The city lights bled into streaks of white and amber as the car sped through the winding roads away from Florence. My heart thudded with a mix of triumph and dread. We had the files. The leverage. But that knowledge was a double-edged sword — powerful, dangerous, and liable to ignite everything around us.
Alonzo’s hand was warm in mine, steady and grounding, but I could see the storm in his eyes, reflecting the turmoil swirling inside me. He finally broke the silence.
“We’re not safe yet. De Luca’s going to come for us — harder and faster than before.”
I swallowed, nodding. “He has everything to lose. And we have everything to gain. But we need a plan — not just for survival, but to strike back.”
Alessia sat in the backseat, her fingers flying over her tablet, decrypting the mountain o
