Plenty of people had reason to hate me. But only a handful knew about this villa and Chloe.
Whoever they were, I'd drag them out one by one and teach them what it cost to touch my woman.
I stared at that dark red stain, my mind running calculations. About five hundred milliliters of blood. For an adult, not necessarily fatal.
But Chloe was pregnant.
The worst possibility lodged in my brain and wouldn't let go.
Power. Family. Empire. Alliances. Everything I'd spent my entire life chasing suddenly felt worthless. I had one thought in my head: If Chloe was dead, what was the point of any of it?
The answer was nothing. Absolutely nothing.
I pulled out my phone and scrolled to Chloe's number. Of course it wouldn't go through. Her phone had been off for hours. But I sent a text anyway.
I'll find you, Chloe. And no matter what it costs me, the people who hurt you will pay a hundred times over.
I pocketed the phone and stood up from the couch.
Luca was outside in the hall on his phone. When he saw me emerge from the corridor, he hung up and stepped forward, waiting for orders.
"The villa was always top-level classified," I said. My voice had gone cold and flat again. "Less than five people knew this address and Chloe's identity. The most likely suspect is..."
Luca didn't answer, but his eyes said it all.
"Julian."
Three months ago, Julian and I had negotiated territory in the old man's study. To show good faith, I'd disclosed the locations of several safe houses, including this villa. Chloe wasn't living here yet—it was just a place I crashed occasionally. I never imagined that exchange of intel would become today's fatal weakness.
"What about Hector? Did you find his body?"
"No," Luca shook his head. "None of the guards. No bodies, no witnesses."
I forced the words out through gritted teeth. "Mobilize everyone we've got."
Luca's body went rigid. He knew what was coming next. His mouth pressed into a thin line, but he didn't interrupt.
"Marco's crew. Vincent's crew. And the East Side guys—pull them all back. I want Julian on his knees in front of me before tonight's over."
"Enzo," Luca finally spoke. "If you go after Julian now, Carmine will react immediately. The old guard's been waiting for an excuse to turn on us. You'd be handing it to them on a silver platter."
"Let them come."
"Hear me out." Luca stepped closer, his tone almost pleading—rare for him. "I know you want to skin Julian alive right now. I get it. But you just threw Valentina out. Now you want to start a war inside your own family? Fighting two fronts at once isn't smart."
I met Luca's eyes. Everything he said was correct. This was his job,balancing my impulses with reason. Under normal circumstances, I'd listen. I'd make the rational call.
But these weren't normal circumstances.
"Luca," I stood and faced him. "I know the cost. I know exactly what the consequences are."
I paused, fists clenched.
"But Chloe might be dead, Luca. That's the only thing I care about." Just saying it out loud felt like suffocating.
Luca sighed.
"I can't support this, Enzo. I can't send my guys to die for something this reckless."
