The new Vittorio killed for love—and that made me infinitely more dangerous.
CHAPTER 16
Sophie
The afternoon sun streamed through the windows as I sorted through the nursery catalog Enzo had left on the dresser, its glossy pages full of soft blankets and cribs I couldn’t picture us ever using. Vittorio had been gone for hours at his family meeting, and the estate felt eerily quiet without his commanding presence.
I placed a protective hand over my now visible baby bump, wondering what kind of world we were creating for our child.
A soft knock at the door interrupted my thoughts.
"Come in," I called.
Lila entered, carrying a tray with tea and biscuits. Her weathered hands moved with practiced efficiency as she set it down on the bedside table.
"You haven't eaten since breakfast," she scolded gently. "The baby needs nourishment."
I smiled at her motherly concern. "Thank you, Lila."
She poured the tea, her movements deliberate as she added a spoonful of honey the way I liked it. "Are you nervous about the meeting?"
"Terrified," I admitted. "Vittorio says it will be fine, but these men followed Antonio for years. They won't just accept change overnight."
Lila's soft brown eyes met mine. "Men like Carbone never accept change. They die fighting it."
The gravity in her voice sent a chill down my spine. Lila had witnessed decades of Ricci family politics, and her insights were never to be ignored.
"Vittorio can handle himself," I said, more to reassure myself than her.
She nodded, but her expression remained troubled. "It's not him I worry about today."
Before I could ask what she meant, a crash echoed from downstairs, followed by shouting in rapid Italian. Lila froze, her head tilting toward the sound.
"That's not right," she whispered. "The guards wouldn't—"
Another crash, closer this time, followed by the unmistakable pop of gunfire.
My blood turned to ice. "What's happening?"
Lila grabbed my arm with surprising strength. "Someone's breached security. We need to move. Now."
She pulled me toward the door, but stopped abruptly, listening. Heavy footsteps pounded up the grand staircase, accompanied by harsh voices issuing commands.
"Too late," she hissed. "Back door. Through the servants' stairs."
We rushed across the room to the hidden door that connected to the service corridor. My heart hammered against my ribs as Lila pushed it open, revealing the narrow passage beyond.
"Go," she urged. "Get to the garage. Take the black Audi—keys are in the ignition. Drive to the safe house in the Catskills."
"What about you?"
Her weathered face hardened with determination. "I'll buy you time."
Before I could protest, she slipped back into the bedroom, closing the door behind her. I stood frozen in the dim corridor, torn between flight and loyalty. Through the thin wall, I heard the bedroom door burst open, followed by Lila's voice, strong and defiant.
"What do you think you're doing in this house?"
A man's voice answered, cold and threatening. "Where is she? The red-headed bitch? Carbone wants her and the bastard she's carrying dead before Ricci gets back."
