Café de Luna

The café smelled of freshly ground coffee and warm pastries, a quiet escape from the bustling city outside.

The warm aroma of roasted coffee beans lingered in the air, blending with the faint sweetness of pastries freshly pulled from the oven.

Andrea moved behind the counter with the kind of ease that came from years of practice. Her hands worked with delicate precision, crafting each cup with care.

Dressed in a simple yet stylish outfit, with an apron on it, her long hair were tied back, with loose strands of her hair brushed against her cheeks,

She belonged to this place. Every movement, every polite smile, seemed quite professional.

She greeted customers with warm familiarity, her signature dimpled smile softening even the most hurried expressions.

Every now and then, she’d tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, a small, thoughtless gesture. No one have noticed this.

But he did.

Alfonso Rodríguez watched from a distance.

He had been observing her long enough to notice the small things, the way her hazel eyes softened when she spoke to regulars, the gentle authority in her voice when resolving small issues happened now or then.

She was a creature of simplicity, untouched by the kind of corruption that was normal in his world.

That alone was enough to make her unforgettable.

Days had passed since he first noticed her, and the quiet pull, she had ignited within him refused to fade.

It was not desire, at least, not entirely. It was curiosity, laced with something darker.

Something dangerous.

Men like him didn’t allow themselves distractions. Women in his orbit served a purpose, temporary, calculated, easily discarded.

But Andrea... she didn’t fit into any of the categories he had carefully constructed over the years.

She moved through life with a quiet confidence, blissfully unaware of the predator watching from the shadows.

The bell above the door jingled, followed by hurried footsteps and the soft clatter of heels against the floor.

"Andreaaa!"

Andrea’s smile tugged at her lips before she even glanced up.

A familiar warmth pressed against her back as Olivia threw her arms around her, hugging her tightly from behind.

Andrea chuckled softly, her hands still working the espresso machine.

"Late again... huh..."

Her voice was light, teasing. No trace of annoyance, only affection.

Olivia rested her chin on Andrea’s shoulder, grinning.

"Only by..."

"....thirty minutes,"

Andrea cut in, finally turning to meet her friend’s wide eyes.

Olivia’s mouth dropped open dramatically.

"Ten! It’s ten!"

Andrea squinted, crossing her arms with a playful smirk.

"Fifteen... but who's counting? "

They both burst into laughter, the sound filling the café.

Olivia leaned on the counter, catching her breath.

"You know you miss me when I'm not here."

Andrea’s hazel eyes softened, dimples appearing in her cheeks.

"Maybe... a little."

" I knew it."

Olivia’s grin stretched wide as she pumped her fist in the air, a small victory gesture, like she'd been waiting weeks for this confirmation.

Andrea shook her head fondly, returning to the espresso machine.

" You always have an excuse."

" And you always forgive me."

Olivia looked at her batting her eye lashes.

" Not true." Andrea said with mock serious expression.

Olivia smirked.

" Then why is my coffee already waiting for me? "

Andrea shot her a pointed glance but couldn't hide the smile tugging at her lips.

Andrea shook her head, passing her the cup.

" What’s the excuse this time?"

Olivia leaned closer, lowering her voice as if sharing the world’s best secret.

"I saw the cute guy from the flower shop on the way here. Maybe that’s why I was late."

Andrea rolled her eyes, trying to hide the small smile tugging at her lips.

" Really another crush?

That’s what... third this week? "

Olivia grinned, resting her chin in her palm.

"What can I say?

One of us need a little excitement."

Andrea shook her head, a soft smile still lingering.

"One of these days, you're going to run out of men in this city."

"Then I'll find more,"

Olivia shot back, making them both burst into quiet laughter.

Andrea chuckled, the sound warm and full.

"More like you find it... every week."

They both laughed, their shared happiness wrapping around them like a protective bubble.

Alfonso sat in the backseat of his black SUV, the tinted windows shielding him from view as he watched the scene unfold inside Café de Luna.

His fingers tapped idly against the armrest, his gaze locked onto the girl behind the counter.

Dressed in a simple yet stylish outfit, her long wolf-cut hair was tied back loosely, with a few strands framing her delicate face. Her hazel eyes reflected warmth, and when she smiled at a customer, dimples deepened in her cheeks, making her look even more inviting.

She looked nothing like the woman he had seen under the club’s flashing lights.

And here, she was unknown by the world he ruled.

Pure.

Unaware.

His jaw tightened at the thought. She has no idea she already belongs to someone.

Alfonso didn’t take his eyes off her.

With a subtle tilt of his head, Marco and Matteo stepped out of the car without a word. They knew what to do.

Minutes passed.

He watched as they entered the café, approaching the counter. Andrea greeted them with that same effortless smile, dimples deepening as she spoke.

Olivia's playful smirk curved on instinct.

" Well, well... hola Señor "

She said, leaning her elbow on the counter."

Andrea's head snapped up, eyes narrowing at her friend.

" Not everyone, Olivia." She nudged her with her elbow.

Marco didn't glance her way first. But when Olivia's voice pushed again, softer, flirtier...

He let out a low chuckle.

A sound so brief that anyone else would have missed it, but he didn't say much other than greetings.

" Olivia! No.... Stop it."

Andrea said to her friend before returning to him. Olivia just shrugged and moved to another customer for their order.

But rather she said

" I apologise on her behalf, she just like messing around."

Marco and Matteo looked at each other then chuckled lightly and said

" It's fine. "

She took their orders, they stayed there just enough to observe.

She moved with practiced ease, polite but not overly friendly, professional.

Marco made light conversation, throwing in a casual question about the café.

" It's so calm and quiet in here "

Then, Matteo said

" And the coffee is quiet famous in the city."

Andrea nervously chuckled with a tinge of blush on her cheeks because of sudden complement but she responded easily, warmth in her tone.

" Thankyou.

And my father would love to hear that."

No hesitation.

No fear.

She was so natural.

Marco and Matteo took their coffees and walked out, approaching Alfonso with the report.

When they returned, Marco handed him the coffee.

" She’s polite,"

Matteo said simply.

" Doesn’t flirt, she Keeps it business but her friend is quite playful."

" She’s well-mannered. Easily flustered,"

Marco murmured.

Alfonso finally shifted, rolling the cup between his fingers, Marco had handed him. His men had their answer. But he already knew his.

Matteo smirked.

" She has no idea who she has just served."

Alfonso hummed, taking sip from the cup.

" Do you think it’s a trap? "

Alfonso asked him.

He had seen traps laid in far more intricate ways, women sent to people in his world, to weaken, to destroy. It would be foolish to let his guard down now.

He hesitated.

" But it’s still strange, Boss. Someone like her... it doesn’t fit."

Alfonso finally turned his head slightly, regarding Marco with a calm yet dangerous expression.

" And why is that? "

His voice was low, smooth, carrying an unspoken warning.

" Someone like her,"

Marco murmured, shaking his head slightly.

" She doesn’t fit in our world, Boss. Nothing about her does."

Alfonso’s eyes narrowed at his response.

He turned back toward the café just in time to see Andrea step outside, brushing her hair behind her ear as she greeted a customer with a warm smile.

" She is so simple and innocent and too naive for our world."

Marco said with a little hint of hesitation in his voice.

Too innocent?

Too naive?

Too simple?

Then why couldn’t he stop looking at her?

Without a word, as he lifted the cup to his lips, he took a slow sip, his gaze flicked back to the girl behind the counter.

Unknowingly, she had just served him.

And she still had no idea what that meant

"Find out everything about her"

They nodded

" Roger, Boss."

The morning rush in the cafe was predictable, familiar faces, hurried orders, the comforting hum of the espresso machine filled the air as Andrea moved behind the café counter, her hands working with quiet precision.

She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, as she handed a latte to an older man who smiled kindly at her.

"Have a good day, Señor," She said warmly.

She talked with a simple smile, her dimple flashing for just a moment before she returned back to her work.

His interest deepen, the more he look at her. He had seen countless people rise and fall in his world, but something about her stood apart.

Her days were simple, structured, balancing work at Café de Luna. It wasn’t much, but it was hers.

Andrea glanced toward the window, a flicker of unease crossing her features.

Her eyes scanned the street, searching for something, someone, but a little smile appeared when she looked outside the glass wall of the cafe.

Alfonso’s smirk barely flickered. Even without knowing, she had an effect on him.

Still, she was too innocent, too untouched to be anything more than what she appeared.

A business student balancing work, wrapped in quiet grace.

But the more he watched, the harder it became to convince himself that she was nothing more than that.

He could have her anytime any moment if he wanted, call her to him, bend her to his will with nothing more than a word.

But something held him back. He decided to wait for the right time.

And Andrea was still oblivious, still unknown to the storm that was slowly rising around her.

His fingers traced the rim of the untouched coffee cup in his hand, the bitter scent rising between them.

Without looking away, he spoke quietly to the man at his side.

" Keep watching."

Marco shifted but did not question him.

" But don't interrupt... yet "

Alfonso’s gaze never left her.

She was ordinary girl. Soon, everyone would know she isn't ordinary, but she is extraordinary that only belongs to him.

But he decided to let her notice him, let her acknowledge him on her own. And she would only when it's time.

She didn’t know it yet, but the moment her eyes flicked toward the window, just for a view, she had already stepped into something unknowingly, she can never back off from.

But unlike the others, he would let her come to him, slowly, unknowingly, until she was tangled in his world before she even realized it.

The car engine purred softly in the background ready to drove off, his men standing guard without needing instruction.