Dance with the Devil

Sofia's POV

I froze as his sharp voice cut through the air.

“What are you doing here?”

My immediate response nearly had me rolling my eyes. What do people usually do in bathrooms? But I bit the thought back, realizing that sarcasm wasn’t going to save me from this moment. Instead, I straightened and muttered, “I needed the bathroom.”

His dark eyes narrowed, studying me intently. “Did you?”

“Si,” I answered, my tone clipped, though my nerves betrayed me.

He arched a brow, his voice dropping a notch. “At the same time I’m in here?”

Panic welled up, and I hurried to explain. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were in here—”

His eyes flickered with suspicion as he cut me off. “Are you following me?”

“Ridículo,” the word slipped out before I could stop it.

His expression hardened, and he opened his mouth to say something, but the sound of a door creaking open behind me made us both turn.

Lucy stepped out of the stall, her dress rumpled and her lipstick slightly smeared as she adjusted the hem.

“You again?” she snapped, her tone sharp as her eyes locked on me.

I wanted to melt into the floor. Great timing, Lucy.

Lucy took a step closer, her gaze like a laser.

“Are you so eager to lose this job? You haven’t even scaled one night, and you’re already causing trouble.”

I opened my mouth to defend myself, but before I could get a word out, Leandro spoke again, cutting me off.

“Don’t bother,” he said, his tone cold and dismissive. He turned his gaze back to me, his lips curling into a smirk that made my skin crawl. “Since you so desperately yearn for my attention, meet me in my office.”

“What?” I blurted out, unable to hide the irritation in my voice.

He ignored me, taking a step toward the door.

“I know your type,” he said over his shoulder. “The easy ones. Don’t worry. I’ll give you exactly what you want.”

“What?” I repeated, my voice rising in disbelief, but he was already sauntering off.

I turned to Lucy, silently pleading for her to help me, but she just rolled her eyes and followed after him without another word.

Left with no choice, I sighed and reluctantly followed them upstairs, dread pooling in my stomach. This was not how I envisioned my first night going.

As we reached the top floor, Leandro turned to Lucy with a sharp look.

“You’re dismissed.”

Lucy didn’t leave without a dramatic roll of her eyes and muttering something under her breath—probably a complaint in Spanish. “Chulo,” I caught her say as she sauntered off, her heels clicking against the marble floors.

Before I could process what was happening, Leandro barked at me. “Come in, and stop standing there like a statue.”

I hesitated, my pulse pounding in my ears, but I stepped inside. His office was as luxurious as I’d imagined—dark wood, sleek leather, and floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the glowing city below.

He leaned back in his chair, watching me with that same infuriating smirk.

“Since you’ve been so desperate for my attention, now you’ve got it. Make it worthwhile.”

“Excuse me?” I asked, my voice trembling with disbelief.

He ignored my question, his tone laced with impatience.

“Don’t just stand there. Do something.”

I stared at him, unsure how to respond without being rude, but before I could speak, he snapped, “A lap dance.”

My mouth dropped open. “What?”

“You heard me. Give me a lap dance.”

“No,” I said firmly, shaking my head.

“No?” he repeated, his dark eyes narrowing.

“I—I can’t,” I stammered, trying to steady my voice.

His gaze turned icy, and his voice dropped to a dangerous tone.

“If you don’t get over here this instant, you’re as good as muerta. Do you understand me?”

Panic surged through me. He was Leandro Rossi, after all. The Leandro Rossi. If anyone could ruin my life with a snap of his fingers, it was him. I swallowed hard, my heart hammering, and forced myself to move toward him.

I swayed my hips slowly, circling him. My movements were measured, my body brushing against him as I grinded my hips on him, giving him the lap dance he’d demanded. It was easy—far too easy. I’d done it multiple times. His intense gaze burned through me, making my skin prickle.

When I finally finished, he shook his head, his lips curling into a sneer.

“Patética. You’re wasting space and a vacancy here.”

I blinked, stunned by his words.

“You’ve taken someone else’s job, someone who might actually know what they’re doing,” he continued, his voice dripping with disdain. “This isn’t your place, and you dared to think you had a chance here?”

I couldn’t believe my ears. The words stung, and I opened my mouth to protest, but he cut me off again.

“I’ll help you out,” he said, his tone mocking. “Here’s an offer. You’ll start next week as my personal secretary at Rossi Group headquarters.”

“What?” I gasped, shaking my head. “No, I can’t—”

“You can’t refuse,” he interrupted sharply, standing and towering over me. “You won’t get a job in this city–or any other again. No club or company would hire you, if you dare think you can say no to me.”

My stomach sank, and the weight of his words pressed down on me.

"Oh, and one more thing," he added, his tone cruel. “You’re fired from this job. Effective immediately. You don't fit.”

"I... uh," I stammered, completely lost for words.

"You start next week. ¿Entendido?"

I stared at him, my heart sinking into my stomach.

The final blow came when he leaned in, his voice dripping with disdain. “I’m doing you a favor, girl. Without me, you’re nothing.”

I stood there, stunned, as he strode out of the office, leaving me to grapple with the crushing reality of what had just happened. How had my first night at Ros'Notte turned into this nightmare?