"That's not a power outage," Enzo said grimly. "That's them cutting the main line."
The assault had begun ahead of schedule.
Explosions rocked the house—not massive, but precise. Flashbangs designed to disorient rather than destroy. Through the smoke and chaos, I could hear boots on marble floors, moving with military precision.
"They're inside," I whispered.
Enzo pulled me against the wall, weapon drawn. "Falco knows Jonah was compromised. He's moving up the timeline."
More explosions. Smoke began filling the corridor, making it impossible to see more than a few feet in any direction. My eyes watered, and I pressed my sleeve to my mouth.
"Stay behind me," Enzo commanded, but his voice sounded strange, distorted.
That's when I realized the smoke wasn't just smoke—it was laced with something. A chemical agent that made thinking difficult, movement sluggish.
"Enzo," I tried to say, but my tongue felt thick.
He turned, and I saw his eyes were dilated, unfocused. Whatever they'd released into the air was affecting him, too.
Dark figures emerged from the smoke like ghosts. I tried to run, but my legs wouldn't obey. The world tilted sideways as strong arms grabbed me.
"Got her," a voice said through a gas mask. "Target secured."
I fought weakly, but the chemical agent had sapped my strength. As they carried me through the smoke-filled corridors, I caught a glimpse of Enzo on the floor, still alive but unconscious.
The last thing I saw before everything went black was a man in tactical gear removing his mask. His face was scarred, his smile predatory.
Was this Falco? The specialist Enzo had mentioned?
"Hello, beautiful," the man said. "Antonio's been looking forward to seeing you again."
Then darkness claimed me, and I knew nothing more.
CHAPTER 7
Vittorio
Istood behind my desk, checking my watch for the third time in five minutes. Enzo should have been here by now with Sophie. The secure wing was only a ten-minute walk from the medical facility, even moving cautiously.
Twenty minutes had passed since his last radio check-in.
My phone sat silent on the polished mahogany surface, surrounded by files I'd pulled on known associates of Antonio's organization. With Jonah escaped and potentially feeding intelligence to our enemies, I needed to identify every possible breach in our security. Names, locations, payment methods—the entire betrayal network had to be mapped and eliminated.
The little bastard had not only touched what was mine—he'd compromised everything we'd built to protect her.
I moved to the window, scanning the estate grounds. Security lights illuminated the manicured lawns, revealing guards in defensive positions. Everything appeared normal, but something felt wrong. The air itself seemed charged with tension.
I started reading reports of Antonio's escalating threats, but my mind kept drifting to Sophie. The way she'd looked at me yesterday—not with fear anymore, but something dangerously close to trust.
This was exactly what I'd sworn never to allow again. After Livia died, I'd buried the part of myself capable of caring. Love was a liability I couldn't afford.
But Sophie… she was supposed to be leverage, nothing more. A chess piece in my war with Antonio. When had that changed? When had her defiance stopped being irritating and started being… attractive?
I slammed the report down, furious at my own weakness. She was Antonio's woman. A complication. A temporary necessity.
So, why did the thought of her being hurt make something cold and violent rise in my chest?
My secure line rang. Finally.
