Chapter 5 5

Alessia

It was supposed to be a short drive.

Zara and I were in the backseat. Two of Luca's men sat in front.

I didn't ask questions.

But something felt off.

Then I saw the black SUVs behind us.

Zara noticed too. "Are those..."

She didn't finish.

The car swerved. The driver panicked.

One of the SUVs cut us off. Another blocked the back.

Men with guns surrounded the car.

"Stay down!" the guard shouted, but it was too late.

The door flew open.

Nico stood there. Gun raised. No expression.

Then I saw him.

Dante.

He stepped out of the SUV behind Nico.

He looked right at me with cold eyes.

He opened the car door wider. "Get out."

I didn't move.

"Now."

I got out.

He didn't touch me. Didn't say anything else.

He just turned around and walked back to his car.

And I followed.

Because there was no escaping this.

They drove us straight home.

Dante only said a single sentence.

"Next time you run, make sure it's somewhere I won't enjoy chasing you."

Dante

Nico followed them out of Milan. Took them a few days to get there, but they left a trail even while trying to stay off the grid. Cash payments. Cheap hostels. Bad timing.

Then Luca Ferreti got involved.

That's when I stopped watching and started hunting.

I knew Luca would offer them help. That's what rats like him did, used others to get to me. He didn't care about Alessia. He just wanted to make sure the marriage didn't happen.

They thought they were smart.

Luca thought he could hide her from me.

He moved her between buildings, used fake names, even switched cars. It didn't matter. I was always one step behind. I gave them space on purpose.

I wanted her to feel free, for a moment.

Just enough to believe she had a chance.

But no one takes what's mine and walks away.

We caught up to them on a quiet road just outside the city.

Three SUVs. One target.

I watched from the front seat as our driver gave the signal.

The SUV in front of theirs hit the brakes and cut them off. The second one blocked the rear. Our tires screeched behind them. Everything moved fast.

The men in Luca's car reached for weapons.

My men were faster.

I stepped out just as Nico opened the back door.

She was there. Sitting in the backseat. Her face pale. Her body frozen.

I saw the horror in her eyes.

Good.

I walked forward and opened the door wider.

"Get out," I said.

She didn't move.

I said it again. Quieter. "Now."

She stepped out.

She knew.

Zara was still in the car. Screaming something at the guards. One of my men pulled her out and took her aside. She didn't matter. Not right now.

Alessia stood in front of me.

I turned around and walked back to the car.

She followed.

She came because she understood.

There was no escaping this.

She was mine.

They tried to break the rules. I reminded them who made them.

The ride back was quiet. Nico sat in front. Alessia beside me.

She didn't cry. She didn't speak.

She just stared out the window like she'd already left her body behind.

Good. Maybe now she'd stop pretending.

Right before we got back to the estate, I broke the silence.

"One thing," I said, voice low.

She turned her head.

"Next time you run, make sure it's somewhere I won't enjoy chasing you."

She looked away again.

But I saw the way her hands trembled.

And I smiled.