Chapter 32

Isabella's POV

The air was thick with the kind of tension that makes your skin crawl. The safe house felt colder than it should have, the walls pressing in as if they knew what was coming.

Tony was still unconscious, his breathing shallow but steady. It was strange to feel relief that he was alive, knowing full well he'd lied to us all. I hated how my heart still ached for him, even after everything he'd done.

I turned my attention back to the file I'd uncovered. The message I'd found wasn't just a warning-it was a promise of what was to come.

Sienna sat across from me, her fingers tapping against the table as she processed the information. "Whoever sent that message knew Tony was going to betray them," she said, her voice low. "This goes deeper than the Morettis."

I nodded, my mind racing. "It means there's another player in this game. Someone we didn't account for."

"And they know we're here," Sienna added, her expression grim.

The thought sent a chill down my spine. If they knew where we were, it was only a matter of time before they came for us.

"We need to move," I said, standing abruptly.

"Move where?" Sienna asked, raising an eyebrow. "We can't outrun them, Isabella. Not if they've been tracking Tony."

I hesitated, my resolve wavering. She was right. Running wasn't an option. But staying here felt like signing our death warrant.

"Then we fight," I said, my voice firm. "We prepare for whatever's coming, and we don't back down."

Sienna studied me for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. But if we're doing this, we need a plan."

Enzo's POV

I leaned against the doorway, watching Isabella and Sienna as they poured over the files. They were so focused, so determined, and yet I couldn't shake the feeling that we were walking into a trap.

Isabella's insistence on keeping Tony alive was a mistake-I knew it, and deep down, I think she did too. But there was no convincing her otherwise. She was too stubborn, too loyal for her own good.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps outside the safe house. My hand instinctively went to the gun at my hip as I moved toward the door.

"Enzo?" Isabella's voice called out, but I held up a hand to silence her.

I peeked through the small window beside the door, my heart pounding. A figure stood just outside, their face obscured by the shadows.

"Stay here," I whispered, motioning for Isabella and Sienna to stay put.

I opened the door slowly, stepping outside with my gun raised. "Who are you?" I demanded.

The figure stepped forward, and my breath caught in my throat.

It was Nico.

I hadn't seen him in years-not since the fallout with the Morettis. He was the last person I expected to see, and the sight of him sent a wave of unease through me.

"Enzo," he said, his voice calm and measured. "We need to talk."

I didn't lower my gun. "Talk about what? The fact that you disappeared and left me to clean up your mess?"

Nico raised his hands in surrender, a small smirk playing on his lips. "I didn't disappear. I've been watching, waiting. And now, I'm here to help."

I didn't trust him-not for a second. But something in his eyes told me he wasn't lying.

"Help with what?" I asked, my grip on the gun tightening.

"The people coming for you," Nico said. "They're not who you think they are."

Isabella's POV

Enzo stepped back into the room, his face unreadable. Behind him was a man I didn't recognize-a man with sharp features and piercing eyes that seemed to take in everything at once.

"Who's this?" I asked, my hand instinctively moving toward my weapon.

"This is Nico," Enzo said, his tone clipped. "An old... acquaintance."

Nico's eyes flicked to me, a small smile playing on his lips. "You must be Isabella. Enzo's told me a lot about you."

I didn't respond, my distrust evident. "What are you doing here?"

Nico leaned against the wall, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp. "I'm here to help. You're in over your heads, and you don't even realize it."

I bristled at his tone. "We're doing just fine on our own."

"Are you?" Nico countered, raising an eyebrow. "Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you're barely holding it together."

I opened my mouth to argue, but Enzo cut me off. "Enough. Nico says he has information about the people coming for us."

Nico nodded, his expression turning serious. "The Morettis are just a front. The real threat is the Syndicate."

The word sent a chill down my spine. I'd heard whispers of the Syndicate before-an organization so secretive and powerful that even the Morettis feared them.

"What do they want?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Nico's gaze softened, but there was a flicker of regret in his eyes. "They want you, Isabella. And they're willing to kill anyone who gets in their way."

The room fell silent, the weight of his words sinking in.

Enzo stepped closer to me, his hand resting lightly on my shoulder. "We'll protect you," he said, his voice low but firm.

I wanted to believe him. But as I looked into Nico's eyes, I saw the truth.

This wasn't just about me.

It was about all of us.

And the Syndicate wouldn't stop until we were dead.

The shadows of deception had finally come to light, but with it came a new darkness-one we weren't prepared to face. The fight wasn't just for survival anymore.

It was for everything we held dear.