Chapter 580: An Empress Calls for Breakfast
Chapter 580: An Empress Calls for Breakfast
The morning sun sliced through Natalia’s curtains like it had a personal vendetta against my sleep schedule. My ribs ached. My muscles screamed. My everything hurt in ways I didn’t know were possible.
But Natalia’s warmth against my chest made all of it worthwhile.
She stirred. Her purple hair fanned across my shoulder. The white streaks caught the light and practically glowed.
"Stop staring at me while I sleep."
"I wasn’t staring."
"Your heartbeat changed. I felt it."
Damn Covenant bond. No secrets between us anymore.
"Maybe I was just appreciating the view."
"Appreciate it quieter."
She burrowed deeper into my side. Her arm draped across my stomach. Her leg hooked over mine like she was afraid I’d escape.
I had approximately zero intention of escaping.
My phone buzzed on the nightstand. Then again. Then a third time in rapid succession.
"Ignore it."
"Could be important."
"Nothing is more important than sleep."
A fourth buzz. A fifth.
Natalia groaned and reached over me to grab the phone. Her breast pressed against my face during the motion. She didn’t seem to notice or care.
"It’s from Cel." She squinted at the screen. "Veronica Cabana requests a formal meeting at ten this morning. Breakfast will be provided. Dress appropriately."
"What time is it now?"
"Eight forty-seven."
I had just over an hour to shower, dress, and mentally prepare for a conversation with one of the most powerful corporate sharks in the Hunter industry.
No pressure.
Natalia dropped the phone on my chest and resumed her position against my side.
"You should get up."
"You’re lying on top of me."
"That sounds like a you problem."
"Natalia."
"Five more minutes."
"We don’t have five more minutes."
She lifted her head. Her purple eyes were still heavy with sleep but something sharper lurked beneath the surface.
"You’re really going to meet with her."
"I said I’d think about it. Thinking requires information. Information requires conversation."
"And if she offers you something you can’t refuse?"
"Then I’ll refuse it anyway."
"Liar."
"Maybe. But I’ll refuse anything that threatens what we have. That’s not a lie."
She searched my face for something. Truth. Deception. Doubt. Whatever she found seemed to satisfy her.
"Fine. Go shower. I’ll pick out your clothes."
"I can pick out my own clothes."
"You’ll wear that black hoodie with the holes in the sleeves."
"It’s comfortable."
"It’s inappropriate for a business meeting with a woman who could buy this entire island."
I couldn’t really argue with that logic.
The shower was blessedly hot. The water pressure was exactly strong enough to work out the knots in my shoulders without aggravating my ribs. I stood under the spray for longer than necessary just to delay the inevitable.
Veronica Cabana wanted an alliance. She’d made that clear yesterday. What she hadn’t made clear was what that alliance would cost me.
Nothing in this world came free. Especially not support from someone who’d built an empire from nothing.
Nel’s voice whispered through our bond. The meeting location is the Olympus Rising temporary headquarters on the third floor of the administration building. Veronica has reserved a private conference room and catering from the island’s most expensive restaurant. She is attempting to impress you.
Or intimidate me.
Same thing from different angles.
I stepped out of the shower to find clothes already laid out on Natalia’s bed. A crisp white button-down shirt. Dark slacks that actually fit properly. A charcoal jacket that probably cost more than my monthly allowance from the System.
"Where did these come from?"
Natalia appeared in the doorway wearing only a towel. Water droplets traced paths down her collarbone.
"Cel arranged them last night. She anticipated you’d need appropriate attire."
"Cel thinks of everything."
"Cel is terrifying. That’s why she’s useful."
I dressed while Natalia watched with unabashed appreciation. Her eyes tracked every movement as I buttoned the shirt and tucked it into the slacks.
"You clean up well."
"Don’t sound so surprised."
"I’m not surprised. I’m admiring my property."
"Did you just call me property?"
"Would you prefer possession?"
"I’d prefer neither."
She crossed the room. Her hands adjusted my collar. Smoothed the fabric across my shoulders. Fixed a button I’d missed.
"You are mine, Satori Nakano. Whatever Veronica offers, whatever alliance she proposes, remember that."
"Hard to forget when you remind me every five minutes."
"Good. I plan to remind you every five minutes for the rest of your life."
She kissed me softly. Her lips tasted like mint toothpaste and promise.
"Now go. I’ll meet you after."
"You’re not coming?"
"This is your meeting. Your decision. Your alliance." Her purple eyes hardened. "But if she tries to give you my rival as a gift, I will freeze her blood solid."
"Noted."
I left Onyx House with Natalia’s warning echoing in my skull. The morning air was crisp and clean. The harbor sparkled under clear skies. Birds sang in the trees like they hadn’t gotten the memo that today was supposed to be stressful.
Nel, what’s Veronica’s angle here?
Unknown. Her public motivations center entirely on Reyna’s success. Her private motivations remain opaque. However, her business practices suggest she values talent acquisition above all else. You represent an unprecedented combination of combat ability and social magnetism. She likely views you as an investment opportunity.
Great. I was a stock to be purchased.
The administration building loomed ahead. Third floor. Private conference room. Breakfast catering that probably cost more than a C-Rank Hunter’s monthly salary.
I took the stairs two at a time because the elevator felt too passive. Too much like walking into someone else’s trap on their schedule.
The conference room door was open. The smell of fresh pastries and expensive coffee wafted into the hallway.
Veronica Cabana sat at the head of a long table. Her blonde hair caught the morning light like spun gold. Her emerald eyes tracked my approach with predatory focus. She wore a cream-colored business suit that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe.
"Satori Nakano. Thank you for accepting my invitation."
"Hard to refuse free breakfast."
She smiled. It was the smile of someone who’d heard a thousand variations of that deflection and found each one equally amusing.
"Please. Sit. Eat. We have much to discuss."
I sat across from her rather than beside her. Basic negotiation tactics. Maintain distance. Control sightlines. Never give your back to the door.
The spread was ridiculous. Croissants and fruit and eggs benedict and fresh-squeezed orange juice and coffee that smelled like it had been hand-picked by angels.
"You went all out."
"I believe in making good first impressions."
"This is our second meeting."
"Second impressions matter equally."