255

255
Alaric’s POV
I couldn’t sit still. I paced back and forth in my study, the old wooden floor creaking beneath each step. The thick curtains in the windows blocked the fading sunlight,
Allesio was late. Again. I glanced at the clock on the wall for what felt like the hundredth time. It was nearly an hour past when I’d told him to meet me here, and my patience had already worn thin.
I had to know what was going on with Rosa. I couldn’t let the Cruz family get away with whatever they were planning. Rosa was a piece on this board-whether she liked it or not-and I needed to know where she stood. Where her family stood. Were they loyal to the Cruz family, or loyal to me?
I grabbed the glass of scotch off my desk, the ice cubes clinking together as I tipped it to my lips. The burn hit the back of my throat, and I let the warmth settle in my chest, trying to calm the storm brewing inside me.
Finally, the door opened. Allesio stepped inside, his face a little too calm for my liking. He looked the part of a professional, dressed in dark slacks and a white shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. But there was something off about him. His expression was guarded, and that was a sign that he was hiding something from me. That he was holding back. And I didn’t like that at all.
“Allesio,” I said, forcing my voice to remain even, though the words came out sharper than I intended. “You’re late.”
He gave me a small, apologetic nod as he closed the door behind him. “I apologize. There were… some things I needed to finalize.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Things? Like what?”
He hesitated for a moment, clearly unsure whether he should speak. Then, as if deciding against it, he shook his head. “Nothing important. Just keeping the lines open, as you instructed.”
I stared at him for a moment, my eyes narrowing. He was always vague, but this was different. I could sense it. Something was off. Again.
I set the glass down with a little more force than necessary, and it slid slightly on the desk. “You’re not being straight with me, Allesio.”
He met my gaze, and for a second, I saw a flicker of something. Guilt? Fear? Hard to tell. “What do you mean?”
“You know exactly what I mean.” I leaned back in my chair, my eyes not leaving his. “I’ve asked you for updates on Rosa, and all you’ve given me are half-hearted reports that don’t add up. I’m not an idiot. I want answers.”
Allesio shifted slightly, his jaw tightening. He always hated being cornered. And right now, I was pushing him into a corner, the way I always did when I suspected something.
“I told you,” he said slowly, “Rosa hasn’t said anything about her family’s involvement with the Cruz family.”
“I don’t care about her silence on it,” I shot back, my voice harder than I intended. “I care about where her family’s loyalties lie. With the Cruz family, or with me. And right now, it’s looking like you’re more invested in her than I am.”
His eyes flickered, just for a moment, but it was enough. I saw the truth in his reaction. Something had changed.
“What are you talking about?” he asked, trying to play it cool, but the defensive edge in his voice betrayed him.
“You know exactly what I’m talking about.” I stood up now, my chair scraping loudly against the floor. “You’ve gotten too close to her, haven’t you? I can see it in your eyes.”
He took a deep breath, his hands resting at his sides. He didn’t deny it, but he didn’t confirm it either. Instead, he looked at the floor, unwilling to meet my gaze.
“You’ve fallen for her,” I said, my words cold and sharp.
“I… I haven’t,” he replied, the hesitation in his voice betraying his words.
“Don’t lie to me, Allesio.” I stepped closer, my eyes locking onto his. “I’ve been watching you. You’ve let your emotions get involved, and it’s clouding your judgment. You’re supposed to be my right-hand man, not some lovesick fool.”
“I’m not…” He trailed off, visibly frustrated with himself. “It’s just… complicated, Alaric. You don’t understand.”
“No, I understand perfectly,” I said, the words slipping out with an edge of venom. “You’ve gotten too attached. You can’t separate your feelings from the mission anymore.”
Allesio finally looked up at me, his face torn between defiance and guilt. “I’m still loyal to you. I’m just saying… Rosa’s not who we think she is. She’s not just some pawn in a game, Alaric. She’s complicated, and maybe you should reconsider putting her as a player in this game.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. For a second, I stood there, stunned. I had trusted Allesio to be cold, to be ruthless. He was supposed to be the one who didn’t get emotionally involved. He was supposed to be the one who followed orders, no matter how messy the situation got.
Instead, I saw a man who was starting to question everything.
“I don’t need you to start questioning my decisions, Allesio,” I said, my voice low but firm. “I’m the one who calls the shots here.”
He opened his mouth, probably to argue, but I held up my hand to stop him. “I don’t care what feelings you’ve developed for her. I don’t care if you think she’s ‘complicated.’ She’s part of a plan. A plan that I’ve been working on for years, and I won’t let you screw it up because you’ve started to see her as more than just an asset.”
His jaw clenched, and for a moment, I thought he might challenge me. But instead, he sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’m not going to screw anything up, Alaric. But you need to think carefully. Rosa is more than just a tool for your revenge. She’s… she’s human. She’s a person. And I’m telling you, going to retaliate in a way we don’t like if she finds out.”
I stared at him, trying to process what he was saying. Part of me wanted to yell, to tell him how wrong he was. But another part of me was… confused.
“Are you saying I should just let her go?” I asked, my voice suddenly quieter than before. “You think I should just abandon the whole plan because you’ve developed some feelings for her?”
He looked up at me, his eyes searching mine for a hint of understanding. “I’m not saying that. I’m just saying that we need to be careful. Rosa is unpredictable, Alaric. She’s not like the others. And you can’t force her into anything she doesn’t want.”
The words stung, but they also rang true. I didn’t like it, but I knew he was right. Rosa was the princess of the Smith Cartel. And she was going to run it one day. And now, Allesio was suggesting that maybe, just maybe, I’d gone too far.
I was tempted to walk away. To ignore his advice and push ahead with the plan. But something in me hesitated.
Maybe it was because I didn’t want to admit that he might be right. Maybe it was because I didn’t want to face the fact that my emotions and my desire for revenge were clouding my better judgment.
Either way, I couldn’t keep going like this. I had to make a choice.
“Alright,” I said finally, my voice steady but cold. “I’ll think about it. But don’t make the mistake of thinking this means I’m going to back down. I still need that information though, and you promised to get it for me. Do it without her finding out, and cur off any relationship you have with her. Two months, Allesio. That’s all I’m giving you.”
Allesio nodded, but his eyes still held that troubled look. He knew as well as I did that things were about to get a lot messier.
And deep down, I knew that, too.