D.I.L.F

I leaned back in my leather chair, rolling my phone between my fingers as I reread Zaria's last text.

"Okay. Where and when?"

The corner of my mouth twitched. She said yes.

I knew she would.

There had been a moment of hesitation, sure, but I could tell she was intrigued. And when a woman was intrigued, it was only a matter of time before that curiosity turned into something more.

The thing was—Zaria probably had no idea that I already knew exactly who she was.

Zaria DeLuca.

A name that was hard to forget. Not just because of who she was, but because of the connection she had to my daughter.

Alessia had spent her high school years making that girl's life hell, and now, years later, I had my sights set on her.

Some might call it ironic. Others would call it wrong.

I just called it fate.

A knock at my office door pulled me out of my thoughts.

Romeo walked in, a knowing smirk already on his face. "Guess who just stormed in here looking for you?"

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Let me guess—Alessia."

"Bingo."

I exhaled slowly, straightening up in my chair just as the sound of my daughter's sharp voice cut through the hallway.

"Is he in there?"

Romeo barely had time to open his mouth before she shoved past him, stepping into my office with her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

"Dad," she said, her voice laced with irritation.

"Alessia," I greeted, keeping my tone calm as I set my phone down.

"You're coming shopping with me."

It wasn't a question. It was a demand.

I rested my elbows on the desk, tilting my head slightly. "Not tonight."

Her perfectly shaped brows pulled together. "Why not?"

"I have plans."

Alessia's lips pressed into a thin line, her gaze narrowing. "What kind of plans?"

I leaned back in my chair, watching her closely. It was amusing, really—how she expected me to answer to her like she was the parent and I was the child.

"You don't need to worry about it," I said simply.

She scoffed, shifting her weight onto one foot. "Seriously? You never spend time with me anymore."

"That's not true."

"Yes, it is!" she snapped, her voice rising. "You're always working or too busy for me. Whenever I ask you to do something, it's always 'not tonight' or 'maybe next time.'"

I exhaled through my nose, keeping my expression unreadable. "You're being dramatic."

She let out a frustrated groan. "Oh my God, whatever. Fine. Enjoy whatever these so-called 'plans' are."

And with that, she spun around and stormed out, her heels clicking against the marble floor as she disappeared down the hallway.

Silence settled over the office before Romeo let out a low whistle.

"Damn," he muttered, flopping into the chair across from me. "She's really in her feelings today."

I shrugged. "She'll get over it."

He smirked, leaning forward. "So... what exactly are these 'plans'?"

I didn't answer right away. I just sat there, letting the silence stretch between us.

And then, finally, I said it.

"Zaria DeLuca."

Romeo blinked. Then, after a long beat of silence—

He burst out laughing.

"Hold on—hold the hell up," he wheezed, clutching his stomach. "You mean to tell me that out of all the women in this city, you decided to go after Alessia's old high school enemy?"

I smirked, unbothered. "I wouldn't call her an enemy."

"Well, I would," Romeo shot back, still grinning. "Alessia would. If she finds out about this, she's gonna lose her damn mind."

I merely raised a brow. "Then she won't find out."

Romeo let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "So this is a secret thing now?"

"For now."

His smirk widened. "You do realize this is the most scandalous shit you've ever done, right?"

I gave him a pointed look. "You clearly don't remember my younger years."

He laughed. "Fair enough." He sat back, studying me. "But for real, you're actually interested in this girl? Or is this just you playing some twisted little game?"

I locked my fingers together, my expression darkening slightly. "I don't play games."

Romeo's smirk faltered just a bit.

"You're serious about her?" he asked, watching me closely.

"I'm curious about her," I corrected. "She's... different."

Romeo hummed, tilting his head. "Different how?"

"She's not like these women we usually deal with," I admitted. "She's young, but she's not naive. She carries herself with a quiet confidence. She's beautiful, but there's something about her that makes me want to know more."

Romeo leaned back in his chair, lips curling into a smirk. "So, basically... she's got you hooked already."

I didn't answer.

Because maybe, just maybe... he was right.

Romeo let out a low whistle. "Damn. Never thought I'd see the day." He stood up, adjusting his watch. "Well, when you take her out, let me know if she has a friend."

I smirked. "I'll keep that in mind."

He chuckled before heading for the door. "Good luck, man. You're gonna need it."

As soon as he was gone, I exhaled, leaning back in my chair.

I reached for my phone, unlocking it and staring at Zaria's name in my messages.

She had no idea what she was getting herself into.

But soon... she would.