Chapter 8: Close Quarters

Valentina ran through the dark streets, her heart pounding in her chest. The text message on Marco's phone flashed in her mind: "All set for Plan B. Foundry is surrounded. They won't know what hit them."

She had to warn Alessio and Dante before it was too late.

Her car skidded around a bend, tires screeching. The factory was on the edge of town, at least twenty minutes away. She pressed harder on the gas pedal, hoping she wouldn't be too late.

Her phone rang. Rico.

"Where are you?" he asked.

"On my way to the foundry," she answered, her voice tight with worry. "Marco set a trap. They're walking into an ambush."

"What? How do you know?"

"I saw a text on his phone. Rico, I need you to get as many of our people as you can and meet me there."

"I'm on it," Rico promised, and hung up.

Valentina swerved to miss a truck, earning an angry honk. She didn't care. All that mattered was reaching her brother in time.

Meanwhile, at the factory, Alessio and Dante crouched behind a stack of rusted metal barrels. Marco was tied up in Dante's car, guarded by one of his guys.

"Something's wrong," Alessio whispered. "It's too quiet."

Dante nodded, his gray eyes searching the dark building. "The Vegas should be here by now."

"Maybe Marco lied about the time."

"Or maybe this whole thing is a setup," Dante said sadly.

They had entered through the north entrance, while Dante's men covered the other two entrances. The foundry was a massive area filled with old machinery and shadows—perfect for an ambush.

"We should pull back," Alessio said.

Dante looked at him with surprise. "The great Alessio Moretti, running away?"

"It's called strategy," Alessio snapped. "Not suicide."

Dante's lips bent into a mocking smile. "Afraid, Viper?"

"Cautious, Wolf," Alessio shot back.

Their faces were inches apart, anxiety crackling between them like electricity. For a moment, something else flickered in Dante's eyes—something that wasn't hate.

A sudden noise made them both freeze. Footsteps, coming from all directions.

"We're surrounded," Dante whispered.

Before Alessio could reply, gunfire erupted from the darkness. Bullets pinged off the metal around them.

"Move!" Dante shouted, taking Alessio's arm and pulling him toward a small door at the back of the foundry.

They ran, hiding behind machinery as bullets followed them. Dante kicked open the door, showing a narrow staircase leading up. They rushed inside, slamming the door shut behind them.

The staircase led to a small room overlooking the foundry floor. Through the dirty windows, they could see guys in black moving through the building. Not Vega's men—these were pros, tactical gear and precise movements.

"Who are they?" Alessio asked, catching his breath.

Dante's face was grim. "Hired guns. Expensive ones."

"Marco couldn't afford this."

"No," Dante agreed. "Someone's backing him. Someone with deep pockets."

They checked their phones. No signal.

"My men?" Alessio asked.

Dante shook his head. "If they're still alive, they're pinned down or captured."

"We need to get out of here."

"Brilliant observation," Dante said dryly. He moved to a small window at the back of the room. "There's a fire escape, but we'd be exposed."

Alessio joined him at the window. "It's our only option."

Dante turned to look at him. "If we make it out of this, I'm still going to make you pay for what you did three years ago."

Alessio's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about? What did I do?"

Before Dante could answer, the door to the office shook under a heavy impact. Someone was trying to break in.

"Later," Dante muttered, going to the window and forcing it open. The fire escape was old and rusted, but it was their only chance.

Dante went first, Alessio following close behind. They had just reached the bottom when gunfire erupted again, bullets pinging off the metal steps above them.

"Run!" Dante shouted.

They ran toward a small shed about fifty yards away, diving through the door just as more bullets whizzed past. The garage was tiny, barely big enough for both of them, filled with old tools and the smell of rust.

Alessio leaned against the wall, breathing hard. "Now what?"

Dante checked his gun. "We wait. They'll search the perimeter, but they might miss this place."

"And if they don't?"

"Then we die fighting," Dante said bluntly.

The night grew quiet. They could hear men moving outside, searching, but the shed stayed undiscovered. Hours passed in tense silence.

"What did you mean?" Alessio finally asked. "About three years ago?"

Dante's jaw tightened. "Your men killed my brother."

Alessio stared at him. "What? I never ordered—"

"It doesn't matter if you ordered it," Dante interrupted. "It was your territory, your men. Antonio was just a kid, barely twenty. He wasn't even part of the business."

For the first time, Alessio saw real pain in Dante's eyes, a vulnerability that cut through his tough façade.

"I didn't know," Alessio said softly.

"Now you do." Dante looked away. "After that, I swore I'd destroy everything you cared about. An eye for an eye."

Alessio was silent for a moment. "Is that why you kept me alive at your mansion? To make me suffer?"

Dante didn't answer right away. When he did, his voice was different, almost unsure. "At first, yes. But then..."

"Then what?"

Their eyes met in the dim light of the shed. Something shifted between them, a tension that wasn't completely about hatred.

Before Dante could answer, a phone buzzed. Not theirs—a fake phone in Dante's pocket that he'd forgotten about.

The text was from Luca: "Marco escaped. V is looking for you."

"V?" Alessio asked, reading over Dante's shoulder.

"Valentina," Dante said. "Your sister is out there somewhere."

Alessio's blood turned cold. "We have to find her. If Marco's men get to her—"

"We will," Dante promised. He peered through a crack in the shed door. "The coast looks clear. We should move."

They slipped out into the night, staying low and moving fast. The foundry loomed behind them, still ringed by armed men.

"There's a safe house about a mile from here," Dante whispered. "We can regroup there."

Alessio nodded, his mind on his sister. Where was she? Was she safe?

Valentina had never driven so fast in her life. When she reached the outskirts of the foundry, she knew quickly something was wrong. Too many cars, too many armed guys who weren't Dante's or Alessio's.

She parked a safe distance away and approached on foot, staying in the shadows. Rico had texted that he was on his way with troops, but they were still at least ten minutes out.

Gunfire sounded from the foundry, followed by shouting. Her heart clenched. Was Alessio in there? Was he alive?

She circled the edge, looking for a way in, when a hand clamped over her mouth from behind.

"Don't scream," a familiar voice whispered.

Marco.

"Your brother and Dante walked right into my trap," he said, his mouth close to her ear. "But you... you're the one I really want."

Valentina fought, but Marco's grip was too strong.

"The Vegas promised me everything," he continued. "But I realized there's something more valuable than territory. Family secrets." He pulled her closer. "And who knows more secrets than Alessio's little sister?"

Valentina bit down hard on his hand. Marco swore, loosening his grip just enough for her to break free.

She ran, darting between trees, her heart pounding in her chest. Behind her, Marco laughed.

"Run all you want," he called. "There's nowhere to go."

Valentina kept running, her lungs burning. Suddenly, she crashed with someone. Strong arms wrapped around her, steadying her.

She looked up, ready to fight, but froze when she saw the face.

"Dante?" she gasped.

He put a finger to his lips, pulling her down behind some bushes. Alessio was there too, his face lighting up with relief when he saw her.

"You're alive," she whispered, throwing her arms around her brother.

"Barely," Alessio said. "Marco set us up."

"I know. I saw the text on his phone, but I was too late to warn you."

Dante's eyes narrowed. "Marco's here. We just saw him."

Valentina nodded. "He was chasing me."

Alessio's face hardened. "I'll kill him."

"Later," Dante said. "Right now, we need to get out of here."

A twig snapped nearby. They all froze.

"Valentina?" Marco's voice called. "I know you're here. Come out, and I promise I won't hurt your brother... much."

Valentina looked at Alessio, then at Dante. In that moment, something passed between the three of them—an understanding that transcended words.

Valentina stood up slowly.

"What are you doing?" Alessio hissed.

She gave him a small smile. "Trust me."

As she stepped out into the open, Marco's smug face emerged from the shadows. What he didn't see was Dante moving quietly behind him, or Alessio circling to the side.

"Smart girl," Marco said, raising his gun.

But before he could pull the trigger, the night exploded with the sound of oncoming cars and shouts. Rico had come with reinforcements.

In the chaos that followed, Marco's face twisted with anger. He lunged for Valentina, grabbing her arm and pulling her against him, gun pressed to her head.

"Nobody move!" he yelled. "Or she dies first!"

Valentina's eyes met Alessio's across the opening. Then, almost imperceptibly, they moved to something behind him—something that made her blood run cold.

A red dot emerged on Alessio's back.

A shooter.