Bound

24*. A Hunt Begins

"Don Valentini," Axel said, and bowed respectfully but did not meet his eyes.

"You may look up", he ordered, and Axel raised his head to stare into the eyes of the man who influenced almost half of Europe. It was like being in a dream, or a nightmare. He had never imagined he would meet anyone as important as the Don of the Valentini Empire.

For the first time Axel got a real look at the Don. He had never seen royalty, but Axel was sure that even real kings couldn't hold a candle to the power and aura that he could feel rolling off of the Don in waves. It was in the way they he held himself, confident, as if he had been born knowing the world was at his feet for his taking.

Axel gaped at the mafia lord in front of him, not being able to control himself. He was thankful that the Don was not looking at him in that moment, which gave him precious few seconds to get a control over himself. Instead, the Don seemed to be busy with his mobile phone, glaring at it as if it had somehow offended him.

"What's your name?", the Don asked him.

"Axel", he replied back trying to keep his voice as neutral as possible to prevent his fear from surfacing.

"I've heard of you", said Don Valentini, sitting back, his attention now focused solely on him. "You're quite a prodigy when it comes to the technical department. You were mentioned to me a few times, in reports."

On any other day, it would be an honour for the Don to know his name. Today, it was merely a gut-wrenching and fear inducing experience.

Axel didn't say anything, but his eyes flicked up to meet the Don's, before going back to the floor. Don Valentini seemed to be daring him to speak, but Axel wasn't stupid. He was struck by the sudden image of being confronted with a lion that was ready to pounce.

"I expect you to keep up the same level of work. Do not disappoint me", Don Valentini told him in a hard tone.

"Yes sir ", Axel parroted with as much courage as he could muster.

"That's all for tonight. Now you both can get out of my sight", he ordered.

Axel didn't need to be told twice. With another quick bow, he left the office, followed by Carlos who shut the door behind him with a soft click.

"That was so hor-", he began, wide- eyed.

"Not here", Carlos growled at him softly.

With quick steps, they made their way back to Carlos' room. It was only after Carlos shut the door being him that he heaved a sigh of relief.

"H...he is so intimidating", Axel shuddered.

"Don't know why you're complaining. You haven't even seen anything yet boy", Carlos chuckled darkly.

Axel thought otherwise but choose to hold his tongue.

"He doesn't know about the system", Axel said in relief .

"You were lucky", Carlos admitted. "But you need to be more careful. You are on his radar now, he knows your name. You are going to be scrutinised by the other higher members in every step that you take", he warned him.

"How did he even know about me?", Axel asked, baffled.

"You have achieved quite a few feats in the short time that you have worked here. Every single detail about what goes on at a Valentini base is reported back to the elite members. Do you think that a new recruit working as well as you are was going to be missed?", Carlos replied. "I never expected your report to reach the Don though", he muttered as an afterthought.