Chapter 4 Rise of a Silent Flame

The next night, Ava stepped into the bar with a sense of déjà vu, except everything felt wrong. The lighting was the same. The music pulsed. But the air was heavier. Denser. As if everyone was holding their breath.

She went straight to the counter, tied on her apron, and tried to lose herself in routine-wiping down the bar, restocking the limes, checking bottles. Anything to ignore the tension curling low in her gut.

She didn't see him at first.

Not until she felt it.

A presence.

Then a voice, low and rough like gravel and smoke.

"You weren't supposed to be in that alley."

Ava looked up. The man standing across the bar wasn't a regular. He didn't belong to the usual sleazy suits or twitchy-eyed dealers that drifted through after dark. He was cleaner. Sharper. Meaner.

He had the kind of face you didn't forget-crooked nose, narrow eyes, a scar just under his right ear. His jacket hung open, revealing a holstered gun. And his gaze? It pinned her like a knife to the wall.

"Enzo," he said, as if she should've recognized the name.

She did.

Nico's right hand.

She said nothing, just gripped the bar rag tighter.

"You're gonna come with me."

Ava forced a laugh. "I'm working."

"No, sweetheart. You're not."

He motioned to Marlo at the far end of the bar. The owner gave a tight nod and turned his back.

Ava's stomach dropped.

Enzo didn't wait for permission. He walked behind the bar, took her by the elbow, and guided her toward the back exit like she was already part of the crew.

Or already in trouble.

Ava's heart pounded in her chest, each beat echoing louder than the last as she followed Enzo through the dimly lit back corridors behind the bar. The narrow passage smelled of dust and damp concrete, and the faint buzz of flickering fluorescent bulbs above added to the oppressive atmosphere. She kept her eyes fixed on Enzo's broad back, her mind racing with questions she dared not voice aloud.

Enzo moved with the silent confidence of a man who owned the shadows themselves. His dark leather jacket brushed the walls as he walked, and Ava couldn't help but notice how effortlessly he navigated the maze of corridors, like a predator familiar with every hiding spot. He was a man who had seen more bloodshed than she could imagine, and yet his sharp eyes betrayed a fierce loyalty - not just to Nico, but to the family.

"You're nervous," Enzo said without turning around, his voice low and rough, but with an edge of amusement.

Ava swallowed, trying to steady her breath. "I guess I am. I don't know what I'm walking into."

He finally stopped and looked at her, the harsh overhead light casting deep shadows across his face. "This world... it's not for the faint-hearted. You're already in deeper than you realize. But you have something most people here don't - guts. And that's why Nico wants you close."

Ava glanced down at the black card in her hand - the one Nico had given her back at the bar, embossed with the silver flame symbol of the DeLuca family. It felt heavier than it looked. More than a card, it was a lifeline, and maybe a noose.

"What happens now?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Enzo's expression softened just a bit. "Now, you learn. You watch, you listen, and you decide if you can live by our rules. Because this isn't just about protection. It's about power, loyalty... and survival."

He opened a heavy metal door leading into a small office hidden away from the noise and prying eyes of the city. The room smelled of old leather and cigarette smoke. A soft glow from the computer screens illuminated the space, casting a bluish light on the worn wooden desk.

Sitting behind the desk was Nico DeLuca himself.

The moment Ava saw him, a strange mix of fear and fascination gripped her. Nico was all sharp edges and dark intensity, his lean frame radiating power even in repose. His dark eyes locked onto hers with a magnetic pull that made it impossible to look away. His face was calm, but every line spoke of battles fought and won, of a man hardened by ruthless ambition.

"Ava," Nico said, his voice a low rumble that seemed to vibrate through the air. "Enzo tells me you saved me. That was no small thing."

Ava swallowed hard, fighting the urge to shrink back under his piercing gaze. "I didn't do it for thanks," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "I want to know what I'm getting into. Why me? Why the DeLucas?"

Nico leaned forward, steepling his fingers on the desk. "Because you're different. You're not just another bartender. You're sharp, resourceful, and you've got a fire in you. And that fire... it's exactly what we need."

He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly. "But make no mistake - this life will test you. You'll see things that make your skin crawl. You'll be forced to make choices that blur the line between right and wrong. And once you cross that line, there's no going back."

Ava's mind raced as she tried to absorb the weight of his words. "And the people I care about? The ones outside this world?"

Nico's face darkened. "You protect them by keeping them out of it. You keep your head down. You stay loyal. That's how you survive."

Enzo stepped forward, placing the black card on the desk between them. "This card is more than a symbol. It's your shield and your sword. When you carry it, you carry our trust."

Ava picked up the card again, her fingers trembling. The emblem shimmered faintly under the light.

She looked up at Nico and Enzo, feeling a strange sense of belonging and dread all at once.