Chapter 3

I paused, then let out a bitter laugh.

"So you left me alone in an Old Town square crawling with enemies, surrounded by 12 thugs with machetes. I couldn't even tell if the person standing in front of me was a man or a woman. I almost got hacked to pieces.

"And the whole time, you were sitting here betting territory on whether I'd make it out alive? You even found time to go gun shopping for Sofia? Victor, tell me—were those guns supposed to comfort you while you mourned your poor little sister?"

Victor's face flushed red, his features twisting with rage.

"Shut your mouth!"

He kicked the table over.

"Don't you dare mock me!"

Victor jabbed a finger in my face, his chest heaving.

"I'm your brother! I'm the Don! I can do whatever I want. You don't get to judge me!"

I said nothing. I just stared at him.

When I still didn't respond in the group chat, Sofia video-called me.

I declined.

But Victor answered on his phone and shoved it in my face.

"Pick one."

He lowered his voice in warning. "Or she'll think you haven't forgiven her. If she can't sleep tonight and that affects tomorrow's inspection, I won't forgive you!"

I looked at Sofia's eager face on the screen and scoffed, "Either one is fine. Pick whichever you want."

Sofia complained that I was just brushing her off.

But when we met the next day, she had Luca's choice—the Glock 19X—in a quick-draw holster strapped to her thigh.

Victor couldn't hide his disappointment.

Sofia sweetly told the two men to go ahead and count the explosives, then slipped her arm through mine.

"Sweetie, I knew you weren't mad at me. We're the two best female fighters in this family."

I just smiled and said nothing.

Once we finished the inspection, we headed for the elevators.

Then Victor and Luca started arguing right in front of everyone.

The elevators were built to carry heavy loads, but all the bulletproofing made them cramped inside. Only three people could fit in each one.

"Sofia picked your gun. It's only fair that she should ride with me."

Victor blocked the doors.

"You're Isabella's brother. Obviously you should ride with her."

Luca stood his ground.

Behind us, Marisa, one of our allies, finally snapped. She cursed them out in public. "Have those two idiots lost their damn minds? Why don't the three of you just get in the same elevator? What are you waiting for, Christmas?"

Getting chewed out by an outsider in front of everyone left both men red-faced.

Victor cleared his throat and turned to me.

"Isabella, if we're attacked, it'll be easier for you to escape if you're alone in the elevator. You should ride by yourself."

Luca immediately agreed. "Right. That's safest."

Then the two of them practically tripped over each other trying to squeeze into Sofia's elevator.

Just before the doors closed, Sofia smiled at me.

"I'm so jealous that you get all that space to yourself. I'm stuck in here with these two brutes."

Behind me, Marisa rolled her eyes and said loudly to her second-in-command, "See that? She uses men to get ahead, then acts like they're the ones throwing themselves at her. What a manipulative little snake. If any of you ever bring home a woman like that, I'll shoot you myself!"

I turned toward her without thinking.

Marisa immediately looked embarrassed. "Ms. Lombardi, I was only joking. Please don't pull a gun on me!"

I smiled. "I won't. You're telling the truth."