Chapter 5 A Knife in the Dark

Luca had barely settled into his father's chair before the first betrayal came.

It was past midnight when Niccolo's phone rang. Luca watched as his right-hand man answered, his expression shifting from unreadable to sharp in an instant.

"Where?" Niccolo asked, already reaching for his gun. A tense pause, then a muttered curse. He ended the call and turned to Luca.

"We've got a problem."

Luca didn't need to ask. He simply stood, grabbed his own gun, and followed Niccolo out into the night.

The Warehouse

The air smelled of gasoline and blood.

Luca stepped inside the abandoned warehouse, the dim yellow light flickering overhead. His men were already there, forming a loose circle around a bound and bloodied man kneeling on the concrete floor.

Vito Carbone stood off to the side, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.

"We caught him outside the estate," Vito said.

The kneeling man-a soldier named Rafael-lifted his head, his swollen eye barely opening. "Boss," he croaked. "It's not what it looks like."

Niccolo scoffed. "Really? Because it looks like you were feeding information to the Scarpettis."

The Scarpetti family had been circling like vultures ever since Luca's father died. Testing the waters, looking for weaknesses. And it seemed they had found one.

A traitor.

Luca crouched in front of Rafael, tilting his head. "Tell me something." His voice was quiet. Dangerous. "What did they offer you?"

Rafael swallowed. "Money. Protection. I-"

Luca grabbed his chin, forcing him to look up. "You betrayed my father's blood for money?"

Silence.

Luca let go and stood. For a moment, the room was still. Then, he took the gun from Niccolo's holster and aimed it at Rafael's forehead.

Rafael's breath hitched. "Please, I-"

Luca pulled the trigger.

A single shot. A splash of red. The body slumped forward, lifeless.

No hesitation.

No second chances.

Luca exhaled slowly, lowering the gun. Around him, his men watched in silence. This wasn't just about punishing a traitor. This was a message.

When Luca finally spoke, his voice was ice.

"Anyone else thinking of switching sides? Now's your chance."

Silence.

Then, one by one, the men nodded. A silent oath. A warning received.

Niccolo stepped forward, studying Luca with something close to approval. "You handled that well."

Luca's grip tightened around the gun. Did I?

He didn't feel guilt. Didn't feel satisfaction, either.

He just felt numb.

But maybe that was the price of being king.

Word Count: ~700

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