10. Isabella
10
Isabella
I can’t believe I didn’t catch it the moment he said it.
I know it’s just a suspicion, but I completely believe it’s Tomasso who did this now. They probably took Bruce the jeweler as a distraction.
Snow blurs past the windows, streetlights casting brief glances of light and shadow over Alessio’s face. He’s sitting beside me in the back seat, eyes distant, like he’s lost somewhere in the whirlwind of what I just said.
I never mentioned the phoenix. Not once. Yet Tomasso knew. Knew it exactly, down to the pattern etched on the ring. His mocking laugh echoes in my mind, sharp and grating. How could I have missed it?
And then, there were the men, watching us in the market. I only caught a glimpse, just a flash, before Alessio had insisted we leave, but it was enough. The look in their eyes was unmistakable, a hard edge that sent a chill down my spine. They didn’t just want to watch us. They wanted to hurt us, to hurt Alessio.
I’m shaken, but there’s something that quiets my fear, and that’s the look on Alessio’s face. I can almost feel his mind working, feel how sharp his focus is.
Whoever these people are, they’ve got no idea who they are messing with. That much, I’m sure of. And I don’t think they will realize it until he catches up to them. There is a certain rage in his eyes, cool but intense, and I can tell he is capable of every bit of cruelty that they would deserve.
Once we are back at the Lodge, Alessio leads me straight into the tech room. Two men are inside when we enter; Luca, the bodyguard I had seen before, and a man who briefly introduces himself as Nico.
There’s a certain seriousness in their eyes as they look at me and Alessio. Nico gives me a nod as if to reassure me, but there’s something uneasy in his gaze, something that makes my pulse quicken. Alessio nods to him, a silent signal to continue.
“Alright,” Nico says, leaning back in his chair and swiveling to the monitor, “I’ve unscrambled the files. Took me a while, but now we can watch the security footage…raw and uncut.”
His fingers fly across the keyboard, and the screen flares to life, showing the interior of the jeweler’s shop just before a burglary hit it.
I swallow hard, my chest tight.
Onscreen, Bruce is sorting through his wares. A quiet night.
Then, with a violent burst, the back door swings open, and three masked men rush in. They grab the jeweler, pinning him against the wall. One of them hits him, hard, then again and again.
His cries muffled, blending with the grainy noise, but they’re genuine enough to make my stomach churn. Another man goes behind the counter, but he doesn’t seem to care about the valuables. He instead goes for the computer.
“Bastards,” I whisper, my hand clenching at my side.
Alessio’s eyes narrow as he watches the footage, his face a portrait of cold fury. “They took nothing, did they? They weren’t after the merchandise.”
Nico nods grimly. “Exactly. They were after him.” He pauses the video, the jeweler’s face frozen mid plea. “They wanted the jeweler. They needed him as part of the setup, Alessio. He’s a pawn.”
Luca, arms folded, frowns at the screen. “So, they snatched him to create a diversion. Made sure you were on a wild goose chase, thinking the fake ring could have come from any of these jewelers.”
Alessio’s jaw tightens. “And all this time, we’ve been after the wrong guy.”
The pieces snap together in my mind with a sickening clarity. Tomasso. It was him…damn him.
I don't know why I felt relief when we first thought it wasn't him. Maybe it’s the part of me that doesn’t want to see anyone get hurt, that still clings to certain innocence, maybe even naivety.
Whoever is trying to get at the Luciana must be connected to Tomasso. Somebody who doesn't care who gets hurt, as long as they get what they want. He put me in danger, and now that innocent jeweler is another person paying the price.
“Tomasso,” I murmur, my voice trembling with a mix of fear and rage. “He… he did this. He’s the one who made the fake. And now that poor man is… he’s suffering for it.”
Alessio turns to Nico. “You tracked all the jewelers, right? Where is Tomasso now?”
Nico pulls up a map on the computer, his fingers working the keyboard until a red dot blips to life, marking a hotel just outside of Winter Haven. “There. He’s been holed up there since yesterday.”
Alessio doesn’t hesitate. “I’m going to find him. Alone.”
“Alone?” I protest, my voice louder than I intended. “Alessio, I should come with you. This involves me too, doesn’t it?”
He shakes his head, his eyes cold but tinged with something softer, something I can’t quite place. “No, Isabella. It’s safer if you stay here. I need to do this on my own.”
“But…”
He cuts me off, his tone final. “Please. Stay here. I’ll handle it.”
There’s no arguing with him. He’s already moving toward the door, and with one last, fleeting glance, he’s gone, leaving me standing in the cold glow of the monitor, alone with my anger and worry.
Back in the hallway, I can feel all my anger pressing down on me. Tomasso, that lying snake, had dragged us into this mess.
And for what? To make a quick deal? To turn a profit at the expense of everyone’s lives? Fury simmers within me, threatening to boil over.
How dare he? How dare he risk my life…Alessio’s life, that jeweler’s life . Just to cover his own tracks?
As I pace, my fists clenched, I hear footsteps behind me. I turn to see Elena and Fiamma walking toward me, each with a curious expression.
“Hey,” Fiamma says, tilting her head, a playful gin planted on her face. “How did it go with Alessio at the market?”
I sigh, trying to gather my scattered thoughts. “It was… nice,” I say, though the word feels inadequate. “We talked. He apologized for being cold to me. But he doesn’t want to get too close. He thinks it would put me in danger.”
Fiamma nods, her expression softening with a hint of understanding. “Makes sense. The life we live isn’t ballet, you know. But if you ask me, I think you can handle it.”
There’s a calm, audacious confidence in her tone, an effortless swagger woven into every word.
“"I mean… the strangling didn’t even make you shit yourself. That’s better than most people I know.” She grins, a playful glint in her eyes, her words laced with a teasing edge. “You’ll be fine.”
Elena places a gentle hand on my arm, casting a playful, almost motherly look at Fiamma…a look that feels like a lighthearted scolding, making Fiamma chuckle. Then Elena’s gaze shifts back to me, her expression softening.
“He just needs time. Alessio… he’s not the type to let people in easily.”
I nod, a bittersweet smile tugging at the corners of my lips. I’ve gathered that much. Alessio isn’t one to open up, and I can only hope he’ll make an exception for me.
Elena seems on the verge of saying more, but before the words leave her mouth, Nico bursts into the hallway. His face is pale, his eyes wide and brimming with urgency. “Guys… I’ve got bad news. The Ice Box club just announced that the Luciana signet ring is up for auction.”
Fiamma’s jaw drops. “What? The ring?”
Nico nods, his eyes darting between us. “Yes. They’re hosting an auction, and they’ve put the ring up as one item. If a rival family buys it, we’re gonna look like fucking clowns. It would be the ultimate humiliation. And with the way the word’s spreading, everyone is going to want to get their hands on it just to watch us squirm.”
A chill runs down my spine as I absorb the gravity of what he’s saying. The ring, that precious symbol of the Luciana legacy, out in the open for anyone to buy, to mock?
Nico continues, his voice tight. “The problem is, if we send one of our own, it’ll confirm to everyone that the ring was stolen. Which would be even worse if we let it fall into our enemies’ hands…”
He doesn’t need to finish the sentence. We all understand. The Luciana reputation would be ruined, the family’s legacy tainted forever.
Massimo’s door is just down the hall, and Nico turns toward it, his face set with determination. “We need to tell him,” he says, striding toward the office.
I hesitate, nerves prickling under my skin. But before I can decide, Elena nudges me forward. “Come on,” she says, her tone gentle but firm. “You’re part of this now, Isabella.”
I swallow hard, following them into the room.
Massimo’s office is dark, the only light coming from the dim light stand near his desk and the thin line of smoke curling from his cigar. He’s seated behind his desk, his presence as commanding as always, his eyes shadowed but sharp.
When we step inside, he looks up, his gaze fixing on each of us. The quiet authority in his stare sends a chill through me, a reminder of the power he holds, and the danger that comes with it.
Nico steps forward, his voice steady but urgent. “Boss, there’s a problem. The Luciana ring…it’s being auctioned at the Ice Box. If we don’t do something, one of our rivals could buy it and disgrace our family.”
Massimo’s expression darkens, his jaw tightening as he considers the news. An uneasy silence hangs heavy in the air. We all wait with bated breath for his next words.
Finally, he does. “If we send a family member to the auction, it will confirm for everyone that the ring was stolen.That can’t happen. We’ll look weak, compromised.”
Elena glances at me, her gaze thoughtful. “But what if… someone outside the family attended?”
Massimo raises an eyebrow, waiting for her to elaborate.
“Someone who isn’t a Luciana,” Elena continues, her eyes darting to me, her expression intense. “Someone who’s… unknown to our rivals.”
I take a second. In fact, my mind darts around wondering who they might summon, but as I look at her, and all of them, a chill crawls up my spine when I see them all glaring at me.
Dio Mio, she’s talking about me! I blink, my stomach twisting with apprehension. “You… you mean me?”
Massimo’s gaze settles on me, assessing, calculating. He leans back in his chair, taking a slow drag of his cigar, his eyes never leaving mine. “You’re perfect for it,” he says, his voice low, deliberate.
“You’re not a Luciana, but you’re close enough to the family that you can be trusted. And since no one outside this family knows about your association with us, you can attend the auction without raising suspicion.”
An icy trickle of fear slides down my spine. Me, at the Ice Box, surrounded by strangers…rival families, all hungry for a piece of Luciana pride, all eager to tear the family down? I’ve never even been to the Ice Box before. It’s a shady club in the basement of a warehouse. Civilians like me have no business there. What if something goes wrong? What if they realize I’m a phony?
But there’s something else in Massimo’s gaze, something that tells me he won’t accept refusal… That I dare not object.
I nod, swallowing my fear. “Alright,” I say, my voice a whisper, but my resolve firm. “I’ll go.”
Massimo nods, his approval like a heavyweight settling on my shoulders. “Good..” There is a pause. We all stand looking at him, and his voice echoes again. “And, Isabella?”
I meet his gaze, my heart pounding.
“Be careful. You may not bear our name, but tonight, you carry our honor.”