Tangled Alliances

31

Matteo pushed the door open, his face set in that serious, unreadable expression that always made me feel like I was missing part of the story. He walked in with purpose, not even glancing at me before speaking.

"Stay here," he said firmly, his voice leaving no room for argument.

I immediately frowned, confusion and frustration swirling in my chest. "What? Why?" I leaned forward in the chair, trying to catch his eye. "What's going on?"

He let out a low sigh, his jaw tightening. "There are people coming," he said, as if that explained everything.

"People?" My confusion only grew, and the irritation inside me flared up. I hated being kept in the dark like this, especially by him.

But something in his tone, the way his shoulders were tense, told me this wasn't the time to push back.

I knew better than to argue with him right now.

Whatever was happening, it was serious, and Matteo wasn't just being controlling for the sake of it.

"I don't want you out there right now," he added, his voice softening just a little, as if he was trying to get me to understand without saying too much. "It's better if you stay here, okay?"

I crossed my arms, the frustration still simmering beneath my skin. "Fine," I muttered, even though I hated being sidelined like this.

But I wasn't about to make things harder, not when he was being this intense. "But what about Sabrina?"

She was still in the warehouse, and if there were people coming—whoever they were—she had to be in the middle of it all. I wasn't about to sit in this office, locked away, while Sabrina was out there. My stomach tightened at the thought.

Matteo glanced at me, just for a moment, before answering. "Julian's going to take her home. Quickly. She'll be fine."

I let out a slow breath, trying to process what he was saying. Julian would get her out of here. That was something, at least.

I didn't love the idea of just sitting here, doing nothing, but I had to trust him on this. He wouldn't keep Sabrina in harm's way.

"Okay," I said reluctantly, though my voice carried the weight of my doubts. "But you'll tell me what's going on later, right?"

His eyes lingered on me for a moment longer, something unreadable passing between us, before he nodded. "I will. Just... stay here for now."

As he turned to leave, I stayed seated, even though every instinct told me to follow him, to demand more answers. But I knew better than to fight him right now. Something serious was happening, and for now, I had to trust him—even if every part of me hated it.

I stepped out of my office, leaving Valentina behind with a vague reassurance that she'd be safe. The warehouse was unusually quiet, a stark contrast to the usual hum of activity.

I was about to head toward the loading docks when I spotted Marco and his crew near the crates.

"What the hell do you want?" I demanded, striding over with a growing sense of unease. Marco's smug expression only made things worse.

"Matteo, always a pleasure," Marco said, his tone dripping with insincerity. He was standing too close to the crates, his posture casual but his eyes were sharp. "I thought we'd have a little more time to discuss the details of our arrangement."

Before I could respond, Marco's grin widened, and he suddenly drew a gun from under his coat. "Time's up."

Gunshots rang out as Marco opened fire, the sound echoing through the warehouse. I dove behind a stack of crates, my heart racing as the sharp staccato of bullets filled the air.

Marco's crew quickly followed suit, their guns blazing, turning the warehouse into a chaotic battleground.

"Julian!" I shouted, spotting him near the entrance. He was already taking cover, his face a mask of grim determination.

Julian nodded, pulling out his weapon and returning fire. We were both pinned down, trying to keep Marco's crew from advancing further.

I could see Marco's figure darting between crates, his face lit up with a twisted kind of satisfaction as he orchestrated the mayhem.

I ducked and fired back, my mind racing. This wasn't just a botched deal—it was a full-blown ambush. I had to keep my cool, protect myself, and figure out how to turn the tables.

Julian and I moved strategically through the warehouse, covering each other as we engaged Marco's men.

The chaos was intense, with bullets ricocheting off metal crates and the shouts of combatants mixing with the sharp crack of gunfire.

"Watch your back!" Julian yelled, just as one of Marco's men tried to flank us. We took him out swiftly, but the constant barrage was taking its toll.

Marco, still at the center of the chaos, seemed to revel in the disorder he had created. I caught a glimpse of him, still firing and directing his crew. He was clearly enjoying the carnage, his earlier snark replaced by a dangerous glint in his eyes.

The firefight dragged on, the warehouse becoming a maze of overturned crates and scattered debris. Each moment was a blur of movement and noise as Julian and I fought to regain control.

Eventually, the attackers began to retreat, their numbers dwindling as they fell back through the doors they had burst in from. The gunfire began to fade, leaving a heavy silence in its wake.

Julian and I took a moment to catch our breath, surveying the damage. The warehouse was in ruins, the remnants of our confrontation scattered across the floor.

"Are you alright?" Julian asked, his voice tense as he checked for any remaining threats.

"Yeah," I replied, still trying to calm my racing heart. "We need to find out who was behind this and why."

With the immediate threat behind us, we began the task of securing the area and assessing the situation. The attack had been a brutal reminder of how quickly things could spiral out of control, and I knew I had to act fast to prevent further chaos.

AUTHORS NOTEEE
Are you guys surprised??
Matteo and Julian are badass tho ngl😭
Has Matteo forgotten Valentina was still in the office?
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