The devils circle

The city had learned something dangerous about him overnight.

Fear traveled faster than truth.

By noon, rumors had already spread across Verona that the men responsible for the recent attack had been personally executed by the heir of the De Luca family himself. Nobody knew whether the stories were true or exaggerated.

But nobody dared question them either.

Because when fear carried the name De Luca, people preferred silence over curiosity.

Rain slowly traced the glass windows of the Noctis Dominion headquarters while the top floor remained colder than the rest of the building. Employees moved carefully through the halls, lowering their voices whenever they neared his office.

Inside, the atmosphere felt suffocatingly still.

Nash Calloway stood beside the desk, flipping through several files while trying to ignore the tension surrounding the room.

“Your family is expecting you tonight, sir.”

The man seated behind the desk did not look up from the documents in his hands.

“Tell them I’m busy.”

Nash hesitated.

“Your mother specifically requested your presence.”

A slow silence followed.

Dangerous.

Heavy.

Then finally—

“I wasn’t asking.”

Nash immediately lowered his gaze.

“Understood, sir.”

He quickly gathered the files before leaving the office without another word.

The moment the doors closed, silence returned once again.

Cold.

Sharp.

Controlled.

The man leaned back against the leather chair, loosening his tie slightly while the storm outside darkened the city skyline. His grey eyes remained fixed on the rain-covered windows, unreadable as always.

People feared him for many reasons.

Some feared his power.

Others feared his silence more.

A soft knock echoed against the office doors before they slowly opened again.

This time, the atmosphere shifted entirely.

Two men entered.

Not employees.

Not guards.

Men powerful enough to walk into his office without permission.

The first one moved with terrifying calmness, dressed in an all-black suit with gloved hands resting casually inside his pockets. Sharp eyes scanned the room carefully before settling on the man behind the desk.

Nikolai Moretti.

Cold.

Unpredictable.

The kind of man people avoided instinctively.

Beside him walked another figure carrying several folders beneath his arm. Unlike Nikolai’s dangerous aura, this man appeared composed, controlled, almost elegant in the way he carried himself.

Matteo Bellini.

Calm under pressure.

Strategic.

The mind behind most of Noctis Dominion’s security operations.

If Nikolai was the blade hidden in darkness—

Matteo was the wall protecting the empire from collapsing.

Neither of them bowed.

Neither of them looked intimidated.

Because they were the only men trusted enough to stand beside him rather than beneath him.

Nikolai glanced toward the untouched whiskey resting near the desk before smirking slightly.

“You look tired.”

The man behind the desk finally looked up.

“Say something useful.”

A quiet chuckle escaped Nikolai while Matteo placed the folders carefully on the table.

“The rumors are spreading faster than expected,” Matteo spoke calmly. “Half the city believes you executed those men yourself.”

Silence.

Then—

“Did I?” the man asked coldly.

Neither Nikolai nor Matteo answered.

Because sometimes it was impossible to tell whether he was joking.

Matteo opened one of the files.

“The council members are becoming nervous. Increased security has already been requested around three De Luca properties.”

“Double it,” he said immediately.

Matteo nodded once.

“Already done.”

Nikolai moved toward the windows overlooking the city below.

“People are watching the family closely now,” he said quietly. “The attack made noise.”

“It was supposed to,” the man replied.

That earned both men’s attention.

His expression remained unreadable as he slowly stood from the chair, adjusting the sleeves of his black shirt. Dark tattoos briefly disappeared beneath the fabric once again.

Power followed him naturally.

Not loudly.

Not desperately.

It simply existed around him.

Nikolai folded his arms.

“You think this was a warning?”

“No,” the man answered calmly. “Warnings come before mistakes.”

The room fell silent.

Then Matteo spoke carefully.

“There’s another issue.”

His eyes slowly lifted toward him.

“The media has started questioning why Noctis Dominion suddenly increased private security around the estate.”

“Let them question.”

“The city is nervous.”

A cold smile finally touched his face.

“Good.”

Rain thundered softly outside while tension settled deeper inside the office.

For years, the De Luca name had remained untouchable. Feared. Respected. Powerful enough to silence governments when necessary.

But power always attracted enemies eventually.

And enemies became reckless when they grew desperate.

Nikolai tilted his head slightly.

“We found another trail connected to last night’s attackers.”

That immediately sharpened the atmosphere.

“Who?”

“Still digging,” Nikolai replied. “But someone inside the city is helping them move unnoticed.”

Matteo crossed his arms thoughtfully.

“Not police.”

“No,” Nikolai agreed. “Too clean for police.”

The man near the windows remained silent for several seconds.

Thinking.

Calculating.

Every movement around him carried control, even his silence.

Finally, he turned toward them fully.

“Tighten security around my family.”

“It’s already done,” Matteo replied instantly.

“No mistakes this time.”

“There won’t be.”

Nikolai studied him quietly before speaking again.

“You should still attend dinner tonight.”

His jaw tightened almost invisibly.

“Since when do you give personal advice?”

“Since your mother threatened to send people after us if you ignored her again.”

That actually earned the smallest reaction from him.

Not amusement.

Not exactly.

But close enough.

Matteo sighed softly.

“She’s becoming impatient.”

“She can wait.”

Nikolai smirked faintly.

“That’s easy for you to say.”

His cold eyes landed on him instantly.

“Careful.”

The warning was quiet.

But deadly enough to silence the room.

Nikolai only lifted his hands slightly in surrender before walking toward the bar counter near the windows.

Unlike the rest of the city, these two men understood him beyond the fear.

They had seen:

* the violence,

* the pressure,

* the blood,

* the expectations carried by the De Luca name.

And despite everything—

They stayed.

Loyalty like that was rare in his world.

Matteo glanced toward the files again.

“There’s also tomorrow’s council meeting.”

“I know.”

“They want reassurance.”

“They’ll survive without it.”

“The investors won’t.”

That finally pulled a colder expression from him.

“I built their empire,” he said quietly. “They don’t breathe without my permission.”

The office fell silent again.

Because everyone in the room knew it was true.

Noctis Dominion had become untouchable under his control. Hotels, skyscrapers, luxury estates, political influence—everything connected back to him eventually.

Not because he inherited power.

Because he strengthened it.

Turned it into something feared.

Something impossible to challenge.

Nikolai walked back toward the desk slowly.

“You know the city has started calling you something else now?”

His gaze remained indifferent.

“I don’t care.”

“They call you Il Re Nero.”

Matteo exhaled quietly.

The Black King.

The title hung heavily inside the room.