Page 16 of Veil of Dust

She walks closer. One heel clicks; the other doesn’t. When she’s annoyed, she shifts more weight to the left. Has for years.

“I ran the route twice,” she says. “Your Montclair account moved thirty-eight thousand more than it should’ve. It ended up somewhere it wasn’t supposed to.”

I close the ledger. “Round-up error.”

“You don’t make those.”

She’s not accusing me of skimming money. At least, not at the moment.

But she’s getting there.

Her eyes sweep over my face. Not watching—analyzing. Likeshe’s checking for cracks, looking for the weak spot she’s already sure exists.

“You’re leaking somewhere, Tiziano,” she says. “I just haven’t figured out where yet.”

I give her a small smile. It doesn’t reach my eyes.

“Then keep looking.”

Bianca isn’t moving. She stands still in that black coat she never takes off, even indoors. Smells like ash and spent rounds. Same as always. Same as the training floor back in Naples. Before all this meant anything. Back when getting hurt didn’t matter unless someone told you it did.

She stares at me like I’m an assignment she didn’t ask for.

“This girl at the bar,” she says. “You’re getting soft.”

“She’s smart,” I say.

“She’s a liability.”

“Everything in this room is.”

“You won’t survive this if you start letting emotions drive your choices.”

“I’m not. I’m making sure I have leverage when I need it.”

She tilts her head just a little. “You believe that?”

I meet her eyes and hold her stare.

“She’s not a weakness,” I say. “She’s an exit plan.”

Bianca steps in closer. Not in my space, but just enough to lower her voice.

“You open that door for her, she’s going to tear down everything we’ve built.”

“She’s not part of anything yet.”

She lets out a quiet sound. Could be a laugh. Could be frustration.

“She will be. You’ve already rewritten figures to make space for her.”

I don’t say anything.

She waits another second, then turns and walks out.

No parting shot. No threat.

Just that chill that always follows her.

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