He was worse than I had expected him to be.

It was only twenty minutes into our first meeting, and the first very handsome and dominant seeming man had managed to piss me off more than anybody had in my entire life.

I wasn't afraid of him. As long as Mr Capra was alive, no-one dared to do me any harm. Even his son wouldn't dare hurt me, I was sure of that.

"Whatever special treatment my father gave you for sucking his cock all day long, you shouldn't expect it from me," he had barely finished his insult, but I was past fuming point.

With my cheeks flaring red with anger and my fists clenched, I stormed out of Mr Capra's office, which was now his son's.

I blinked back tears and rushed towards the elevator, ignoring everyone that crossed my path.

"Asshole," I muttered and took out my phone as soon as I was alone on my way downstairs to the lobby.

I dialled Mr Capra's number and brought my phone up to my ear, now letting a tear slide down my cheek.

"Good afternoon, doll," his sweet voice made me want to burst out crying, "to what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"

"You forgot to mention that your son is a self-righteous and–" I began ranting, my voice raised and strained, tone laced with anger and hurt.

"I take it your meeting with him didn't go well..." he cut me off with a sigh, "this is a lot for him too, he has big shoes to fill, remember that."

I sniffled and shook my head to myself, now pacing the elevator and hoping no-one else would get in, "he was so rude to me! He.. he..."

I couldn't bring myself to say all the things Mr Capra's son had said to me, as much as I wanted to.

"He didn't want this job, you know that. Someone had to take over the business, and he's the only blood relative I have in this world, Sofia," Mr Capra reminded me gently, "better him than Big Frank, right? He'll warm up to you, just let him get settled in..."

This was no ordinary business the Capra family had been running for generations, this was an intricate and well-organised crime syndicate - a mafia - spanning over most of the world. Its cover was now a successful technology company.

"It wasn't a matter of him not having yet warmed up to me! The things he said to me, Mr Capra, they were crude and so insensitive!" I groaned in annoyance, hating that Mr Capra had to have suffered a heart attack which had led to him deciding to retire indefinitely as Don, and have his son take his place.

I had tried to stay openminded and hoped he'd be as kind as his father had been to me for the few years I had worked for him, but now I felt like all my hope was lost. I surely wasn't the only one not pleased with this gigantic change.

"Doll, where are you?" he asked me, staying as calm as he always was.

"In the elevator. I'm going home," I let out a deep breath, knowing I needed to calm down even though adrenaline was rushing through my veins with the urge to slap the new Don, "are you still at the hospital? Can I come visit you?"

He laughed gently, "you never give up. What are you doing now? Head back up, I'll call him and tell him to get his act together, you hear me? Nobody messes with my righthand man."

I found myself smiling down at my feet and teasingly replied, "I'm still a woman."

"Ah, well those terms are so loose these days..." I heard the smile in his voice as well, and managed to calm down, "get back into my- his office, and by the time you arrive I'll have talked some sense into him."

"Alright, alright..." I decided, knowing that running away wasn't always the best thing to do, and definitely didn't give such a great first impression.

I should have stood up for myself, or at least remained cold and emotionless, showing him how truly capable I was for the job I had. It hadn't been possible though, since I was emotional after Mr Capra's brush with death and him so suddenly retiring.

We chatted the rest of my elevator journey down to the lobby, and only ended the call as the doors began sliding open. I found myself unable to even press the button to the highest floor where the Don's office was, before Vinny entered.

Without giving me a single glance, he came to stand by me and pressed the button himself.

"Sorry, Sofia, can't let you leave. Don's orders..." he told me, straightening his posture and firmly keeping his eyes on the now closing doors of the elevator.

My brows furrowed, "oh? I was just going back up, but whatever... What did that asshole even say to you?"

Vinny cleared his throat and discreetly nodded up at the security camera in the left corner, reminding me of how our conversation was easily monitored by Mr Capra's son.

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose, "why doesn't he want me to leave?"

"I'm just following orders," he replied simply.

I leaned against the back of the elevator and cast a glare toward the security camera, knowing he was watching and listening to us.

"I have a job for you tonight."

Acting as if I just hadn't stormed out of his office fifteen minutes ago, he casually went through papers and motioned for me to take a seat on a leather chair in front of the desk in the office.

I no longer felt comfortable working here, no longer under Mr Capra senior's care, and was already planning on applying for other jobs as soon as possible.

I nodded once and sat down.

"What and where?" I replied politely, studying him carefully.

He was very well put together with a perfectly fitted suit, no tie and the top button left open for a more approachable feel. His impossibly dark brown hair was slicked back with care, and whenever his dark and intense eyes met mine, I felt as if it was needed to maintain a perfect posture and presence.

As much as he had clearly wanted to seem approachable, he wasn't. He was dangerous, all the men and women I worked with were, but so far he had been more rude than polite.

"Les Rois, 9 PM. You're meeting Winston Horan," he informed me after placing his papers down and concentrating his attention on me fully.

I instantly felt as if I was under a microscope and like I wanted to cover myself up completely under his intense gaze.

"Mr Capra was always persistent on the fact that I would never meet people like Mr Horan," I cleared my throat, standing my ground in hopes of showing him I was to be respected.

A small and smug smile pulled at the sides of his lips, but it was gone before I had a chance to properly register it.

"My father's no longer here, is he? Whatever he's said regarding what you're to do has no meaning. I'm the Don, I'm your boss, and now I'm also Mr Capra to you," he explained in a frighteningly calm way, "you'll meet with Mr Horan for dinner, and after he'll take you back to his. I need you to find out the basic floor-plan of his suite in the Ritz."

"Can I ask what it's for?" I gathered the courage to ask, yet keeping a collected and cold exterior.

He relaxed back in the black leather office chair he sat on, and continued to observe me carefully.

"Sure. You don't need to know the answer, though," he shrugged, and a part of me still wanted to slap him for being so infuriating, "also, I need you to find out the code to his safe. I take it you know how to do all that? Seduce your way in and so on..."

"Yes."

"Good."

We sat there for a moment in silence, both eyeing the other up. He was nothing like his father, that much I had gathered thus far. This man was too cocky, too dominant seeming, too rude...

Of course, to be Don of the most widespread and powerful organised crime syndicate, you needed to be all those things. Mr Capra senior knew how to gain respect by giving it, and had never treated me the way his son had now.

"Do you have sex with them?" He broke the silence by asking, and my lips parted in shock of the question.

"Excuse me?" I was about to stand up again, but the laugh leaving his lips suddenly made me feel like I was unable to move.

"I'm asking so I'll be able to judge the situation, whether you need help in there or something along those lines," he explained, amused at my expense, "do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Well, then? Do you have sex with them?" He pushed, brows raising at me.

I didn't feel comfortable discussing my tactics with Mr Capra, Jr. like I had been with his father. Then, I had felt safe and cared for. Now, I began to realise how great the special treatment I had received, had been.

"If necessary," I gritted out, hating how he was clearly enjoying this; the power he had over me and how it was getting on my last nerves.

Mr Capra's brows raised at me. He leaned back in the leather chair and intertwined his fingers in front of him, elbows resting on the armrests.

"You're basically a prostitute, then?"

I froze at what he said. My chest felt constrained, and I felt my throat clenching. I saw red. I wanted to slap him, to tell him to never say that to me again.

Instead, I got up and began walking out of his office.

"I'm not done with you, Sofia!" His voice called after me, but I ignored it and headed to the one place there weren't cameras in.

I locked myself in the last stall in the women's bathroom and cried.

At this point, I would just need to find a new job, and until then, work as I would have worked under Mr Capra Sr.'s leadership.

"You're not a prostitute anymore, Sof," I began whispering to myself, hoping to calm down the inkling of a panic attack I felt, "everything's okay..."

I stayed there for thirty minutes, before I left to go home.