intimate. “You should be on your knees, letting a man like me take care of you.”
I slapped him. Hard.
The sound cracked through the room, my palm stinging from the impact. Leo barely flinched, just turned his face back to me, eyes burning with something that sent a shiver down my spine.
"You’re an asshole,” I spat.
Leo licked the corner of his lip where a faint hint of red bloomed, his gaze hungry. "That hurt, sweetheart. But I can think of a lot more creative ways for you to put your hands on me.”
I gritted my teeth. “You’re disgusting.”
He smirked. “And you’re obsessed with me.”
My chest heaved with anger. “The only thing I’m obsessed with is making sure you rot behind bars. The world will finally see what you really are, a rabid dog running loose in this city. A monster who poisons people for profit.”
Leo’s smirk didn’t waver. Instead, he leaned back, running a hand through his dark hair. His cologne was rich, deep, something like Oud Royale and power filled the space between us, making my stomach twist with a feeling I hated.
“You know what I think?” he said smoothly. “I think you’re enjoying this way too much. The thrill of the chase. The late nights thinking about me. I bet you even dream about me.”
I grabbed the case file and slammed it onto the table. “You think this is a joke? These are real people, Ricci. Their lives are ruined because of the s**t you pump into the streets. Fentanyl. Carfentanil. Cocaine laced with poison. Do you even know how many people have died because of your greed?”
His smirk finally faded, but not from guilt. No, he looked almost bored.
"I know exactly how many," he said, eyes unreadable. "Do you?"
I glared at him, flipping through the file, the faces of victims staring back at me. And then I saw them.
My parents.
I swallowed the lump in my throat, forcing my voice to stay steady. "You remember them, don’t you? My mother and father. They didn’t even do drugs, Ricci. My father had a headache. He bought medicine from the wrong pharmacy, the one your men were using as a front. He took one pill. My mother took one, too. And they died—because of you.”
Something flickered in his expression, but it was gone before I could place it.
Leo exhaled slowly. “Tough luck, sweetheart. But don’t put their deaths on me. If they died from a bad product, it wasn’t my fault. Viktor ran that distribution.”
I froze.
"Viktor?" My voice turned sharp.
Leo smirked. "Ah, see? Now you're interested." He leaned forward. "You’ve been chasing the wrong man, Detective."
I stared at him, my heart pounding. Viktor Belov was another name on our radar, a Russian trafficker who had been creeping into Leo’s territory for months. Could he be telling the truth?
No. I couldn't trust him.
“You’re full of s**t,” I hissed.
Leo grinned. “Then prove me wrong.”
Before I could fire back, the door slammed open.
My boss, Captain Moreau, stood in the doorway, his face pale. Shaken. That never happened.
"Alessia," he said quickly. "Step out. Now."
I glanced at Leo, who was watching the scene with casual amusement, then back at my boss.
"What's going on?" I asked, my gut twisting.
Moreau didn’t answer. His jaw was tight, his eyes darting between me and Ricci. "Just come outside. It’s bad."
I shot one last glare at Leo before storming toward the door.
And just as I stepped out, Leo's voice followed me.
“See you soon, sweetheart.”
- Writer
