Chapter 1 Shadows of Valencia

*THE CRIMSON LOUNGE*

"Alessia! If you wipe that counter any slower, we'll be out of business by morning!"

Tony barked from the kitchen door, his heavy voice cutting through the low chatter in the bar. He stomped out, his greasy apron tied too tight around his bulging stomach. "Get your head out of the clouds and bring those drinks to table six!"

Alessia flinched, her hands gripping the edge of the bar. She was used to Tony's yelling, but after a long day, it still made her stomach churn. She grabbed the tray of drinks, balancing it carefully as she moved through the tables.

"Sorry, Tony, I'm on it," she mumbled under her breath.

"You better be," Tony snapped. "I do not pay you to stand around like some princess."

Alessia swallowed back her frustration. Pay? If she could call the miserable paycheck he gave her 'pay,' she might have laughed. But tonight, there was no energy for sarcasm. She couldn't afford to lose this job. Not with her mom back at home, barely able to afford the medicine to keep her alive.

Approaching table six, she plastered on the fake smile she had perfected over the years. The men seated there barely looked up. They were dressed too well for a bar like this, their suits crisp and expensive, making the smoke-stained walls around them seem even more dingy by comparison. They muttered to each other, speaking in low voices that sent a shiver down her spine.

"Here's your drinks, gentlemen," Alessia said, setting the glasses down carefully.

One of the men glanced up, his eyes sharp and assessing. He didn't say thank you-none of them ever did. He gave her a dismissive nod before returning to the conversation, as if she were invisible.

She quickly retreated back to the bar, her heart still racing from Tony's earlier outburst. She could feel his eyes on her from across the room, watching, waiting for another reason to snap and threaten her about firing her.

"Alessia, stop dragging your feet!" Tony barked again. He slammed a stack of dirty dishes onto the counter in front of her. "We've got more customers coming in, and you're moving like a damn snail. You think I pay you to stroll around like this is a vacation?"

"I'm working as fast as I can," she muttered, avoiding his eyes. Why can't he hire more workers if he had this much costumers.

"Well, it's not fast enough!" Tony snarled, his face turning red. "I've got half of my mind set to toss you out on the street if you don't speed up."

Alessia clenched her jaw, holding back the retort that burned on her tongue. She couldn't afford to lose this job. Not now. Not with Leo still missing, and her mother's medical bills piling up. So she nodded, biting back her words.

"Yes, Tony."

Tony snorted, clearly unsatisfied but too lazy to push further. He wiped his greasy hands on his apron and headed back toward the kitchen, mumbling under his breath.

As soon as he was gone, Alessia exhaled, allowing herself a brief moment of peace. She leaned against the counter, closing her eyes. This job was suffocating her, but what choice did she have? Velancia was a city ruled by power, money, and fear. And she had none of those.

"Another night in hell," she whispered to herself.

"Alessia," a deep voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts.

Her eyes snapped open as she looked up. Standing on the other side of the bar was Tommaso, one of Tony's regulars. He was a low-level thug in the Crimson Empire, always here with a smirk and an attitude. Alessia forced a polite smile, though she hated every second of dealing with him.

"Tommaso," she greeted stiffly, reaching for an empty glass. "What can I get you?"

"You can get me a smile that isn't so damn fake," he said with a grin, leaning across the bar. "Come on, Alessia. You're too pretty to be frowning all the time."

She bit the inside of her cheek. "What'll you have?"

He chuckled, clearly enjoying her discomfort. "Whiskey. Neat."

She quickly poured the drink, sliding it across the counter without meeting his gaze. Tommaso always lingered longer than necessary, making her skin crawl with the way he looked at her. Tonight was no different.

"How's your brother, Leo, doing?" Tommaso asked casually.

Her fingers tightened around the glass she was wiping. "I don't know," she said carefully. "He's been... away for a while."

Tommaso's eyes sparked with something she couldn't place. "That so? You should keep an eye on him, Alessia. Leo's been getting into some deep shit lately."

"What do you mean?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Tommaso shrugged, taking a slow sip of his whiskey. "Just saying, I've heard things. Things that might be bad for your family. Velancia is not a forgiving place, you know? Especially not for people who mess with the wrong crowd."

Alessia's stomach twisted in knots as her intestines battled inside her. She didn't need Tommaso's warnings to know Leo was in trouble. She had felt it for weeks. But hearing it out loud made it real. Too real.

"Thanks for the advice," she muttered, turning away to hide the panic rising in her chest.

Tommaso chuckled again, setting his empty glass on the counter with a soft clink. "Anytime, sweetheart."

As soon as he was gone, Alessia sagged against the bar, her hands trembling.

'What had Leo done?' She had a terrible feeling that whatever it was, it wasn't something they could easily escape from.

Just as she placed the empty tray on the counter, the doors to the lounge swung open. A wave of silence spread through the room. Alessia didn't need to look up to know who had just walked in.

Dante Russo.

The underboss of the Crimson Empire.

His presence was like a dark cloud settling over the room. People moved out of his way as he strode in, flanked by two bodyguards.

Dante's dark eyes scanned the room, assessing every corner as he walked into a private room with his usual air of quiet authority.

Alessia quickly turned away, praying he wouldn't notice her. She had heard the stories-everyone in Velancia had. Dante Russo was ruthless, a man who would crush anyone who crossed him without hesitation.

"Alessia," Tony hissed from behind her, making her jump. "Don't just stand there like an idiot. Get to work!"

She grabbed a tray, her mind racing. If Dante Russo was here, it could only mean one thing: something big was about to happen.

And she was terrified that her brother might be the reason behind it.