Page 7 of The Billionaire's Vow

Of course, to the outside world, Dimitri De Luca was simply a ruthless businessman—a man who had clawed his way up from the streets to control a multi-billion-dollar import-export empire.But in reality, hewasthe law in every city under his territory.

The police workedforhim, whether they knew it or not.

Several officers were on his payroll, slipping him information before even their captains knew about it.The chief of police himself—along with a select few key figures in the justice system—had long since learned that cooperation with Dimitri De Luca was far more beneficial than opposition.

And, in a way, he did ensure a certain level of crime prevention.

He made sure the streets were safe for businesses—his businesses.He kept out the lowlifes who disrupted commerce, eliminated threats before they could take root, and controlled who was and was not allowed to operate in his city.

But was he going to bring in law enforcement to handle his problem?

That wasn’t how things worked.

Dimitri didn’t rely on courts, juries, or legal loopholes to deal with thieves, traitors, or those who refused to obey him.He had his own methods.

Hewasthe law.

And right now, someone had stolen fromhim.

Half a million dollars.

In the grand scheme of things, that wasn’t a devastating amount.He’d spent more than that on his last mistress’s trip to Paris.

But it wasn’t about the money.

It was about the audacity.

The moment someone dared to steal from him, they were testing his authority, challenging him.If word got out that he allowed such an offense to go unpunished, it would invite more boldness, more betrayal.

And Dimitri did not tolerate betrayal.

Not in business.

Not in life.

The last man who had tried to steal from him—who had foolishly believed he could outmaneuver Dimitri De Luca—was currently rotting in the worst prison the state had to offer.

And soon, whoever had stolen from him this time would learn the same lesson.

However…

His focus drifted, ever so slightly, as the woman before him lifted her chin and met his gaze.

Silver-blue eyes—large, framed with dark lashes, soft and searching—stared up at him, and for the briefest moment, he felt as though she could see something deeper in him.

Something he didn’t allow most people to glimpse.

Whowasthis woman?

She wasn’t a stunning, head-turning beauty.She wouldn’t command attention simply by walking into a room.But there was something about her—something lovely in a way that wasn’t immediate, but undeniable if one simply looked.

A quiet grace.A soft strength.

Carefully hidden beneath the ridiculous, baggy clothes and the polite, hesitant demeanor.

And, perhaps, something more.

Dimitri wasn’t sure what intrigued him more—the theft that needed to be handled, or the woman standing before him, unaware that she’d managed to captivate him without even trying.