Dress for a war

**Ivery Clark POV** 

The moment Alrigo called Dominic into the office, I knew there would be resistance.

But I didn’t expect it to be this immediate.

“That was fast,” I muttered under my breath, my pulse still thrumming from the earlier conversation.

Dominic strode in like a storm, his jaw tight, his eyes burning with barely restrained rage. He didn’t look at me. His fury was locked entirely on Alrigo.

"You can’t be serious." His voice was low but edged with venom. "You’re actually going through with this?”

Of course, Dominic would object. He hated me. He hated my brother even more. 

"You heard me." Alrigo’s voice was smooth, dangerously calm. "Move him to another house. Ensure he gets medical attention. Also arrange something so that he can see his brother.”

My heart soared. He’s really doing it. He’s actually—

"You’re letting him walk free?" Dominic’s voice was thick with rage. "After he tried to put a bullet in your skull?”

"Did I say I was letting him walk free?" Alrigo's voice was like a whiplash.

Dominic hesitated.

Alrigo’s lips curled slightly, but there was no amusement in it. Only control. "Keep men around him. He’ll still be under our watch, Dominic. A leash, no matter how long, is still a leash.” he murmured, each word deliberate, calculated, sending a shiver down my spine. 

Dominic exhaled, shaking his head. “And if he really tries something?”

Alrigo’s smirk was slow, deliberate. “Then he learns the difference between breathing and living. Shoot him then there itself.”

What? My stomach twisted. It wasn’t just a warning. It was a promise.

“Wouldn’t that be fair, ma bella?” Alrigo's eyes met mine and I clenched my fist.

Alrigo had given me this, yes. But not out of kindness. Not out of weakness. He was still the same man who owned this city’s shadows. The same man who pulled strings that could strangle in an instant.

Dominic looked at Alrigo like he was seeing a stranger. “I don’t know you anymore.”

He muttered a curse under his breath, shooting me one last glare before turning on his heel. 

Alrigo turned his gaze to me then, dark and unreadable. “I’m generous, am I not, ma bella?”

I stared at him, unsure if he was mocking me or testing me—or both. Generous. That’s what he called this.

I had played my card, but the game wasn’t mine to control. I should have known playing games with Alrigo… was like walking on a knife's edge with bare feet.

Alrigo didn’t take his eyes off me as he pressed a button on his desk phone. "Come in," he said, voice smooth yet authoritative.

The door swung open almost instantly, and his secretary walked in, carrying a sleek black folder. She placed it neatly on the desk in front of him, waiting for further instruction.

Alrigo leaned back slightly, his fingers tapping against the armrest before his gaze flicked back to me. "Sign it."

I frowned, glancing at the folder, then back at him. “Sign what..?” 

He leaned forward, placing his elbows on the desk. “The designer you so boldly challenged quit. So now, you’re replacing her.”

I blinked. “You’re serious?”

His gaze hardened. “Do I look like I’m joking?”

My breath caught. He didn’t. 

“She was weak. Couldn’t handle the pressure. So now, you’re going to replace her.”Alrigo tilted his head, his expression unreadable. “Since Madam Morelli seems pleased with you, she’s decided you’ll be handling one of our major projects. If you perform well, there might be a permanent position waiting for you after your graduation. With a generous salary.”

What..!?

My fingers brushed over the document as if it might disappear if I blinked. A real job. A golden opportunity. Not just an errand girl for Alrigo, not just a temporary convenience, but an actual designer position…!?

I gawked at him. “You’re actually giving me the position?”

His lips curled slightly, but there was no amusement in his eyes. “I’m not giving you anything. You took this path the moment you opened your mouth in front of Madam Morelli. Now, she wants you handling one of our biggest projects. Also…I'm not a trash person who would block the actual talent just to calm his ego. So you'll be getting the position.” 

I had never expected those words from him. Not from Alrigo. The man who had spent so long controlling my every step, mocking my efforts, keeping me caged. 

And yet, here he was, acknowledging my talent—not as something he owned, but something I had earned.

For a moment, I just looked at him, seeing him in a way I hadn’t before.

Maybe… maybe there was some conscience buried beneath all that danger. A slow, small smile crept onto my lips. “Thank you.” 

His eyes flickered with something unreadable, but he didn’t respond.

I didn’t wait. I picked up the pen, took a deep breath, and signed my name.

Then, without missing a beat, he stood. “Get up.”

I blinked, still reeling from what had just happened. “What?”

He grabbed his suit jacket from the back of his chair, already moving towards the door. “We’re going out.”

I frowned, suspicion creeping in. “Where?”

He barely spared me a glance as he straightened his cuffs. “To buy you clothes.”

I froze. “Excuse me?”

His lips twitched, “I can’t have someone handling Morelli’s project looking like this.” his gaze swept over me, slow, assessing, making me go queasy.

“What’s wrong with how I look?”

“Everything's wrong with the way you look, ma bella.” His voice dipped lower, teasing yet edged with something condescending. “Do you think anyone will take you seriously when you dress like you belong in a university library instead of a high-end design firm?”
I folded my arms, scowling. “So what? You want to play dress-up with me now?”
He smirked, dark and sharp. “I don’t play. You’re handling a million-dollar project now, and appearances matter. Unless, of course—” he leaned in, voice dropping to a murmur, “you’d rather people think you’re still just my little office maid?”
I sucked in a breath, my pride flaring at his words.
Damn him.
He knew exactly how to push my buttons.

Alrigo straightened, his smirk deepening as if he already knew he’d won. “Now, be good and get moving. Unless you’d rather I pick you up in front of everyone.” 

I stared at him, torn between strangling him and… well, mostly just strangling him.

“Mr. King, allow me to handle this.” His secretary stepping forward, “I’ll arrange everything. We’ll select the finest quality for her.”

For a split second, I almost sighed in relief. But my relief was short-lived when Alrigo said..

“No.” Alrigo’s voice cut through the wind. “Why should I let you handle it when she's my pet..?” The words slithered through the air, deliberate, cruel. 

His eyes gleamed dangerously, sending me chills. “I have full ownership of her now, so I should be the one to take care of it. Don't you think…Ivery?”

A shiver ran down my spine.