Aria – First Person POV
I was still in Enzo’s room when they came in.
I had been lying there, curled up under the blanket, wearing one of his hoodies that smelled like him. It was quiet, and for a second, it felt like maybe things would be okay. But then there was a knock. Not a gentle one. A heavy knock. And before Enzo could even answer, the door opened.
Matteo came in first. His face was tense. His jaw was tight. He didn’t even look at me at first. Dante walked in behind him, slower, quieter. He had something in his hand. A phone, maybe. Or a paper. I couldn’t tell. They both looked serious. Too serious.
Enzo sat up beside me. “What happened?”
Matteo’s hands were clenched at his sides. His whole body looked stiff, like he was trying not to explode.
“We found out who sent him,” Dante said finally.
My stomach dropped. I sat up, leaning back against the headboard. “Who?”
Dante looked me in the eyes. “The Russian mafia.”
I blinked. Once. Twice. “What, again!?”
“They sent the guy after you and Chiara,” Matteo said, his voice rough. “It wasn’t random.”
I just stared at them. I couldn’t even think straight. My brain was trying to make sense of the words. Russian mafia. Sent someone after me.
Chiara. Me.
“But why?” I asked slowly. “I don’t know anything about Russians.”
Enzo was quiet. Too quiet.
“They think your father left something with you,” Dante said, “Information. Something valuable.”
I blinked again. My mouth opened but no words came out. “I don’t- What? I don’t have anything.”
“They believe you do,” Matteo muttered.
My hands were shaking again. I looked down at them and tried to hide them under the blanket. “So this is because of him?” I whispered. “Because of my father?”
Dante nodded. “They think you’re the key to something, just like last time.”
I let out a breath and leaned my head back against the wall. “Perfect,” I said flatly. “Just perfect. Now I’ve got a price on my head and a Russian stalker who wants to kidnap me. What’s next?”
Nobody laughed. Of course not. This wasn’t funny. I was just too tired to cry.
I looked up at them again. “Did he say anything else? The guy you caught?”
Enzo was the one who answered this time. His voice was quiet. “Not much.”
1/3
Chapter 166
I looked at him. His face was calm, but there was something behind his eyes. Something dark.
Then Matteo said it.
“I lost it,” he admitted. “I beat him to death before we could get more.”
The room went silent.
I swallowed hard. I couldn’t blame him. If someone had grabbed Enzo or Chiara, I might have done the same. Still, it felt like the one person who could’ve told us something more was gone now.
I pulled my knees up to my chest and hugged them. “So what now?”
Dante exchanged a look with his brothers. Then he stepped closer to the bed. “We need to move you.”
I frowned. “Move me? Where?”
“To a safe house,” Matteo said. “On an island. Off the coast. It’s private. Secured. No one can get to you there.”
My heart sank. “You want to move me again?”
Dante nodded. “It’s the safest option.”
I shook my head. “No. No more running. No more hiding.”
Enzo reached for my hand, but I pulled it away. “I’m tired,” I said. “I’m tired of waking up in new places. I’m tired of being the girl who has to hide. I just want to stay here. In Italy. In one place.”
“It’s not safe here,” Matteo said. “They found you.”
“I don’t care,” I snapped.
All three of them stared at me like I’d lost my mind.
I pushed the blanket off and got out of bed, pacing across the room. “You don’t get it. This isn’t just your world now. It’s mine too. And I’m tired of being treated like a glass doll. I’m not going to live my life being scared every second.”
“Aria,” Dante said, his voice calmer, “we’re trying to protect you.”
I spun around.-“And I’m trying to live! Do you know what that feels like? To have everyone make choices for you? I didn’t choose this. I didn’t ask to be involved in some stupid mafia mess because of a father who’s dead now!”
Silence.
The words hung in the air like smoke.
Enzo stood, slowly walking toward me. “We know it’s hard. But we can’t take chances with your life.”
“Well maybe I want to take chances!” I yelled./
He stepped back, surprised.
“I’m not a kid,” I said, my voice cracking. I’m not yours to lock away on some island.”
Nobody spoke.
2/3
Chapter 166
I stared at them like they were insane. “An island? Are you serious right now?” My voice cracked at the end, but I didn’t care. “I’ve already been moved twice. I’ve been shot at. Chased. Grabbed. And now your solution is to lock me away on some secret island like I’m some kind of treasure chest you’re trying to hide?” Dante crossed his arms, his face calm like he was explaining the weather. “You’re a target, Aria. This isn’t a joke. The Russians don’t give up. We need time to figure out what your father left behind, and we can’t do that with you in danger.” “I’m always in danger!” I snapped. “It doesn’t matter where I go. They keep finding me. And you think sending me to some place in the middle of nowhere is going to fix that?” Matteo stepped forward, and for once, his voice was soft. “It’s not punishment, Aria. It’s protection. You’re not just some job anymore, okay? You matter to us. And if anything happened to you…” His jaw clenched like he couldn’t finish the sentence. Enzo was watching me quietly, the way he always did, but I could see the tension in his shoulders too. “It won’t be forever,” he said gently. “Just until we figure out how deep this goes.” I threw my hands up. “So I just sit on some private beach, surrounded by guards, watching the world go on without me?” I looked between them, my heart racing. “You keep saying I’m not a prisoner, but that’s exactly what this feels like.”
“We’re trying to keep you alive,” Dante said. “You don’t get it,” I snapped. “You’re making decisions about my life without even asking what I want.” “What you want doesn’t matter if you’re dead,” Matteo said sharply. And that was it. That was the line. My eyes stung. I turned on my heel, heading straight for the door. “Screw this,” I muttered, my voice breaking as I slammed it behind me.0
I turned toward the door, my heart pounding so loud I could barely hear anything else.
“You can keep talking about safe houses and guards and plans,” I said. “But I’m done listening.”
And before anyone could stop me, I stormed out of the room.
I didn’t look back.
I slammed the door behind me.
Hard.
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