What We Left in the Dark

Twenty Two

The car moved through the city like a sleek predator, slipping in and out of traffic with an almost eerie smoothness. I watched the buildings blur past, the familiar sights of New York taking on an ominous cast under the weight of Giancarlo's words. There was a tension in the air, thick and heavy, pressing down on me as I waited for him to speak again.

I could feel his eyes on me, assessing, calculating. Giancarlo had always been intense, but now there was a hardness to him, a layer of danger that hadn't been there before. The years had changed him, sharpening the edges of his personality into something razor-sharp and unforgiving.

Finally, I couldn't take the silence any longer. I turned to face him, my nerves frayed, my voice unsteady as I asked, "What do you mean by 'things I need to know'? Why now?"

Giancarlo's eyes locked onto mine, dark and impenetrable. He seemed to weigh his words carefully before he spoke, his voice low and deliberate. "Because you're involved now, Cat, whether you like it or not. You stepped into a world you don't understand, and it's my responsibility to make sure you know exactly what that means."

I felt a shiver run down my spine at the cold certainty in his tone. This wasn't just about the past, about the unresolved tension between us—this was something bigger, something more dangerous.

"What world are you talking about?" I pressed, needing answers even as a part of me feared what those answers would be.

Giancarlo's gaze didn't waver. "The Ricci family isn't what you think it is. We're not just wealthy businessmen, Cat. We're part of something much older, much darker, and far more powerful."

My breath caught in my throat. I had always suspected there was more to the Riccis than met the eye, but hearing it confirmed in such stark terms made the reality hit me like a punch to the gut. "What are you saying, Giancarlo?"

"I'm saying," he continued, his voice steady, "that Luca and I aren't just brothers running a business. We're heirs to an empire that's been built on secrets, on deals made in the shadows. Our family has been involved in... operations that most people can't even imagine. And now, because of your involvement with Luca—and because of who you are—you're in it too."

The weight of his words settled over me like a suffocating blanket. I had always known the Ricci family was powerful, but this was something else entirely. This was dangerous, and I had walked right into the middle of it without even realizing.

"What does that have to do with me?" I asked, my voice trembling despite my efforts to stay calm. "I'm not part of your world, Giancarlo. I'm just an attorney. I didn't ask for any of this."

"No, you didn't," he conceded, a hint of something almost like regret flickering in his eyes. "But the moment you got involved with Luca, you became a part of it. And now that you're here, there are people who will see you as either an asset... or a liability."

My stomach churned at the implication. "A liability? Are you threatening me?"

Giancarlo's expression softened, but only slightly. "I'm not threatening you, Cat. I'm warning you. The people we deal with, the people who know about you—they don't care about your intentions. They care about results. And if they think you're a threat to those results, they won't hesitate to remove you."

I felt a wave of nausea wash over me. This was more than I had ever bargained for. The Ricci family wasn't just a powerful force—they were part of a world that was far darker and more dangerous than I had ever imagined. And now, I was entangled in it, with no clear way out.

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked, desperation creeping into my voice. "If I'm such a risk, why not just cut me loose?"

Giancarlo's jaw tightened, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his face. "Because despite everything, I don't want to see you hurt. I don't want to see you caught up in something you can't handle. But that means you need to understand the stakes. You need to be careful."

I stared at him, trying to process everything he was saying. There was a protectiveness in his tone, a hint of the man I had once known, but it was buried beneath layers of calculation and control. The Giancarlo sitting beside me was not the same person who had once held me close and promised me the world.

"What do you expect me to do?" I asked, feeling helpless and cornered. "I can't just walk away from this."

"No, you can't," he agreed. "But you can be smart. You can keep your head down, do what's expected of you, and stay out of the way. That's the best way to protect yourself."

"And what about Luca?" I pressed. "Does he know about this? About you being here tonight?"

Giancarlo's eyes darkened, and his lips curled into a cold smile. "Luca knows exactly who I am and what I'm capable of. But what happens between us is none of his business."

The finality in his tone sent a chill through me. Giancarlo was making it clear that he was in control, that whatever happened next was on his terms. And I was left to navigate the dangerous waters he had just plunged me into.

As the car continued to glide through the city streets, I felt the walls closing in around me. The truth was out now, and there was no turning back. Giancarlo had made sure of that.

And as much as I wanted to escape, I knew that the only way out was to play the game by his rules.