Chapter 4

After hanging up, I went back to my room and packed my bags.

The next morning, I'd just snapped shut the locks on my suitcase when the door was kicked open.

Dante stormed in and immediately seized the armrests of my wheelchair. Then, he ripped me straight out of it.

"The Colombo family's Soldati has captured Principessa Sofia. You're coming with me now."

I took the opportunity to slip my right hand into the hidden compartment in the side panel of my wheelchair. My fingertips brushed against cold metal. By the time I pulled out the gun, the barrel was already pressed against Dante's chest.

"Don't move. What does Sofia being kidnapped have to do with me?"

Dante didn't let go. His eyes were bloodshot. Clearly, he had been up all night.

"That 100-billion-dollar merger you secured for Vittorio ate up three of the Colombo family's core business lines. They've lost nearly half their territory," he said hoarsely through gritted teeth. "This mess is your doing, so you're the one the Colombo family wants."

My finger remained on the trigger.

The sound of hurried footsteps came from outside the door. Luca rushed in, his face as pale as a sheet.

"Dante, the Colombos just called again. They're asking for Isabella. They said if they don't see her, they'll send one of Principessa Sofia's fingers in half an hour."

Without wasting another word, Dante reached out to snatch the gun from my hand.

But I was faster. I flipped the gun and slammed the butt of it hard into his jaw.

Dante's head snapped to the side. His lip split open, and blood dripped down his chin.

"Even if Papa doesn't give a damn about me," I said, fixing my eyes on him, "I am still a Moretti. And when does the eldest daughter of the Moretti family ever get pushed and pulled around by the likes of you two?"

Dante wiped the blood from his lip with the back of his hand. His gaze was dark, as if he wanted to devour me alive.

"My apologies, Ms. Isabella. After we trade you for Principessa Sofia, Luca and I will personally go before Don Moretti to accept our punishment."

He shot Luca a look.

Luca moved in from the side so quickly that I had no time to react. He caught the barrel of my gun with surgical precision and pressed his thumb down. The magazine dropped out, clattering to the floor.

I swung the empty gun at his face, but Dante caught my arm from behind.

The two of them pinned my arms behind my back, one on each side, and hauled me out of the room. Then, they roughly shoved me into the back seat of a black sedan waiting in the backyard.

The moment the car door slammed shut, the bindings cut painfully into my wrists.

The engine started. Dante was driving, while Luca sat beside me.

For about two minutes, no one spoke. Then, Luca leaned over and brought his lips almost to my ear.

"You've been reborn too, haven't you?"

His voice was so impossibly low that Dante could never hear it from the front seat.

I turned to look at his scarred face, then raised my hand and slapped him.

The crack of the slap exploded inside the sealed car. Dante glanced at us in the rearview mirror but said nothing.

"Two lifetimes," I said, my voice cold. "And you're still this cruel to me."

Luca didn't dodge the slap, and the red mark layered over his old scar.

He was silent for a few seconds. When he spoke, his voice was very soft.

"We're just putting on a show for the Colombo family. Once we get there, I'll find a way to get you out."

I didn't respond.

He took my right hand and slipped a metal bangle, about the thickness of a thumb, around my wrist. Then, he pulled down my sleeve to cover it.

"It's a spring-loaded knife. Give it a twist, and it pops out. In case I can't get to you in time, use it to save yourself."