25

Vincent

I sat still, the sound of Jennifer ’s footsteps growing faint as she ascended the stairs. I watched her leave the kitchen, her form graceful but hesitant, the faint blush coloring her cheeks. For a moment, I let her thoughts linger on my offer, leaving her to wrestle with whatever emotions were stirring inside her.

I needed to focus, though. There were matters at hand that couldn’t wait. I made my way to my office, settling behind my desk, scanning the multiple screens that displayed real-time footage of my home. The events of the past few days had left me restless, and the breach of my security system only added to the weight on my shoulders. Whoever had managed to slip through the cracks knew far too much, and I needed answers.

My attention narrowed on one screen. A brief, blurry image of the intruder’s face appeared for a fraction of a second. Leonel had worked tirelessly on the footage, and the enhancements he’d made since last night were impressive. I zoomed in, hoping to catch something that might offer a clue to their identity.

Replaying the footage, I saw how the figure moved with deliberate precision, avoiding the cameras with the kind of ease that suggested a level of familiarity with my security system. Whoever they were, they were methodical. Almost too good at what they did.

Frustration gnawed at me, but I pushed it aside. There was more work to be done. With a sigh, I glanced at another feed, one that caught the movement upstairs. Jennifer .

She moved through the hallway, pacing from room to room. Bella’s room. Then, the bathroom. I could see her trying to keep herself occupied, but there was something about the way she held herself, her movements tentative and restless, that told me her mind was elsewhere.

The longer I watched, the more I could sense the unease in her—her struggle with whatever it was she was feeling. There was a tension that hadn’t been there before, an unspoken anticipation building between us.

She hesitated outside my room before retreating back into Bella’s. I could practically hear her thoughts racing, her confusion, her curiosity.

And then she stopped. Her eyes darted around, almost as though she was waiting for me to appear, to guide her to the inevitable conclusion of the night. There was something undeniable between us. Something that couldn’t be ignored, no matter how much she tried.

I leaned back in my chair, my gaze fixed on the screen. I wanted her to come to me on her own terms. To learn what it meant to belong to me. But I wouldn’t hesitate if she didn’t. The desire was there, burning low in my chest. She was mine, and that would become clear to her sooner rather than later.

A buzz from my phone pulled me from my thoughts. Leonel . I answered quickly, my focus shifting.

“Any updates?”

“I’ve got something,” Leonel replied, his voice clipped. “The intruder’s face is clearer. I think we’ve got a lead.”

I sat back in my chair, letting the quiet hum of the house fill the space around me. Jennifer had left the kitchen, her face flushed with a mix of hesitation and curiosity. I allowed her some time to think about my offer, but my mind was elsewhere. The security breach weighed heavily on me, and I needed to focus on what had happened and why.

With a sigh, I walked to my office, closed the door behind me, and sat down. The multiple screens in front of me displayed various security feeds from the house, each one offering a potential clue. I needed answers, especially after the intrusion. Whoever had breached my system knew far too much. They were careful, too precise, and I couldn’t afford to let my guard down.

On one of the screens, I saw a blurry image of the intruder. Leonel had enhanced the footage, and I zoomed in on a few frames where the figure’s face was momentarily visible. The movements were calculated, and the person seemed to know exactly how to avoid detection. It wasn’t random. This was someone skilled.

I clicked through the frames, hoping for something more concrete, but all I had was a shadow. It frustrated me. It didn’t make sense. If someone had sent this person after me, why not finish the job?

Leonel ’s voice came through the speaker, bringing me back to the moment.

“Boss, I’ve got some intel. This guy’s a hitman, Luca Moretti, also known as the Phantom. He’s worked with your old boss, Carlo Rico .”

The mention of Rico sent a chill down my spine. Rico was a name I hadn’t thought about in years, but the fear he instilled in me never truly left. He had been my boss once, a figurehead for the mafia family I’d once been a part of. But after Maria’s death, I cut ties with him. Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Rico ’s influence still loomed over me.

I ran a hand over my face, thinking about the past. Rico ’s actions had always been reckless, his thirst for power unquenchable. I had tried to advise caution in the past, but his pride had always gotten in the way. That led to mistakes—dangerous ones.

“Why would Rico send a hitman just to spy on me?” I asked, frustration in my voice.

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out,” Leonel replied. “He’s too professional. If Rico wanted you dead, he wouldn’t send someone just to snoop around. This guy has a purpose, we just need to figure out what it is.”

I thought for a moment. “Can you enhance the footage more? Maybe we missed something?”

“I’ve already pushed it as far as I can,” Leonel said. “But we’ve got a clear image now. The problem is, this guy’s a ghost. There’s no official record of him. His name is known in the underworld, but that’s about it.”

I clenched my jaw. “So what’s the next step?”

Leonel paused. “I’m digging deeper. I have some contacts who might know more about Rico ’s current operations. If this guy is still working for him, someone’s bound to have information.”

I nodded, knowing that we couldn’t afford to wait. “Keep me posted.”

“Stay safe, Vincent . This could get ugly fast,” Leonel warned before hanging up.

I leaned back in my chair, my thoughts racing. The more I thought about Rico , the more I realized that he wouldn’t stop until he had what he wanted. The way he operated, the way he thought—he would come after me, no matter what.

But it wasn’t just Rico I was worried about anymore. It was Bella and Jennifer . They were my responsibility now. I couldn’t let anything happen to them.

I stood up and walked out of my office, trying to shake off the weight of the conversation. As I made my way upstairs, I caught a glimpse of Jennifer . She seemed lost in thought, but there was something more—something unreadable in her expression. She was going to need to trust me if we were going to make it out of this in one piece.

I stopped in the doorway, leaning against the frame as my gaze locked onto her. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, her presence both calm and captivating.

“I was hoping I’d find you here, waiting for me,” I said softly, my voice betraying a hint of admiration.