Chapter 71: Shadows of the Summit

The safe house’s rooftop was a fragile sanctuary, the city’s skyline a bruised canvas under dusk’s heavy veil. Kai Castellano leaned against a rusted railing, his black jacket unzipped, his icy blue eyes haunted by Lorenzo’s betrayal. The documents from Viktor Crane’s mansion, uncovered in their raid, confirmed his father’s role in the Order of Cinders, orchestrating hits on rivals—including Kai’s mother. The sniper’s escape, warning of retaliation, loomed over their empire—Castellanos and La Rosa Nera. Kai’s jaw clenched, their passionate night, Gianna’s fierce love, a flame that burned through his fear of becoming his father.

Gianna Moretti stood beside him, her leather jacket loose, her emerald eyes fierce but tender, her braid loose in the evening breeze. Her command of La Rosa Nera, a defiance of tradition, was a spark that ignited Kai, their shared pain—Lorenzo’s betrayal of their mothers—binding them closer. Her hand found his, their fingers entwining, her voice soft, fierce. “