Matteo.
Most people would label me stupid for following a plan I wasn’t in on from the start.
Most people didn’t understand me.
The night swallowed the convoy, its thick darkness broken only by the steady glow of headlights cutting through the abandoned streets. The rumble of engines filled the silence, an uneasy symphony that did nothing to quiet the storm brewing in my chest.
I sat in the lead SUV, Valentina beside me, as stubborn as ever, her gaze fixed ahead with a quiet determination that grated on my nerves. She hadn’t spoken since we left Lorenzo’s estate, but her presence was a weight I couldn’t ignore.
“You shouldn’t be here,” I muttered, breaking the silence.
She didn’t look at me, her fingers drumming softly against her thigh. “We already had this conversation, Matteo.”
“And I still think it’s a mistake.”
Her head turned then, her dark eyes locking onto mine. “You can think whatever you want, but I’m not staying behind while my sister’s life is on the line.”
“She’s not the only one risking her life tonight.”
Valentina’s jaw tightened, but she said nothing, returning her attention to the road ahead.
I hated this. Hated the thought of her in the middle of the chaos Lorenzo had orchestrated. She was right about one thing, which was she could handle herself. I’d seen her shoot, she wasn’t the best but she was good.
That didn’t make this any easier.
“Stay with me,” I said finally, my voice low.
“What?”
I glanced at her, my grip tightening on the wheel. “Stay by my side. No wandering off, no heroics. If you’re coming, you follow my lead.”
Her lips quirked into a small, defiant smile. “You’re really bad at asking nicely, you know that?”
“This isn’t me asking, Valentina. It’s the only way you’re coming with us.”
She didn’t answer right away, her gaze lingering on mine. For a moment, I thought she might argue, but then she sighed and nodded. “Fine. I’ll stick to your side.”
It wasn’t much of a concession, but it was enough to keep my temper in check.
***
The convoy rolled deeper into the city, the streets narrowing and twisting like veins leading to a heart we had every intention of stopping. The plan was simple on paper: Lorenzo’s men would create a distraction at the perimeter of Luca’s compound, drawing his guards away while we slipped inside to take him out.
Simple.
I hated how neatly Lorenzo had packaged it, how confident he’d been in its success. Nothing in this life was ever that clean, and it left a bitter taste in my mouth.
But it wasn’t just the plan that had me on edge.
It was him.
His smirking confidence, the way he dangled information like bait, always keeping us just close enough to think we were in control.
I wasn’t stupid. Lorenzo had his own agenda, one that likely didn’t align with ours. But as much as I hated to admit it, Valentina was right. We needed him… at least for now.
The road ahead narrowed further, the buildings on either side pressing closer together like silent witnesses to what was coming. I glanced at the map on the dashboard, my pulse quickening as the markers indicated we were getting close.
“Five minutes out,” Alessia announced.
I nodded, signalling to the rest of the convoy. The cars behind us slowed slightly, adjusting their formation.
Beside me, Valentina shifted in her seat, her hand brushing against the holster at her hip. I caught the movement and shot her a look.
“Don’t pull that unless you have to,” I warned.
She raised an eyebrow. “And if I have to?”
“Then don’t miss.”
Her smirk was quick and sharp, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
The convoy stopped a block away from the compound, engines cutting out one by one. The sudden silence was deafening, broken only by the distant hum of the city.
I stepped out of the SUV, the chill of the night air biting at my skin. The rest of the crew followed suit, weapons ready, their faces set in grim determination.
“Matteo,” Alessia said, stepping up beside me. “You good?”
I nodded, but the truth was, I wasn’t. The unease in my gut had settled into something heavier, a weight pressing down on my chest.
“We stick to the plan,” I said, more to myself than anyone else. “Lorenzo’s men will draw the guards away. We move in, take out Luca, and get Isabella out. Quick and clean.”
Valentina moved to stand beside me, her presence both a comfort and a distraction. “What if it’s not quick and clean?”
“It never is,” I muttered, my hand resting on the gun at my side.
I turned to the crew, my gaze sweeping over their faces. They were ready. Nervous, maybe, but ready.
“We move as one,” I said. “No one gets left behind.”
The team murmured their agreement, their grips tightening on their weapons.
As we started toward the compound, the shadows seemed to close in around us. The air was heavy, each step echoing in the silence like a countdown.
Valentina stayed close, just as she’d promised, her eyes scanning every corner, every shadow. I hated how natural she looked with a gun in her hand, how calm she seemed in the face of what was coming.
But more than that, I hated the thought of losing her.
“Matteo,” Alessia hissed, pulling me from my thoughts. She gestured to a side alley ahead, her expression tense.
I motioned for the team to halt, my heart pounding as I moved to her side.
“What is it?”
“Something’s off,” she murmured, her voice barely audible.
I followed her gaze, my eyes narrowing as I caught the faint glint of metal in the darkness. A tripwire.
I swore under my breath, signaling to the others. The path was rigged, just as I’d feared.
“Lorenzo said the outer guards were neutralized,” Valentina whispered, her tone laced with suspicion.
“Someone lied,” I said flatly, the words tasting bitter on my tongue.
Alessia crouched down, inspecting the wire. “Traps. How could we be so stupid?”
I straightened, my chest tightening as the weight of the realization hit me. Luca knew we were coming.
“Back to the cars,” I ordered, my voice sharp.
Valentina grabbed my arm, her grip firm. “We’re too close to turn back now.”
“We don’t have a choice.”
“Yes, we do,” she snapped, her eyes blazing. “We adapt. We move forward.”
The determination in her voice was maddening, but I couldn’t deny she had a point. Turning back wasn’t an option.
“Fine,” I said through gritted teeth. “But we’re doing it my way.”
She nodded, and for the first time that night, I saw a flicker of doubt in her eyes.
As we skirted the tripwire and continued toward the compound, the unease in my gut grew stronger. The shadows felt heavier, the air colder.
Every instinct I had screamed at me to stop, to turn back.
But there was no turning back.
Not now.
Not with Valentina by my side, and Luca waiting just ahead.
I tightened my grip on my gun, my jaw clenched as I pushed the doubts aside. I couldn’t afford to second-guess myself.
Not tonight.
Not when everything was riding on this.
And yet, as we closed in on the compound, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were walking straight into the biggest trap of the century.