Valentina.
The garage had become my sanctuary and torment in equal measure. Every step, punch, and adjustment Reed taught me hammered into my mind with relentless precision.
He was thorough… too thorough, if you asked me… and his corrections came without hesitation. His constant attention made me hyperaware, not only of his presence but of my growing unease.
Good news, he didn’t try to kiss me again. Or confess any more feelings.
And I didn’t try to know his secret anymore.
I threw another punch at the bag, sweat rolling down my back. My fists stung, and my arms screamed for a break, but I didn’t stop. Reed’s words floated around me like echoes.
Balance. Power. Focus.
I needed all of them.
“Don’t let your mind wander,” he said sharply, his tone more coach than companion. “In a fight, hesitation will get you killed.”
Gosh.
I huffed out a breath, glaring at him through strands of damp hair. “You think I don’t know that?”
“I think you’re too distracted to care right now,” he countered, folding his arms.
He wasn’t wrong.
My mind wasn’t in the garage… or the training, or even him. It was with Matteo.
Where was he?
What was he doing?
Was he with Isabella now? Planning their marriage?
His absence gnawed at me, harder with each day that passed. Matteo was always so deliberate, so in control, until he wasn’t.
Until he left me to the wolves.
“Valentina,” Reed barked, snapping me back to the present. “Focus!”
I considered blowing a raspberry at him.
“I am focused!” I snapped, landing a hard punch against the bag.
Reed raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “You’re not. You’re thinking about her, aren’t you?”
I froze, my fists still clenched. “What are you talking about?”
“Isabella,” he said simply. “And Matteo, if we’re being honest.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. Hard. The last thing in the world that I would do is give Reed the satisfaction of being right.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Sure, you don’t.” He stepped closer, his voice going an octave lower. “But whatever’s going on in that head of yours, stop it. It’s making you sloppy. Get it together, princess.”
Asshole.
I bit back the retort, turning back to the punching bag. The rest of the session passed in tense silence, with only the rhythmic thuds of my punches filling the room.
When we finally wrapped up, I headed to my room, desperate for a moment to myself. The small space was sparse but functional, and for now, it was my refuge.
I sank onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. My body ached, but my mind was restless. Matteo’s absence left a void I couldn’t ignore, no matter how much I tried to distract myself.
You’re worried about a man who doesn’t respect you enough to tell you the truth. Or even visit you.
Damn Reed for knowing what was going on in my mind.
Damn him for being right.
The room felt stifling, so I stood, pacing to the small window. Outside, the world was quiet, the surrounding woods a dense, dark barrier.
This safe house felt more like a prison.
I ran a hand through my hair, sighing. Marco had given us these secret phones before we left, saying they were secure lines in case of emergencies. I hadn’t thought much of it at the time, but now, the device felt like a lifeline.
I glanced at it where it lay on the nightstand. Should I call Matteo? Would he even answer?
Before I could decide, the phone buzzed, startling me.
I grabbed it quickly, my heart racing. The screen showed no name, just an unknown number.
“Hello?” I answered, my voice hesitant.
At first, there was nothing but silence. Then, faint voices broke through, too muffled to make out clearly.
“Hello?” I tried again, leaning closer to the phone.
The voices grew louder, and I recognized one of them instantly… Isabella.
Isabella was contacting me?
Why?
Her whole three sixty back in the airport wasn’t lost on me. What the hell was she doing calling me now?
Another voice joined hers, this one deep and unmistakably male. Luca.
I pressed the phone closer, straining to hear. Their words were fast and heated, the kind of conversation that was meant to be private.
“… Matteo won’t see it coming,” Isabella’s voice cut through clearly.
My breath caught.
What did she mean by that?
Luca responded, his tone sharp. “It has to be precise. No mistakes, Isabella. If we’re going to take him down, we need to be careful.”
My stomach dropped.
Isabella was interested in taking Matteo down? Was she a willing participant?
This couldn’t be real.
“I know,” Isabella snapped. “But you’re the one who insisted on this. Don’t screw it up.”
I felt like I was going to be sick.
Isabella wouldn’t plot against Matteo. She agreed to go with Pedro so she could have a chance to marry the guy.
She loved him.
“Trust me,” Luca said, his voice low and dangerous. “When this is over, Matteo will be nothing but a memory.”
I couldn’t listen anymore. My fingers trembled as I moved to hang up, but Isabella’s next words stopped me cold.
“And Valentina?”
“What about her?” Luca asked.
“She’s expendable,” Isabella said, her voice devoid of emotion. “If she gets in the way, we deal with her too.”
The call ended abruptly, leaving me staring at the phone in shock.
What the fuck had I just listened to?
Reed chose that exact moment to come to my room, the door creaking open as he stepped inside, expression unreadable.
“What’s wrong?” he asked immediately, his eyes scanning my face.
Was it that noticeable?
“Nothing,” I lied, shoving the phone into my pocket.
He didn’t buy it. “Valentina, you’re a terrible liar. What happened?”
Could I trust him enough with the half-baked plan already forming in my mind.
“Someone called me,” I said finally, keeping my voice steady.
His brow furrowed. “Who?”
“I don’t know,” I said carefully. “But they said… they said something about Matteo.”
Reed’s eyes darkened, his posture shifting. “What did they say?”
“That he’s in danger,” I admitted, meeting his gaze. “And we need to save him. I have to get back to him.”