Has now cost me everything.
On the screen, Enzo nods once to the men around him, then he steps forward and carefully takes Luca into his arms. Luca’s small body heaves with silent sobs. He doesn’t understand what’s happening, but instinct has him clinging to the man holding him anyway. His little fingers curl tightly around Enzo’s jacket, desperate for something solid to anchor himself to.
My chest tightens painfully.
Luca’s face is tilted up toward Enzo, mouth moving rapidly as he babbles. Enzo looks down at him, then he shakes his head. He pats Luca’s back once, almost gently, and turns away. He walks back toward his car without another word, carrying Luca with him.
Romano’s finger moves into view, tapping the keypad. The footage freezes, Enzo’s face caught mid-motion.
The image sears itself into my mind.
“We used this footage to track both vehicles back to Toselli’s estate,” Romano says quietly.
Across the room, Leo lets out a quiet sigh as he leans against the doorframe of my study, his arms crossed over his chest. He hasn’t spoken since we all gathered but his posture is rigid. His eyes never leave me, something he only does when he knows I’m seconds away from losing it.
Bianchi paces relentlessly in front of the fireplace, his phone pressed to his ear. His voice is low as he barks orders every few seconds to whatever team he has out in the field. He doesn’t stop moving. He knows better than to stand still when something like this is unfolding.
I push back from my desk and slowly settle back into my chair, letting a slow breath leave me.
There’s no negotiating with men like Toselli or Enzo. No leveraging back against them or waiting for terms to be set that settles both parties fairly. The longer Elena and Luca remain behind those walls, the more time Enzo has to dictate the parameters of this nightmare.
Time is the one resource I can’t, and won’t, give him.
“Got it. Call me back when you’re there,” Bianchi says before ending his call.
As I sit there, staring at the paused image on the laptop screen, a plan begins to assemble itself in my mind.
Storm the estate.
Hit hard.
Wipe out as many Bellanti and Toselli soldiers as necessary.
Get Elena and Luca out alive.
The Palermo estate is fortified, yes, but it isn’t impenetrable. Nothing ever is. Walls fail, men panic, chaos ensues. I’ve learned that the hard way more than once over the past few weeks. Every stronghold has its flaws if you know where to look.
Toselli’s arrogance has always been his greatest weakness.
He believes loyalty bought with money will hold when bullets start flying. He believes fear is enough to keep men in line when chaos erupts. The greatest lie he’s ever told himself is that the weight of his name will stop another syndicate from burning his world to the ground if he gives the order.
He’s wrong. And also a fool.
The Bellantis are only loyal to whoever pays them the most in that moment. Once his estate turns into a war zone, they’ll scatter like rats looking for a new ship. That part doesn’t concern me.
The only true problem is Enzo.
In the chaos when lines of defense collapse and Toselli’s men are scrambling to hold ground, there’s a very real chance Enzo will try to disappear again. Letting him escape goes against every instinct I have. Against everything Matteo’s death has carved into me and the promise I made myself when I realized who was responsible for it.
But…
Vengeance is also a luxury.
One Elena and Luca cannot afford right now.
If I have to choose between killing Enzo to avenge my brother and getting my family back… the choice has already been made.
I exhale slowly, steadying myself.
