The Predator (Dark Verse #1)

by RuNyx

Tristan Caine. He was an anomaly. The only non-blood member to have taken the oath with blood in the family. The only non-blood member to be that high up in the Outfit.

His dark blonde hair was almost a dark brown, sheared close to his head, his eyes a light color from the distance. Morana knew they were blue. A striking blue.

And today, Mr. Caine was a son to Bloodhound Maroni. Some said Maroni favored him more over his own blood. In fact, word was, after Maroni's retirement, Tristan would be the boss of the Outfit, not Dante.

Tristan 'The Predator' Caine. They called him the predator. His reputation preceded him.

He was also the reason she had come to the party. She was going to kill Tristan Caine.

Although she hated herself for noticing, she couldn't deny the man was very, very attractive. Too bad he was a bastard to match.

"Now, if you don't want that, tell me who sent you and what drive you are talking about."

He didn't recognize her.

"The drive is mine."

"Yes, it is, you bastard. I worked my ass off on those codes and I'll be damned if I'll let you use it. Jackson stole it from me and I’ve traveled all the way from Shadow Port because I need it back."

"Morana Vitalio?"

"You should know not to come into the house of the enemy, all alone, unprotected. And you should know never to sneak up on a predator. Once we catch the scent of your blood, it's a matter of the hunt."

"You owe me."

"What the hell for?" “For your life,”

"I'm no gentleman to give you a free pass," he spoke quietly. "You are in my debt."

"And I will collect it one day."

"There are places on your body that I know,"

"Places that you don't know. Places where I can shoot and harm and you won't die."

"Death isn't the main course, sweetheart. It's the dessert."

"Never make the mistake of thinking you know me. It might just prove to be your last."

"Never make the mistake of thinking you scare me. It will be your last."

"I must say, it is rare to find a person, let alone a woman, fearless of Tristan."

"Fearless, as I said. It can be a dangerous thing."

"You are under the impression that I have this drive of codes," he stated.

"I know you have them." "Why?"

"When Jackson stole the codes from me,"

"I tracked his cell phone records and his movements since he met me. They traced back to you,"

"And you assumed Tristan hired Jackson to spy on you?"

"I had no reason to believe otherwise."

"Except the fact that I didn't even know...

"We didn’t even know these codes even existed. They have a lot of power, and if they fall in the wrong hands, both our families are screwed. That’s why we flew out west to your city. Meeting you was important." "And how did you come to know of the codes?"

"You are nothing like the women I like to pin. I certainly don't hate them." "You don't hate me,"

"No,"

"I despise you."

"I am not killing you only because I don't want that fucking war."

"Just because I cannot harm you doesn't mean I won't."

"You don't even k...

"I have people who are mine. Territory that's mine. Don’t ever invade it,"

"The two of you can bleed to death for all I care."

"Stay the fuck away from me."

Everything had its time. She would have hers.

One day, she vowed, she would kill Tristan Caine.

Morana had not grown up wanting anything, not materially at least.

Her mother had left her father and this life when a few years after Morana had been born. The marriage of Alice and Gabriel Vitalio had been made for the one reason older than love—business.

She didn’t remember much from her childhood.

“She’s dangerous but she has no idea how much. It’s best if we keep it between us.”

"There is a wall right there. There is even a car. Pin me down and 'invade my territory'. Or if you hate me as you say, hurt me. Kill me. Why don't you?"

"Your heart is beating way too fast for someone so in control,"

"I warned you not to think, for one second, that you know me."

"And I warned you not to think, for one second, that you