Chapter 23 A Warning in Blood

The warehouse on the outskirts of the city smelled of iron and fear.

Rafael stepped inside, his presence a storm waiting to break.

Matteo stood near the center, his expression tight.

"We caught two of them, boss," he said, nodding toward the men kneeling before them, their hands tied behind their backs, their faces bruised and bloody.

Rafael’s gaze swept over them, his fury ice-cold.

One of them had the nerve to lift his head.

"You think you scare us, DeLuca?" the man spat, blood dripping from his mouth.

Rafael didn’t react.

He didn’t need to.

Instead, he took a step forward, his movements slow, deliberate.

Then—without warning—he struck.

His fist collided with the man’s jaw, sending him sprawling onto the concrete floor with a sickening crack.

A strained groan escaped the man’s lips as he struggled to push himself up.

Rafael crouched beside him, gripping his hair and yanking his head back.

"You made a mistake," Rafael murmured, his voice eerily calm.

The man coughed, blood staining his lips. "And what mistake is that?"

Rafael’s lips curled into a cruel smirk.

"You breathed Sophia’s name."

The man’s body tensed.

Rafael leaned in, his grip tightening.

"You think you can threaten what’s mine and walk away?" he whispered.

The man’s eyes widened.

That was the last thing he saw before Rafael pulled out his gun and pressed the barrel to his forehead.

A beat of silence.

Then—

Bang.

Blood splattered across the cold concrete.

The second man flinched, his breathing ragged.

Rafael slowly turned his attention to him.

"You," he said, his voice still infuriatingly calm. "You’re going to deliver a message."

The man swallowed hard. "Wh-what message?"

Rafael smiled.

A smile that promised hell itself.

"Tell your boss that if he ever so much as thinks about her again, I will burn his empire to the ground."

He tilted his head, considering.

"Actually," he mused, "tell him that I’ll start with his family."

The man paled.

Matteo stepped forward, yanking him to his feet.

"You heard the boss," Matteo muttered, shoving him toward the exit. "Run while you still can."

The man stumbled away, disappearing into the night.

Matteo exhaled, turning to Rafael.

"That was a bold move."

Rafael slid his gun back into his holster, his expression unreadable.

"They made it personal," he said simply. "Now, so will I."

Sophia’s Breaking Point

Back at the penthouse, Sophia was pacing.

She had done exactly what Rafael told her to do—stay put.

But it was driving her insane.

She hated this.

Hated feeling like she was trapped in a world she barely understood.

And most of all—

She hated how much she missed him.

The sound of the front door unlocking snapped her out of her thoughts.

Her heart lurched as Rafael stepped inside, his presence demanding the moment he entered.

Sophia didn’t even hesitate.

"You don’t get to shut me out," she snapped.

Rafael’s gaze met hers, sharp and assessing.

"Sophia—"

"No," she interrupted, her voice trembling with frustration. "You left me here like I’m some prized possession you can lock away. You don’t get to do that, Rafael."

Something flickered in his eyes.

A dark amusement.

And something else—something dangerous.

"You think I’m protecting you because I see you as an object?" he murmured, stepping closer.

Sophia didn’t back down.

"I think you’re trying to control me," she bit out. "And I won’t let you."

Rafael’s lips curled.

"You think you have a choice, piccola?"

Her breath caught.

Rafael lifted his hand, brushing his fingers down her arm, leaving a trail of heat in their wake.

"You’re already mine," he murmured, tilting her chin up. "Every part of you."

Sophia shivered.

Because deep down, she knew he was right.

And the scariest part?

She didn’t want to escape.