Alyssa’s POV
The air in the room was thick with tension, the kind that settled into your bones and made your pulse hammer with the promise of war.
I sat at the head of the long table in the private suite of the Ravenwood Hotel, my last secure meeting spot after last night’s revelation. My father had made his move. He’d sided with the Ferraros, a family so ruthless that even seasoned criminals whispered their name like it was a curse.
And now, I had to stop him.
I scanned the faces around me-Ethan sat to my right, his expression unreadable, though his hand clenched into a fist against the polished wood. To my left was Dominic, my second-in-command, his dark eyes narrowed, fingers tapping against his whiskey glass. Across from me sat two of my top enforcers, Matteo and Rafe, both silent, waiting for orders.
I exhaled slowly, keeping my emotions buried beneath layers of cold calculation. I had no room for doubt.
“This isn’t just about my father anymore,” I began, my voice firm. “The Ferraros don’t form alliances unless they stand to gain absolute power. If my father is working with them, it means they’re making a play for the city.”
“Then we take them out,” Matteo said bluntly, adjusting the knife strapped to his thigh. “Make an example out of whoever thinks they can fuck with us.”
“Too reckless,” Ethan countered. “The Ferraros thrive on bloodshed. We go in hot, and we’ll be playing their game. They want us to act without thinking.”
Dominic nodded. “Ethan’s right. We need to dismantle the alliance before they gain too much ground. If we move fast, we can cut my father off before he solidifies his position.”
I looked around the table, my mind working through every possible strategy. “Then we start by identifying their weak points. The Ferraros have enemies, and we need to find out who would be willing to turn against them. If we destabilize them, my father won’t have a reason to stay in bed with them.”
Matteo smirked. “Sounds like you’re looking to start a civil war, boss.”
“If that’s what it takes,” I said coldly.
A knock at the door cut through the tension.
Rafe was on his feet immediately, gun drawn as he checked the peephole. He stiffened, then looked back at me.
“It’s Leon.”
My stomach twisted. Leon DeLuca-the Ferraros’ right-hand man. He was powerful, unpredictable, and, above all, loyal to his own ambitions.
“Let him in,” I said, my voice even.
Rafe hesitated, then unbolted the door.
Leon walked in like he owned the place, dressed in his usual tailored suit, his blond hair slicked back, and that signature smirk on his lips.
“You’ve got nerve showing up here,” Dominic said, his hand drifting toward his gun.
Leon ignored him, his sharp blue eyes locking onto mine. “I came to talk, Alyssa. Privately.”
Ethan let out a dark chuckle. “Not happening. You want to talk, you do it in front of everyone.”
Leon sighed dramatically, then sat across from me, draping one arm over the back of the chair. “Fine. Let’s skip the pleasantries, then. I want in.”
I blinked, masking my surprise. “In?”
“In your side of the war,” he clarified, leaning forward. “I’m done taking orders from the Ferraros. If you promise me a seat at the table when this is over, I’ll help you tear them down from the inside.”
Silence fell over the room.
Dominic was the first to scoff. “And we’re just supposed to trust you? A Ferraro lapdog?”
Leon shot him a lazy grin. “Oh, Dom, I get it. You don’t like me. But trust me when I say-loyalty is overrated when there’s a better offer on the table.”
I folded my hands together, studying him. Leon wasn’t lying-not entirely, at least. He had always been an opportunist, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t dangerous.
“And why should I believe you?” I asked.
Leon’s grin faded. “Because your father’s not just aligning with the Ferraros. He’s planning something bigger. Something that will make all of us obsolete.”
Ethan shifted beside me. “What are you talking about?”
Leon leaned in, lowering his voice. “He’s negotiating a weapons trade that will put the Ferraros in control of every major shipment coming into Baltimore. That includes your operations, Alyssa. Your entire empire-gone.”
My blood ran cold.
My father wasn’t just betraying me. He was erasing me.
“If you want to stop him,” Leon continued, “you need someone on the inside. Someone who knows how the Ferraros operate.” He shrugged. “That someone is me.”
I leaned back, keeping my face unreadable, but my mind was already racing. If what Leon was saying was true, I didn’t have time to deliberate. I needed to act.
But could I trust him?
Ethan was already shaking his head. “It’s a trap.”
“Or it’s an opportunity,” Leon countered smoothly. “You decide, sweetheart.”
I hated the way he said that. Hated that he had the upper hand in this moment.
I exhaled slowly. “I need time to think.”
Leon chuckled. “Tick-tock, darling. The clock’s running out.”
Before I could respond, a phone rang. Matteo’s.
He answered, pressing the speakerphone button.
Static crackled, followed by a panicked voice. “Boss-we’ve been hit!”
I shot up from my chair. “What? Where?”
“The safehouse-the one in East Harbor. It’s gone. A bomb-”
The line cut out.
A bomb.
The room was eerily silent for a fraction of a second before I grabbed my own phone and dialed another number. No answer.
My heart pounded against my ribs. That safehouse held some of my top men.
Held.
Because now, they were gone.
I clenched my jaw, breathing through the rising fury. The Ferraros had made their move. My father had made his move.
And now, I had no choice but to make mine.
I turned to Leon. “Looks like you’re in. But if you screw me over, I’ll make sure you regret it.”
Leon grinned. “Now that’s the Alyssa I love.”
I ignored him, already moving toward the door.
Because this wasn’t just a fight anymore.
It was war.