For You

6

Alyssa

The room was dimly lit and cramped, the air thick with the scent of dust and old wood. I could barely hear the commotion outside as Matteo listened intently at the door. My heart pounded in my chest, a mix of fear and anger. I wanted answers, but more than anything, I wanted out of this mess.

Matteo turned to me, his eyes hard and determined. "We need to move quickly. There's a back exit from this room that leads to an alley. Once we're out, we'll regroup and figure out our next steps."

I nodded, though my mind was racing. Who had set him up? And why was I dragged into this? But now wasn't the time for questions.

Matteo led the way, pushing aside crates and barrels to reveal a hidden door. We slipped through it and into a narrow, dark alley. The cool night air hit my face, a stark contrast to the stuffy room we had just left.

We moved quickly and quietly, putting as much distance between us and the bar as possible. When we finally stopped, I turned to Matteo, my anger bubbling to the surface.

"What the hell was that?" I demanded, my voice a harsh whisper. "You dragged me into this mess, and now we're on the run?"

Matteo met my glare with a calm, unwavering gaze. "I didn't plan for this to happen, Alyssa. But we need to stick together if we want to get out of this alive."

I crossed my arms, frustration boiling over. "And what's your brilliant plan now? Run and hide until they forget about us?"

He shook his head. "No. We need to get proactive. We're leaving tomorrow morning for a business trip. Somewhere far from here, where we can regroup and figure out our next steps."

I stared at him, my mouth dropping open in disbelief. "A business trip? Are you out of your mind? I have a company to run, and I'm not going anywhere with you!"

Matteo stepped closer, his voice low and intense. "Listen to me, Alyssa. This isn't just about us anymore. Whoever set this up is playing a bigger game, and we need to figure out who they are and what they want. We can't do that if we're sitting ducks here in the city."

I wanted to scream, to punch something. But deep down, I knew he was right. Staying here was too dangerous, and we needed to be strategic if we wanted to come out of this alive.

I took a deep breath, trying to rein in my frustration. "Fine. Where are we going?"

Matteo's lips curved into a slight smile, the first sign of relief I'd seen from him all night. "I have a safe house in the Bahamas. It's secluded and secure. We'll be able to think clearly and make a plan without looking over our shoulders every second."

I rolled my eyes but nodded. "This better be worth it, Torres. Because if it's not, I'll make sure you're the one paying the price."

He chuckled softly. "Fair enough. Get some rest tonight. We leave at dawn."

As I turned to leave, Matteo's hand caught mine. "Alyssa," he said, his voice softer now. "Thank you for trusting me, even if it's just a little."

I pulled my hand away, my heart pounding. "Don't make me regret it."

With that, I walked away, my mind spinning with the events of the night. Matteo Torres had dragged me into his world, and now there was no turning back. But one thing was certain: I wasn't going down without a fight. And if Matteo thought he could control me, he had another thing coming.

As soon as I parted ways with Matteo, I headed straight to my best friend Jess's apartment. Jess was the only person I trusted implicitly, and I needed to talk to her. I needed her to help me make sense of this madness.

Jess lived in a stylish loft in Brooklyn, a far cry from the chaos that had erupted in my life. As I knocked on her door, I hoped she'd be home. Thankfully, she opened the door almost immediately, a smile lighting up her face.

"Alyssa! What brings you here at this hour?" she asked, pulling me into a warm hug.

I hugged her back tightly, grateful for her presence. "Jess, I need to talk to you. It's urgent."

Her smile faded as she noticed the tension in my voice. She stepped aside, letting me in. "Of course. Come in. What's going on?"

We settled on her plush couch, and I took a deep breath, trying to collect my thoughts. Jess watched me with concern, waiting patiently.

"Jess, these past few days have been insane," I began. "I've been dealing with Matteo Torres, and things have taken a dangerous turn."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Matteo Torres? The mafia boss? What the hell are you doing getting involved with him?"

I shook my head. "It's a long story. It started with a business deal that turned into a power struggle. He made an offer, and I went to meet him to discuss it. But things went south fast. The cops stormed in, and it was clear it was a setup."

Jess gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. "Oh my God, Alyssa. Are you okay? What happened next?"

I recounted the events at the bar-the gunfire, our narrow escape, and the hidden room. Jess listened intently, her eyes wide with shock and concern.

"And now," I continued, "Matteo wants us to leave the city. He says we need to go on a 'business trip' to his safe house in the Bahamas to figure out who set him up and why."

Jess shook her head in disbelief. "This is crazy, Alyssa. How can you even think about going with him? He's dangerous!"

"I know," I admitted, my voice trembling. "But staying here is dangerous too. Whoever set this up is still out there, and they won't stop until they get what they want. Matteo and I need to figure this out together."

Jess looked at me, her eyes filled with worry. "Alyssa, are you sure about this? It sounds like you're stepping into even more danger."

I sighed, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on me. "I don't know if I'm sure about anything right now. But I do know that I can't let whoever did this win. I have to protect my company, and I have to protect Alex. And if that means working with Matteo, then so be it."

Jess reached out and took my hand, squeezing it gently. "Just promise me you'll be careful. And if things get too dangerous, you'll get out of there."

I nodded, grateful for her support. "I promise. I'll keep you updated as much as I can."

Jess pulled me into another hug, holding me tight. "You better. And if you need anything, anything at all, you call me. We'll figure this out together."

As I left Jess's apartment, I felt a renewed sense of determination. The next few days were going to be a challenge, but I wasn't alone. I had Jess's support, and, grudgingly, I had to admit that I had Matteo's help too. Together, we would unravel this mystery and take down whoever was trying to destroy us.

Tomorrow morning, the real journey would begin.