263

263
Allesio’s POV
I felt like I was losing my grip on reality. Every time I saw Rosa, it was like the walls were closing in. Her confession still hung over me like a storm cloud, and no matter how much I tried to shake it, the weight wouldn’t lift. The guilt wasn’t just about keeping secrets from Alaric-it was the deeper betrayal I couldn’t even admit to myself. The tangled mess of Dominic’s death, the Cruz family, and Rosa’s insistence on her and her family’s innocence had my head spinning.
The worst part? I wasn’t sure if Alaric had picked up on it yet. If he hadn’t picked up on it that I already knew and I was hiding it. He wasn’t blind, and he definitely wasn’t stupid. The man could read me like a book on my best day, and I wasn’t even pretending well anymore.
I couldn’t avoid him forever, though. I was in his office, and the air felt even more suffocating than usual. He was flipping through some papers at the scattered on the table, his focus seemingly on anything but me.
Meanwhile, I sat on the couch, staring blankly out the window, my mind elsewhere. I didn’t even notice he was watching me until he spoke.
“You’ve been off these days and I’ve been trying to he patient, but I’m running out on that,” Alaric said, breaking the silence.
I flinched slightly, caught off guard. “I’m fine,” I replied too quickly, my voice clipped and defensive.
“Are you?” He set the papers down, leaning back in his chair as his sharp gaze bore into me. “Because I don’t buy that.”
I sighed, running a hand over my face. “It’s just… a lot of work. You know how it is.”
He didn’t look convinced. “Work’s always a lot. That’s not it.”
His tone was calm, but there was an edge to it, the kind that let me know he wasn’t going to let this drop easily. I could feel the walls closing in again.
“Alaric, drop it,” I muttered, leaning back against the couch. “I’m tired. That’s all.”
He studied me for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then he shrugged, though I knew it wasn’t because he believed me. “Fine. Be tired. But don’t let whatever this is screw things up. I can’t afford distractions right now, Allesio.”
I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. The truth sat on the tip of my tongue, threatening to spill out, but I swallowed it back down. He had enough on his plate without me adding to it.
“I need to go oversee some things at the docks,” I murmured, getting up from the couch and practically running out of the house.
I got into the car, knowing fully well that I should be heading for the docks like I promised but I headed for Rosa’s house first. Right now she was handling some business in her father’s mansion here in the city. I couldn’t keep away from her for long, even though every interaction felt like a double-edged sword. When I found her in the garden, she was sitting on the edge of the fountain, her fingers idly tracing patterns on the stone.
“Hey,” I said, my voice softer than I meant it to be.
She looked up, her expression brightening briefly before her brow furrowed. “Allesio. You look terrible.”
“Thanks for that,” I said with a dry chuckle, shoving my hands into my pockets.
Rosa frowned, tilting her head as she studied me. “I’m serious. What’s going on with you? You’re being really weird.”
“Define weird,” I replied, trying to deflect.
“Distant. Cagey. Like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders.” She paused, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Does this have to do with Alaric?”
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I opened my mouth to deny it, but the lie died in my throat. “It’s not about him,” I said finally, though even to me, it sounded unconvincing.
Rosa stood, crossing her arms as she faced me. “You’re a terrible liar, you know that? I know something’s going on, Allesio. Just tell me.”
“I can’t,” I said, my voice sharper than I intended.
Her eyes softened, though, and she stepped closer, her voice quieter. “Why not?”
“Because it’s not just my secret to tell,” I replied, looking away. “And because if Alaric ever finds out…” I trailed off, shaking my head. “It’s complicated.”
Rosa placed a hand on my arm, and the simple gesture made my chest tighten. “You don’t have to carry everything alone,” she said softly. “I keep telling you that.”
I let out a bitter laugh. “Don’t I? That’s the job, isn’t it? To handle things so no one else has to?”
She didn’t respond right away, just held my gaze, her expression unreadable. “Whatever it is, Allesio, you’re not as alone as you think you are. I’m here. Don’t forget that.”
I wanted to believe her. God, I wanted to. But the truth was, no matter how much she meant it, I couldn’t share this burden with her. Not without risking everything.
“Thanks,” I said, my voice hollow. “But some things are better left unsaid.”
Rosa frowned, clearly unsatisfied, but she didn’t push further. Instead, she stepped back, giving me space I didn’t deserve.
“Just… don’t shut me out completely, okay?” she said. “Whatever you’re dealing with, I want to help.”
I nodded, though I knew I wouldn’t let her. Not now, maybe not ever. Suddenly feeling the urge to get away from her, I fished my car keys out of my pocket. “I have to be at the docks,” I murmured, walking away.
The docks were buzzing when I arrived, workers shouting orders, crates being unloaded, and forklifts weaving through the chaos. I spotted Marco, one of our more reliable guys, near the edge of the activity, clipboard in hand.
“Allesio,” he greeted, nodding in acknowledgment. “You’re here just in time. We’ve got a situation with the manifests.”
“Of course we do,” I muttered, stepping up beside him. “What’s the problem?”
He handed me the clipboard, his brow furrowed. “We’re missing three crates from the shipment out of Veracruz. The manifest says they were loaded, but they’re not here.”
“Fantastic,” I said dryly, scanning the paperwork. The numbers didn’t add up. “Was the ship inspected before it docked?”
“Yeah,” Marco replied. “But nothing unusual came up in the initial checks. We’re thinking either a mix-up at the port or someone decided to help themselves before the cargo even left Mexico.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Alright, get someone on the line with our contact in Veracruz. I want to know exactly what left that port and who signed off on it.”
Marco nodded and stepped away to make the call. I was left standing there, staring at the half-unloaded shipment like it was somehow going to explain itself.
“Problems?”
I turned to see Alaric walking toward me, his presence commanding even in the middle of the dock’s chaos. His eyes were sharp, taking in the scene with a single glance.
“Missing crates,” I explained. “Three from the Veracruz shipment.”
His jaw tightened, but he didn’t say anything for a moment. Instead, he stepped closer, taking the clipboard from my hands and skimming the details.
“And no one noticed until now?” he asked, his tone clipped.
“It’s not as simple as it looks,” I said, trying to keep my frustration in check. “The paperwork from Veracruz says everything was accounted for when it left. Either someone screwed up on the other end, or we’ve got a thief.”
Alaric handed the clipboard back, his gaze narrowing. “We don’t lose shipments, Allesio. You know that. Fix this.”
“I’m already on it,” I murmured in reply.
“Good,” he replied, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I want answers by the end of the day.”
As he walked away, I felt the tension in my chest tighten further. Alaric’s expectations were always high, and usually, I was fine with that. But today, with everything else hanging over me, it a bombshell waiting for the right time to drop.
Marco returned a few minutes later, his phone in hand and an annoyed look on his face. “Just got off with our guy in Veracruz. He swears everything was loaded onto the ship. He’s blaming the dock workers on this end.”
“Of course he is,” I muttered. “What about security footage from the port? Did he check that?”
“He says he’ll send it over, but it’ll take time.”
“Tell him he’s got until the end of the day. No excuses,” I snapped, my patience wearing thin.
Marco nodded, disappearing again to relay the message.
I turned back to the shipment, my mind racing. If this was just a simple mix-up, it would be an easy fix. But if it wasn’t…
The sound of footsteps behind me pulled me from my thoughts. I turned to see Rosa, her brow furrowed as she approached.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, surprised to see her at the docks.
“I heard something about the shipments,” she said, crossing her arms. “Thought I’d see what was going on.”
“Nothing you need to worry about,” I replied, trying to brush her off.
Her eyes narrowed. “You look like you’re about to punch someone, Allesio. That doesn’t exactly scream ‘nothing.'”
“It’s a work issue,” I said firmly. “It’s under control.”
She didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t push further. Instead, she glanced toward the half-unloaded crates. “You think someone’s stealing from you?”
“Maybe,” I admitted. “Or maybe it’s just a mistake. Either way, it’s getting sorted.”
Rosa nodded slowly, her gaze thoughtful. “If you need help, you know where to find me.”
I raised an eyebrow. “You offering to handle missing shipments now?”
She smirked. “I’m just saying I’m good at finding things people don’t want me to find.”
Despite myself, I let out a small chuckle. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
But then I remembered I had until the end of the day to fix this mess-and to figure out how to keep the rest of my secrets from falling apart in the process. And just like that my mood dampened.