ELENA I had dressed comfortably in black jeans and an oversized polo shirt, my guns stuffed securely into my waistband. I didn’t go anywhere without them anymore—they’d become a strange form of comfort.I needed this distraction from the endlessly depressing thoughts about Lorenzo.We soon arrived at my father’s estate, Sarah beside me in a yellow sundress and sandals, her makeup minimal but her aura dramatic—like she was heading for a fashion show and not a visit with my dad.“You’re over the top,” I said, walking past the guards who greeted us with polite nods before we stepped through the open door.“I know,” she chirped back, and I raised an eyebrow. She was definitely something else.“Hey girls,” came a voice from the kitchen.I walked in to find the table set with a spread of food—many of them my favorites—and the rich scent alone brought memories flooding back.Father used to make these dishes for me with the special recipe he and Mum had invented when they were still together
DELUCA "Are you seeing this?" filled my ears that early afternoon, and I glanced up from my position by the glass window in my office to find Lucas holding a phone, his face contorted in shock."What is it?" I asked, my tone sharp.He sighed before walking over to hand me the phone. There, written in blood-red letters, alongside a photo of Elena, was:"A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS FOR WHOMEVER KILLS ELENA RUSSO."It was posted on the dark web—a place once thought dead but clearly still breathing through the veins of chaos. This site had always trafficked in the riskiest, most anonymous information, and although it had gone dormant for a while, someone was still using it.My heart pounded faster as I scrolled through the post. The views were climbing by the second. And with the kind of people lurking on that platform—the worst of the worst—none of them would pass up an offer like this.Someone had ordered a hit on Elena.And I’d bet my entire fortune that it was either Dante Moretti or t
ELENA"Fuck," I groaned low in my throat as I walked past the bodyguards, who stared after me in alarm."Is someone after you?" the one on my left asked, and I shot him a glare."Does it look like it?" I snapped through gritted teeth. He looked guilty for a second before I stepped into the house and found Sarah lying on the couch in the living room."Hey, Sarah," I smiled deliriously.She smiled back, but it quickly dropped when she saw the blood on me. That was when my legs gave out, and I collapsed to the floor with a loud thud."Hey, hey, wake up! You can’t fall asleep! Someone get me the medical kit!" she yelled.Soon, I was being lifted and placed onto the couch she'd been lounging on moments earlier.She pulled off my jacket and then my shirt, leaving me in my bra."I-if y-you wa-wanted t-to s-see me in my bra, y-you c-could've j-just s-said so," I slurred, my eyes barely open.She laughed. "Stupid girl, what are you thinking with that head of yours?"She started working on remo
DELUCA The fifteen-minute drive felt longer than necessary, but it was probably just my anxiety kicking in. I needed to put a bullet through that bastard’s eye—soon.“Are you okay?” Lucas asked. This part of the road seemed unusually quiet and deserted, and it was trying to tell me something—but I wasn’t in the mood to think too hard about it.As he swerved around a bend, the sound of an explosion made him fumble to dodge a missile that landed right on the stretch of road we had just passed.The car came to a screeching halt, and bullets began to rain down on us.“Fuck. It was a trap,” Lucas mumbled as we took cover, and I felt the urge to punch him.“You think I didn’t figure that out?” I snapped before yanking the door open and diving out just before it slammed shut again.I crouched behind the car, finding Lucas doing the same. We started firing back—nothing coordinated, just enough to get a feel for the enemy’s position.Then, as we regrouped to form a plan, I heard the low hum o
ELENA I stepped into the dining room and found Sarah seated at the two-person table. My favorite food was laid out in front of her, along with a few other dishes and a full bottle of tequila.I had decided to just get it over with instead of sitting outside all day doing nothing. That’s how I found myself here at this hour.I easily took a seat and picked up the glass of water, downing it before turning my gaze to her.“It’s been minutes since I got here. Is there something you want to say to me?” I asked, and she sighed.“I’m sorry,” she said in a small voice.“For?” I played dumb, wanting to hear exactly what she was apologizing for. Who knew what she was talki—“For being a bitch. I should always respect your privacy. I just thought it would be cool to always startle you,” she mumbled, and I felt laughter bubble out of my throat.“Oh Sarah, dear, you should know by now that it’s very hard to scare or startle me,” I replied, grabbing the tequila and popping the top off. I filled ou
DELUCA I slid into the couch and laid my head on the armrest, my legs stretched straight out. I was going to have a much-needed rest and try not to stress my brain anymore.But then, my phone rang loudly. Without checking the caller ID, I picked it up.“What?” I barked into the mouthpiece and heard a chuckle.“Oh goodie, finally a day where I get to see you this rattled,” Veronica teased.I sighed. It was just Veronica.“What’s up?” I asked lowly, making no attempt to match her playful tone. I wanted to get this over with so I could go back to resting peacefully.“I’ve neutralized the people you sent me to take care of, and I handed over two of the ones I kept alive to your men. They should be shipping them over tonight with the goods,” she informed me.I nodded in satisfaction. “Good.”I ended the call and went to lie back down again when my phone blared once more. I growled low in my throat, picked it up, and hurled it across the room.With great satisfaction, I watched it shatter