Chapter 26
POV: Isabella
The night air was sharp and heavy as Enzo and I moved through the forest, our breaths shallow and quiet. Every step felt like a gamble, each rustle of leaves a potential alarm for those who wanted us dead.
Enzo walked slightly ahead, his presence a steadying force, though his silence weighed on me. His protectiveness was palpable, the way he kept glancing back to make sure I was close, his hand never far from his weapon.
"This way," he said, his voice low and steady. He pointed toward a dilapidated shed that barely stood against the wind. "The intel says the contact might've left something here."
As we approached, my nerves prickled. The shed looked abandoned, but there was something off-like it was too quiet.
Enzo motioned for me to stay behind as he pushed open the door with the barrel of his gun. The creak echoed into the night, and I held my breath.
Inside, the shed was barren at first glance. But as we searched, Enzo uncovered a hidden trapdoor beneath a rotting pile of wood.
"What the hell is this?" he muttered, pulling it open to reveal a small cache of weapons. Guns, explosives, and a familiar symbol etched into the crates-the Moretti crest.
"This isn't just a stash," I said, stepping closer. "This is a message. They're preparing for something big."
Enzo sifted through the crates until he pulled out a folder, flipping through the documents inside. His jaw tightened. "This implicates someone close to Tony," he said, his voice dark.
I stared at him, my stomach twisting. "Who?"
He didn't answer, but the look in his eyes said it all.
Cliffhanger: The weight of the revelation hung between us as a twig snapped outside, sending both of us into high alert. Someone was out there, watching.
Back at the cabin, Vince's patience had finally snapped. He slammed Tony's notebook onto the table, the sound jolting Tony from his daze.
"Explain this," Vince demanded, his tone ice-cold.
Tony blinked, his face pale but defiant. "It's my notes. What about it?"
"Your notes? Or breadcrumbs for the Morettis?" Vince's eyes burned with suspicion.
Tony stiffened. "You're out of your mind. I've bled for this family-"
"And yet every time they find us, you just happen to be in the middle of it!" Vince interrupted, his voice rising. "You think I'm blind, Tony? You're hiding something, and I'm going to find out what it is."
Tony's face twisted with anger, but he said nothing.
Vince leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "If you're working with them, I'll put a bullet in you myself."
The room was thick with tension as Vince stormed out, but his anger didn't dissipate. He began searching through Tony's gear, his hands moving with calculated precision.
And then he found it.
Hidden in the lining of Tony's jacket was a small transmitter, barely noticeable but unmistakable. Vince's heart sank.
"What the hell are you doing, Tony?" he muttered under his breath, his grip tightening on the device. Vince's mind raced as he pocketed the transmitter, unsure whether to confront Tony or keep this discovery to himself.
The rendezvous point was a crumbling warehouse on the edge of a desolate industrial park. It reeked of rust and decay, but Enzo and I didn't have time to dwell on the setting.
As we stepped inside, the tension was unbearable. Every shadow felt alive, every creak of the building a warning.
"This is it," Enzo said, his voice a hushed growl.
We searched the area, but it was too quiet. Too empty.
And then it happened.
A flash of movement. A hiss of air as bullets tore through the room.
"Ambush!" Enzo shouted, pulling me behind a stack of crates.
The air was filled with the deafening sound of gunfire. My heart pounded as I clutched my weapon, my hands trembling.
"Stay low!" Enzo barked, returning fire.
But when one of the assassins came into view, something stopped me. He was young, barely out of his teens, his face etched with fear even as he raised his gun.
I hesitated.
"Isabella!" Enzo's voice snapped me back, but it was too late. The assassin bolted, disappearing into the shadows.
Enzo turned to me, his expression a mix of frustration and disbelief. "What the hell was that?"
"I I couldn't" I stammered, my voice breaking.
Before he could respond, we noticed something left behind where the assassin had been. A map.
Enzo snatched it up, his eyes scanning the markings. His face darkened.
"This isn't just a random attack," he said grimly. "This marks the Morettis' main hideout."
Enzo's gaze locked onto mine, a storm of emotions swirling in his eyes. "We've got no choice now," he said, his voice heavy. "We're going straight into the lion's den."