e Elena's fir

ywhere she went in Alessandro De Luca's house. It wrapped around her like invisible chains, tighten

y that silence her

s obs

iste

jud

t the morn

No reassurance. No explanation. Just the soft echo of footsteps against marble and th

. Tried to rest.

nd refused

ords replayed

e has s

ossessed. She saw a woman with tired eyes, hair pulled back too tightly, shoulders

looked at her li

d her more th

ame just

alled. "You're

" Elena

idn't

na hadn't been allowed near before. The air changed as they we

stood guard outside reinforced doors, nodding respec

said quietly, "is n

m I here?"

d only by a biometric lock. "Bec

oor o

as a con

om different parts of the world. Ports. Warehouses. City streets. Ai

of it all st

rdered as if he'd dragged his hands through it too many times. He w

d. "If they cross the

the headset

ound Elena

leaving them alone among the hum

something," Elena sai

es

hy

u think I e

ned. "Do

ent before gesturing toward the scree

d closer des

men guarded crates stamped with symbols she didn't recognize. On a third

kness," Alessandro continued. "Informat

ted. "And my father

es

he se

jaw tightened

e asked again. "Why not just

now. "Because killing you

eping m

. "But it cha

gaze. "I'm n

greed quietly. "Yo

nt a chill

have differently when something innocent is invol

struck her l

using me

es

arp. "You don't get to

ned. "In my world, ever

r world i

ed across his fac

ps," h

n alarm

nstantly, barking orders into his headset. Elena watched as his men responded wit

ed on one fee

ds together, fighting

flinch," she s

lowly. "If I flinched at every d

sn't make

. "But it makes

between them aga

o spoke. "You shou

ed her chi

presence overwhelming. "But fea

eath c

that he

o decide what I

ed softly. "Bu

hum of machines fading into the background as some

sandro st

stairs," he said

rned mome

her out, she glanc

screens again, his shoulders rig

wore sil

Elena coul

away, yet close enough to remind her that

the ceiling, Alessandro's

the v

dn't k

dn't k

e thing with ab

e Luca was l

he fear and the silence, something far more

her of them wa