Chapter 4 4

Alyssa's POV:

As the black fabric covered my eyes and tightened, I began to count in my head. Each step I counted, noting which number I turned left, right, entered a door, and stepped into an elevator. I also estimated the time it took to ride the elevator and tried to sense if it was going up or down.

I shook my head in amazement at the number of doors we passed and elevators we took. The structure of this building was no joke. The elegant and beautiful casino outside was just a façade for the criminals. The real purpose of this building was to host illegal black market auctions and other illicit activities, all witnessed only by the four corners of the underground Dark Casino.

Finally, we reached our destination. The guards allowed us to remove the blindfold.

When I opened my eyes, I felt like I had been transported to a future version of Las Vegas casinos. The whole place was bathed in yellow light. Expensive, antique furnishings and designs surrounded me. Every corner sparkled as the walls were adorned with real gold.

Raising my gaze, I saw a massive chandelier made of pure gold and diamonds. I couldn't help but be amazed by the intricate ceiling painting. I was literally in awe. I didn't expect that the renowned Masked Wolf of the underground crime group here in New York would be recognized in such a grandiose manner. As far as I knew, he was the sole owner of the place. No partners, no friends.

I studied the layout of the entire area, the positions of all the CCTVs, and the guards, while my boss was enjoying himself, playing and spending his ill-gotten gains. After a few moments, the entire atmosphere changed. From the yellow ambiance, it grew darker. A tall and sturdy man came onto the stage. He introduced himself as Alec. Wow. The Masked Wolf even had a runway model with brilliant blue eyes who moved like a fierce jaguar for the introduction. I initially thought he was just a simple frontliner explaining the dos and don'ts of the place, but I was surprised to learn that he was the head of security for Dark Casino. There was a reason why this man moved like a trained jaguar. He really was. I needed to be careful. He was not someone to be taken lightly.

Alyssa's POV:

I held my breath as Alec's gaze landed on me. Out of everyone in the room, he suddenly turned his attention to me from across the room. It was as if he knew that I didn't really belong here. A rush of nerves surged through me, but I didn't look away. I met his gaze and released a sweet smile. He didn't smile back, nor did he show any expression. He was completely blank and unreadable. He's dangerous.

Not everyone inside the underground Casino was part of the auction. Only a select few. Each participant's eyes and hand were scanned as they entered the private room where the auction would take place. Their eyeballs and hands served as the keys to unlock the massive, heavy security door. I stayed close to my boss, but was halted by a guard, which alarmed me.

"What's wrong?" I asked. "I'm with Mr. Choo..."

"Please wear this." The guard affixed a black sticker to my neck. "You can enter now."

Shit. This was a device to monitor my every move. I needed to take it off, but the moment I removed it from my skin, it would alert security and mark me as a threat. And I wasn't the only one with this sticker; all the personal bodyguards in the room had one.

"Welcome to the most awaited event of the evening," a solid and icy voice resonated in the surroundings as the participants took their seats and logged into their devices for bidding. Their names and the amount of money they were willing to release for an item were displayed on the large front monitor.

This is how the rich people play, I guess.

My heart pounded as the owner of this grandeur stood before us. The elusive and mysterious Masked Wolf himself. He was wearing a very sleek black tuxedo. Every inch of him exuded power and wealth. Of course, he was wearing his signature black mask that covered almost his entire face. Nobody had seen the real face of the Masked Wolf. Not even his closest allies and clients. Like the head of security, his movements were calculated and precise. He was lethal.

There were a total of 12 precious items from around the world that would be auctioned tonight. In the midst of the play, there would be a brief entertainment for the guests. I didn't know what kind of entertainment the others would provide, but I had something planned for the host.

Beautiful women danced before me. When Mr. Choo gave me a meaningful look, I knew it was my turn. The light grew dimmer, and smoke billowed from the corners of the small stage. I let my hair down, allowing it to cascade over my shoulders. I shed my black coat and inner clothes, revealing the seductive lady within me for the show.

This was the first time Mr. Choo had asked me to do this. He knew my caliber when it came to guns and fights. In fact, I met him at one of my shows in the bar I used to work at; I danced for him. Then, I saved his life. He offered me a job with extravagant pay, and that was when I became his bodyguard. Before the auction, he instructed me to dance for the Masked Wolf, to seduce him, surrender my body to all of his desires. He wanted me to become one of Dr. Wolf's playthings, so he could have a better relationship with the most powerful Mafia leader in the United States and Russia. Of course, I was more than happy to oblige. We shared a common goal.

I swayed my hips to the erotic music, now dressed in a black leather bikini that exposed all of my curves and assets. My creamy skin glowed in the dark, making myself alluring and tempting in every move. Then, I made eye contact with the Masked Wolf himself, who stood near the stage, sipping his wine. I deliberately approached him, letting my hands roam over his entire body, pressing all the sensitive parts that I knew would awaken his masculinity. He might be a god in this place, as powerful as the great wall, but he was also a man. A man with earthly desires and needs. I intended to provoke the dangerous yet passionate man behind his steel walls.

Jandrix's POV:

My grip on the glass tightened unexpectedly. I was holding a glass of wine, and I didn't expect it to shatter due to my strong grip. I felt the liquid drip from my hand.

"Hey, Jandrix, what's going on?" Jan, who was beside me, monitoring the security of the area in case anyone tried to hack the system, asked.

"If I didn't know you had a bomb on your chest instead of a heart, I'd think you're jealous," Jan commented, his gaze fiery as he looked at me.

"Oopps," he added, raising his hands before returning his attention to the monitor.

She's about to kiss him. She intends to do it. What a little slut, I've got here. And quite cunning too. She managed to get Ares to remove the device on her neck. Since Ares' fingerprint was registered on the sticker device, the alarm didn't go off. She was able to get rid of our control on her neck smoothly. But my focus shifted suddenly to how her body pressed against Ares due to that lewd dance. That body was once mine, those lips were once mine too. I couldn't watch her give herself away right before my eyes.

"Stop the music."

"What? We can't do that. It will ruin the plan-"

He didn't finish what he was saying as I firmly grasped his neck. "I said stop the fuckin' music, Jan!" I glared at him with blazing eyes.

"Fine. Fine. I'll do it."

Damn. This woman was making me do what I wasn't supposed to do. I had a very bad feeling about her. She could be a real danger for me in the future. I needed to get rid of her now. I needed to get rid of her fast. I opened my radio, ensuring Ares could hear me.

"Continue the auction. And take that woman away from that room where you can kill her," I ordered Ares sternly. I focused the camera on his face. I caught a glint of shock and disapproval in his eyes. I expected he was swayed by her display of skin and cleavage. But Ares nodded. That was what I wanted to see from him. Each of my Phantoms' loyalty was unwavering.

"Kill her? Check this out first. I'm sure you don't wanna do that when you see this."

I saw Ares leave the private room with the woman. They were now inside a private elevator heading to the basement where Ares could easily slit the woman's throat and dispose of her in the garbage. My eyes narrowed as I watched the screen that Jan was displaying. I stared at the images before me, almost freezing my entire system.

"You can't kill her yet. You need her," Jan said, his gaze still fixed on the monitor showing the elevator. The woman's hand was wrapped around Ares' side, so he didn't notice Ares slowly pulling the knife from behind him.

In a matter of seconds, Ares was able to completely sever the woman's neck.