CHAPTER 2: THE ENCOUNTER

As the SUVs' doors crashed and the men moved forward brandishing their weapons, the alley became more tense. Sienna's breath caught as her heart thumped in her chest.

Enzo remained motionless, his hand still in his jacket, his fingers grazing his gun's handle. Like a king, he stood tall and calm, guarding his realm. From the crowd, a guy moved forward, his heavy footfall echoing off the walls of the alleyway.

When Sienna saw the shadow, her blood froze. Her dad. He shouted, "Sienna," in a fake, worried-sounding tone. "Come here now."

Sienna stopped. Her feet would not move, even though every instinct told her to run. Her father looked at Enzo and squinted his eyes in disdain.

"Falcone," he hissed. "You have no business dealing with this."

Enzo's lips curled into a sardonic grin. "De Luca, everything in this city is my business."

Sienna's father, Alessandro De Luca, appeared to be a strong man in his own right. Despite his seeming strength, he was a corrupt politician who was involved in a number of dubious activities in the city.

For years, Sienna was aware of a vulnerability that kept him up at night. And Enzo, apparently, knew too.

"You don't want to get involved in this," Alessandro said harshly. “This is a family matter. The girl comes with me."

Instinctively, Sienna stepped closer to Enzo. She didn't notice her father's eyes narrowing at the little movement.

Enzo never took his eyes off Alessandro. "She won't go anywhere with you. If she’s running away from you, there must be a good reason."

Alessandro's face contorted with anger. "You believe you can just grab her? She is my daughter."

As he continued, Enzo said softly, "I think you should watch your tone." The alley was boiling with tension, and the armed men stared from Alessandro to Enzo with trepidation.

"She's still my daughter," Alessandro muttered, his expression growing gloomy. "Falcone, you don't know what you're getting into."

Enzo's smile widened as he raised an eyebrow. "That's where you're mistaken, De Luca. I am fully aware of the situation." Now his voice was low and menacing. "Need I remind you of your debt?"

Alessandro's fingers twitched at his side as he froze. "That has nothing to do with this situation."

Sienna gasped in surprise. Debt? She was unaware of that. Her father always seemed to be in charge and all.

With a sardonic tone, Enzo took another step forward. "Try not to be foolish. For months now, you have been hiding behind your daughter and depending on her to keep you afloat. It's pathetic."

Sienna felt the blood drain from her face as the impact of Enzo's words set in. Taking advantage of her, her father?

"I don't know what you're talking about," Alessandro snarled, his eyes flickering. Fear?

Ignoring him, Enzo cocked his head slightly toward Sienna. "Has he ever explained to you why he is keeping you on a tight leash?"

Sienna stared at him, her head spinning. "No."

“He is indebted to me, Piccola. A huge sum of money. And when he couldn't pay, he gave me another offer.” Enzo's eyes darkened as he looked back at Alessandro. "You."

Her stomach growled. "What?"

Alessandro hissed, his eyes darting to his soldiers.

They were shifting uncomfortably now, clearly unsure of their next move. "This isn't your issue, Falcone. The girl is going with me.”

Enzo's smile disappeared, and his face froze. "No, she’s not."

Alessandro reached out and gestured toward Sienna. "She's my daughter! You have no right to—”

"Your daughter?" Enzo interrupted, his voice sharp and cold. "You have been putting your own safety ahead of her future. This has made me her owner.” He leaned forward, and his voice faded to a lethal whisper. "As soon as you offered her to me, you forfeited your claim to her."

Sienna's heart pounded in her chest as she stared at her father's face. He made an attempt to conceal it. But he did not dispute any of it.

Alessandro's features twisted into a sour grimace. "Do you think you are untouchable, Falcone? That you are allowed to take anything you want?" His anger exploded in his voice. "You do not own this city. It is controlled by men like myself!"

Enzo laughed sardonically for a moment. "Men like you? Corrupt politicians who hide behind their children to avoid the consequences of their own actions?"

Sienna's father stepped forward with a hiss. Enzo simply checkmate him without blinking, "You're done, De Luca. You have obligations. And I believe it's time for you to pay."

Desperate and crafty, Alessandro's gaze darted between Enzo and his soldiers. "You can't just—"

Enzo interrupted, his voice thickening and growing colder. "I can," was his response. "And I will."

There was a long, tense silence broken by the sound of faraway traffic. Under Sienna, the ground appeared to be crumbling, as though she were standing on a precipice.

As Alessandro made up his mind, his expression shifted and his eyes narrowed. "All right." He stepped back, his palms lifted slightly in a mocking sign of surrender. "All right. You win this time, Falcone.”

But there was something about his voice that made Sienna feel nauseous.

Enzo's inquisitive eyes flickered, but he did not move. "Go away."

Turning on his heel, Alessandro signaled his soldiers to follow him. They hesitated for a time, obviously unsure whether to run away or stay and fight.

Once more, Enzo shouted, "I said go," in a voice so commanding that no one could argue.

The men gazed at one another and then retreated to their SUVs. As he reached his car's door, her father turned back to him, his face twisted with rage and something deeper. "This isn't over," said Alessandro in a low, ominous voice. "Not by any means."

Enzo didn't flinch. "When I say it's over, it is."

Alessandro climbed into the SUV and closed the door. In a matter of seconds, the car procession disappeared into the night, tires screeching.

The alley fell into an eerie silence, leaving Sienna and Enzo alone in the dim light. Sienna stumbled back against the brick wall as her knees buckled under the weight of her racing thoughts.

Her father exploited her as a bargaining chip. She had always thought he was corrupt, but this? She didn't think he would go this far.

Enzo looked to her, but his countenance was unreadable. "Now you get it," he said softly.

She looked up at him, and her voice wavered. "Why... why did you not let him take me?"

"Because you now belong to me," He said with a firm and commanding tone.

The sudden ringing of his phone shattered the tension before Sienna could comprehend what he had said. Enzo pulled the phone from his pocket, and his eyes narrowed.

His voice was harsh when he replied, murmuring, "Now's not a good time."

But whatever was said on the other end caused his expression to shift, and his cold mask started to loosen. After giving Sienna a quick glance, he whispered, "We have a problem," and hung up.

A knot formed in Sienna's tummy. "What sort of problem is it?" Enzo's eyes darkened, and he stepped slowly toward her. "Your dad just made a deal with someone worse than the devil."