He's Mine - How to 'illegally' tell people HE's MINE in 99 ways

Chapter 5

"Control is another word for power."

~~~

"But why only her? Why not me?" Matteo asks, his voice tinged with frustration.

"Because, as good as you are, Maia is the one out there, in the field. She's the threat they see," Isabella explains. "She's known to the world; you strategize and plan, but she's the one they fear."

Valentina tries to lighten the mood. "Wow, Boss! Your boyfriend's father wants to kill you. It's like a tragic version of Romeo and Juliet."

"Yeah, but Juliet didn't know how to throw knives and shoot bullets," Sofia adds with a smirk.

"Be serious, girls!" Elena scolds, though a small smile tugs at her lips.

"It's good you can laugh about your boss dying," Matteo chuckles, though there's an edge of concern in his voice.

"She won't die," Sofia says with certainty. "We've been trained to be the best at what we do. And we owe that to her. If Darius wants her, he'll have to go through us first."

"Thanks, Sof, but we can't be complacent," I interject, bringing the focus back. "No matter how strong we are, the mafia isn't to be underestimated. We need to stay alert. Chiara, work with Marco, Luca, and Elena. Identify people and find new leads through your networks. And remember, you're all assets. Protect yourselves first."

"Yes, Boss!" they reply in unison.

"Good. Matteo and I are heading to the Xavier Mansion for a party. You know what to do. Now, scram." I wave them off, and Matteo and I leave the penthouse.

As we enter the elevator, the tension between us is palpable. Matteo breaks the silence. "How are you?" he asks softly.

"Terrified," I whisper, my voice barely audible. I look at him, and for the first time, I see fear mirrored in his eyes. "If Jared hadn't been there, I wouldn't have made it out alive that night, Nerd," I confess, the memory still raw.

"Do you think Dad knew who was given the order to...kill you?" he asks, his voice shaky.

I shake my head. "No. If he had, he wouldn't have welcomed Darius with open arms. He was in the dark, just like us."

We walk out of the elevator and head to my car, the weight of the conversation hanging between us. We sit quietly as I drive towards Raze's party. Matteo muses, "I still can't believe you started recruiting them when we were 16."

"I wanted to tell you," I admit, glancing at him. "But if you'd known, protecting you would have been a million times harder."

Matteo looks at me in shock. "What? You think because you're out there and I'm behind the scenes, you're the only one in danger? No one in our family is safe." I laugh.

"You're right," he replies with a wry grin. "I guess you're true to your name, Hellion."

Despite the lighter mood, the fear of Darius still lingers. He's one of the best hitmen, and the fact that I walked away from his attempt on my life must infuriate him. I can't afford to let my guard down, not for a second. A lot is on the line.

"Hey! You came!!" Raze beams, his smile wide as he welcomes us. The party is in full swing, the music pounding through the room.

"I'm impressed, Raze," I reply, giving him a nod of approval as Matteo pulls him into a side hug. We step inside, and my eyes scan the room, taking in the scene. Sofia is in the corner with a group of classic jocks and their girls. Valentina and Luca are lost in the crowd, dancing. Davide and Alessandro are locked in a competitive game of beer pong. Elena and Giovanni are chatting with a boy from my class. Seven out of twelve are on the field. Good.