Chapter 14
(POV: Isabella)
The farmhouse creaked under the weight of silence, the kind that burrowed into your chest and made it hard to breathe. The group had settled, but the tension between us simmered, threatening to boil over at any moment.
Tony was stretched out on the cot in the corner, his face pale and drawn, a stark reminder of how close we'd come to losing him. Vince leaned against the wall, his jaw tight and arms crossed, while Enzo stood by the window, staring into the night as if expecting danger to materialize from the shadows.
I sat near Tony, my fingers twisting nervously in my lap. The farmhouse was decrepit, the scent of mildew thick in the air, but it was the safest place we had for now. Yet, safety felt like an illusion.
"You're too quiet, Vince," Enzo said, breaking the silence. His voice was low, measured, but there was an edge to it.
Vince's eyes flicked to him, sharp as a blade. "What do you want me to say? That I'm sorry we're in this mess? That I regret trusting the wrong people?"
"No," Enzo replied, his tone hardening. "I want you to tell me what you're not saying. What aren't you telling us, Vince?"
Vince pushed off the wall, his posture defensive. "I've done nothing but try to keep this group alive. If you think you can do better, be my guest."
"That's not what I asked," Enzo snapped, his voice rising. "What aren't you telling us about the mole?"
I glanced between them, my heart pounding. The air grew heavier with each passing second, the unspoken accusations thickening the tension.
Vince's lips pressed into a thin line, but he didn't respond.
"Enough!" I stood, my voice trembling but firm. "This isn't helping anyone. We're supposed to be working together, not tearing each other apart."
Enzo's gaze softened as he looked at me, but Vince's expression remained closed off.
"Working together?" Vince scoffed, shaking his head. "That's easy for you to say. You're not the one being blamed for everything that's gone wrong."
"I'm not blaming you," I said, stepping closer. "But we need answers, Vince. If there's something you know, now's the time to say it."
His eyes met mine, and for a moment, I thought he might tell us. But then he looked away, his shoulders stiffening. "You wouldn't understand."
I sighed, the frustration bubbling inside me. Before I could press him further, Tony stirred on the cot, his voice weak but clear.
"Stop fighting," he murmured, his eyes fluttering open. "It's what they want."
I hurried to his side, placing a hand on his forehead. "Tony, you need to rest."
"They want us to fall apart," he continued, ignoring me. "That's why they set the traps. To make us doubt each other."
His words hung in the air, a sobering reminder of the danger we faced-not just from the Morettis, but from ourselves.
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(POV: Enzo)
The room had quieted, but the unease lingered. Tony's words echoed in my mind, a bitter truth we couldn't ignore.
"We can't stay here long," I said, breaking the silence. "If the Morettis find this place, we're sitting ducks."
"And where do you suggest we go?" Vince asked, his tone laced with sarcasm.
I ignored him, turning to Carlo, who had been sitting silently in the corner. The older man's eyes were unreadable, his face lined with years of experience-and secrets.
"You said you had information about the Morettis' next move," I said. "What do you know?"
Carlo hesitated, his gaze shifting to Vince before returning to me. "I know enough to say you're running out of time. If you don't act soon, the Romanos won't have a territory left to defend."
"What are they planning?" I pressed.
He exhaled, the sound heavy with reluctance. "They've been stockpiling weapons, building alliances. They're not just coming for the Romanos-they're coming to wipe out anyone who stands in their way."
The weight of his words settled over the group like a dark cloud.
"We need to warn them," Isabella said, her voice steady despite the fear in her eyes.
"And how do you propose we do that?" Vince asked, his skepticism evident. "We're outnumbered, outgunned, and out of options."
"Then we find a way," I said firmly. "We've come too far to give up now."
Carlo shook his head, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. "You're all fools if you think you can stop this."
I clenched my fists, resisting the urge to argue. Instead, I turned to Isabella. "We'll figure it out. We always do."
Her gaze met mine, and for a moment, the chaos around us faded. In her eyes, I saw determination, a quiet strength that reminded me why we were fighting.
"Together," she said, her voice soft but unwavering.
"Together," I agreed.
But even as I said the word, a nagging doubt lingered in the back of my mind. How long could we hold together before the cracks in our trust tore us apart?
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(POV: Vince)
The whispers of the past clawed at my mind as I sat alone in the corner of the room. They didn't trust me-that much was clear. And why should they? I'd made mistakes, ones I couldn't take back.
But they didn't know the whole story. They didn't know what it had cost me to get this far, the sacrifices I'd made to protect them.
"Vince."
I looked up to find Isabella standing before me, her expression unreadable.
"What do you want?" I asked, my voice harsher than I intended.
"I want to understand," she said simply.
"There's nothing to understand," I muttered, looking away.
She knelt in front of me, forcing me to meet her gaze. "You're lying."
Her words cut deeper than I expected. For a moment, I considered telling her everything-about the choices I'd made, the secrets I'd kept. But then I remembered the look in Enzo's eyes, the doubt that lingered there, and I shut down.
"You wouldn't understand," I said, standing abruptly.
She didn't stop me as I walked away, but her silence was louder than any accusation.
As I stepped outside into the cold night air, I felt the weight of my decisions pressing down on me. The truth was a dangerous thing, and I wasn't sure any of us were ready for it.