hapter 23
The heavy, muted thud of a gunshot shattered the early morning quiet, echoing through the estate grounds like a thunderclap. Marco barely had time to register the sound before glass exploded across his office, shards slicing through the air as he instinctively ducked behind the desk.
“Boss!” one of his men shouted from outside the door, the sound of running footsteps growing louder.
Marco reached for the handgun tucked in his drawer and crouched low, his pulse thundering in his ears. Another shot rang out, this one splintering the doorframe. The bullet struck close—too close—and Marco cursed under his breath, his mind racing.
“Marco!” Arianna’s voice broke through the chaos as the door flew open. She appeared, disheveled and frantic, with two of his men flanking her. “Get down! Are you hit?”
“I’m fine,” Marco growled, rising slightly to peer through the shattered window. Outside, in the dim light of dawn, he could see movement—a black car speeding away, tires screeching on the gravel driveway before disappearing into the distance.
The room erupted in noise as more of Marco’s men stormed in, weapons drawn and shouting orders. One man approached Marco cautiously. “We’ll secure the grounds, boss. Looks like a hit.”
Marco gritted his teeth, rising to his full height and brushing glass off his shoulder. “From who?” he demanded sharply.
Arianna stepped forward, her face pale but composed. “The De Lucas,” she said breathlessly. “Who else? They’ve been escalating, Marco. This was a message.”
“Convenient timing,” Luca muttered from the doorway, his eyes sharp as he surveyed the destruction. His tone didn’t go unnoticed.
Arianna turned to him, her expression sharpening into something colder. “You think this is convenient? Someone just tried to kill him.”
Luca’s gaze didn’t waver, but Marco’s voice cut through the growing tension. “Enough.”
He turned to Arianna. “How did they get so close?”
“It doesn’t matter how,” she said quickly. “What matters is that they did. Marco, this is exactly what I warned you about. The De Lucas want you dead. They’ve been watching, waiting for the right moment to strike. We need to hit them harder, before they try this again.”
Marco’s jaw tightened. He turned back toward the shattered window, his mind a tangle of anger and doubt. Everything was spinning out of control. His inner circle was fracturing. His enemies were closing in. And now this—an attack in his own home, under his nose.
Arianna stepped closer, her voice quieter now. “I can help you fix this, Marco. Trust me.”
He didn’t respond. Instead, he stared out at the empty driveway where the car had vanished, his thoughts clouded by rage. Whoever had fired that shot, it had been a warning—a challenge. And Marco didn’t take challenges lightly.
“Double security,” he said finally, his voice low and hard. “No one gets in or out without my say.”
Arianna smiled faintly, though the warmth didn’t reach her eyes. “I’ll see to it.”
Luca watched as she turned and left the room, her heels clicking against the broken glass. His gaze shifted to Marco, who stood rigidly, still staring into the distance.
“Do not trust anyone,” Luca said quietly, before turning to follow the others out.
________________
Carmen kept her head down as she slipped through the side door of a quiet trattoria tucked in a forgotten corner of the city. The air inside was thick with the smell of garlic and old wood, but the restaurant was empty except for a single man sitting in a booth near the back. Sergio Montini, the head of a smaller mafia family that had managed to stay alive by choosing battles wisely, glanced up as she approached.
“Carmen Venetti,” Sergio said, his voice gruff as he gestured for her to sit across from him. “I’ll admit, I didn’t expect to hear from you.”
“I didn’t expect to reach out,” Carmen replied, sliding into the seat and pulling her coat tighter around herself. “But circumstances have changed.”
Sergio studied her, his small, sharp eyes narrowing. “Vincent Rossi’s network has been buzzing with your name for weeks. Hiding out, making moves. You’re not here to ask for a favor, are you?”
“I’m here to make you an offer,” Carmen said plainly.
Sergio sat back, folding his arms across his chest. “I’m listening.”
Carmen placed a small stack of documents on the table and pushed them toward him. “These are financial records, offshore accounts, and proof of Arianna Ricci’s connection to the De Luca family. She’s not loyal to Marco—she’s not even loyal to the De Lucas. She’s using both families to seize control of the city for herself.”
Sergio raised an eyebrow, but he didn’t touch the papers. “That’s a bold accusation.”
“It’s not an accusation. It’s the truth.”
“And what do you want from me?”
“An alliance,” Carmen said, meeting his gaze. “I know Arianna’s dangerous, and I know Marco won’t listen to me yet. But if you back me—if we work together—we can dismantle her influence before she takes over everything.”
Sergio let out a low hum, finally flipping through the documents. “Interesting,” he murmured. “But this is paper. I need proof in flesh and blood. You’re asking me to take a risk, Carmen. I’m going to need more than numbers on a page.”
“You’ll have it,” Carmen promised. “Give me a week, and I’ll deliver Arianna’s betrayal on a silver platter.”
Sergio leaned forward, his gaze sharp. “If you fail, don’t expect me to stick my neck out for you.”
“I won’t fail,” Carmen said, her voice steady.
Sergio studied her for another moment before nodding. “Fine. I’ll keep my men close, and I’ll listen. But don’t come back here unless you’re ready to deliver.”
“Understood,” Carmen said, rising to her feet.
As she left the restaurant, she felt the weight of Sergio’s warning settle in her chest. She was running out of time, but with allies like Sergio, she was one step closer to exposing Arianna for what she truly was.
________________
Marco sat at the head of the long dining table, surrounded by the remnants of his inner circle. The room felt colder than usual, despite the blazing chandelier above. Pietro sat to his left, his expression hard and unyielding. Luca lingered near the doorway, silent as always, but his presence filled the room with unspoken tension.
“The men are restless,” Pietro said, his voice sharp. “And frankly, so am I. This war with the De Lucas has cost us too much already.”
“We’ll recover,” Marco replied curtly.
“Not if you keep listening to Arianna,” Pietro shot back.
Marco’s eyes snapped toward him. “Watch your tone.”
“I’ll speak how I want,” Pietro replied, unfazed. “Arianna’s pulling the strings, Marco, and everyone can see it but you. She’s taken over your strategy, your men—hell, she’s practically running the family herself.”
“Enough,” Marco said, his voice low and dangerous.
But Pietro wasn’t done. “You’re blind, Marco. You’re letting a woman who hasn’t earned our trust tear us apart. Your men are starting to talk. Some of them are questioning whether you’re still fit to lead.”
Silence fell over the table like a hammer. Marco’s fists clenched against the polished wood, his breathing controlled but tight. He looked to Luca as if searching for support, but Luca didn’t speak.
“Get out,” Marco said finally, his voice calm but deadly.
Pietro rose, his chair scraping back loudly. “For the sake of the family, Marco—open your eyes.”
He turned and walked out, leaving the room in stunned silence. Marco sat motionless for a long moment before looking toward Luca.
“Do you agree with him?” Marco asked quietly.
Luca hesitated, his gaze steady but unreadable. “I think you need to look closer at the people you trust.”
Marco didn’t respond. He sat alone as Luca left the room, doubt growing like a storm cloud in his mind. Everyone was questioning him. The De Lucas were closing in. And still, Arianna was at his side, whispering reassurances in his ear.
Marco ran a hand through his hair, staring down at the empty table. For the first time in his life, he wasn’t sure who his enemies were. And that uncertainty was the thing that scared him the most.
