d to trade them for power. Drake De Marco sat at his desk, a bottle of gin sweating beads in the dim light, the

io," he ordered w

mooth suit, eyes flickering like a cornered animal. Drake watched him come

hed and the sound cut the silence like a gunshot. "And now? I'm bleeding and you have nothing. Morell

e way his breath hitched when the gin burned. "Things... got complicated," Pablo lied

You left me with a bullet and no leverage. You f

by and his warning both. "We'll fix it," Pablo

doubled. If you fail me again, I'll carve my disappointment into your family with my own hands." He let the thr

o form words, then nothing. The room reeked of

ear on like armor, the fabric close and familiar. Today was the last test, the final proving ground before they returned to Reggio. She felt the weight of it in her c

o much to be gentle but too much to be cruel without reason. "Morning, poppet," he

casual grin a knife's edge. He stood nearby, watchi

as no bravado, only the steady

with a speed that was almost cruel in how natural it was for him, every move trained, honed, let

, she slipped and drove an elbow into his ribs. For a breathless moment it was a push and pul

t left her straddling his chest, the men aro

et finding his ribs, knees pinning him until he laug

." He wiped the smear of blood from his lip with the back of his han

hot back. That grin between them wa

at said decisions had been made without the weig

" Mariano agreed.

r. "Let's see if you can out-shoot me," he teased, but there was a challenge behind the humor, an

positions, measured wind and distance, heartbeats syncing to the gentle clac

announced, and the laughter that fol

r, sat in Massimo's lap while he still smelled of gun oil and ozone. He wrapped an arm aroun

w. "When we go back to Reggio

se when the time comes,

pped up in roses and vows, but a different

ed beneath the trees, a blade under moonlight. The road back to Reggio was a ribbon of dark, Mediterranean sky on one side an

a, a figure watched the Maserati's taillights fade into the nigh

connected. "They're moving. Morelli's

drank like a man tasting inevitability. "Good," he said. "Tell Rossi's handler

like a shadow into phone service

it a map to revenge. Talana slept with her head on Massimo's shoulder; his arm around her like iron. None of them not

ory precision of a man who never lost. He spread photos across the

e muttered, "w

wing underneath the calm surface of every thought that ran through Talana's mind. The training had sharp

ve with the confidence of a man used to danger, used to leading others into fire and walking o

said finally, eye

ly everything changes. A few months ago, I was running from my fathe

edge in his expression didn't fade. "You're

tly. "And when the p

d when preparing for war. "Then you finish

the back seat, breaking the tension. "Remind me to never get on either o

"Trust me, bella,

ps. Lorenzo's name lingered in her mind, and with it cam

hing felt wrong. Massimo's instincts flared immediately. "Something's o

to the Glock at her

" he muttered.

ravel crunching under the tires. Lorenzo was wait

" Massimo asked the mo

en have been spotted heading toward Vibo Valentia. They're setting

the blood draining from

. "Something about a deal gone wrong

narrowed. "That

ly. They're planning to lure

o tightly her nails bit int

n her shoulder. "No, angel. We do

. "Then let's make them ble

The air was damp, the moonlight slicing through patches of mist as head

renzo, her heart pounding as she watche

handgun, a blade strapped to her thigh, a small dagger hidden in her

de," he said, "s

"You forget who you're talk

tly, his tone darker now

doned industrial zone. Flashlights cut across the shadows.

hand. "We go in q

gh the ruins. The sound of footsteps ech

aught sight of a figure near the far end of

his hands trembling slightly. Drake de Marco stood

carried through the space, low and venomo

rage that simmered for yea

her arm, a warning. "

ablo turned, his eyes meeting her

..." he

e say my name," she hissed, stepping out from the shadows, g

w, cruel. "Ah... the pro

her, guns trained. The warehouse was s

alana spat, eyes glinting. "Now

nbothered. "Oh

arehouse blew open, flames bursting into the night. Concrete dust filled

down just as gunfire e

s!" he

burning through he

ine in his eyes. "No, an

ghter echoed through the inferno, a sound that