Veil of Vengeance

Chapter 17: Unspoken Tensions

Chapter 17: Unspoken Tensions

Isabella's POV

It had been hours since the meeting with Alessandro, and I still couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that had settled in the pit of my stomach. The way he looked at me, the tension in his voice—it was like something was bubbling just beneath the surface, ready to erupt at any moment.

I tried to lose myself in my work, but the words on the pages blurred together, my thoughts constantly drifting back to that café. Alessandro's protectiveness, his intensity—it was disarming. I wasn't used to seeing him like that, and it left me more confused than ever.

A sharp knock on my door pulled me out of my thoughts. "Come in," I called, hoping it was just another routine interruption.

But it wasn't. When the door opened, it wasn't Antonio's familiar, reassuring presence that greeted me. It was Alessandro, his tall frame filling the doorway, his expression unreadable.

"Alessandro," I said, unable to hide my surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"We need to talk," he said, stepping, and it sent a shiver down my spine.

"About what?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. My heart was already racing, a mixture of nerves and something else I couldn't quite identify.

Alessandro didn't sit, instead choosing to remain standing, towering over me. "About Antonio."

I blinked, not expecting that. "Antonio? What about him?"

His jaw tightened, and I could see the effort it took for him to remain calm. "He's getting too involved. Asking too many questions. It's becoming a problem."

I frowned, standing up to meet his gaze, not wanting to feel small in his presence. "He's my friend, Alessandro. He's just looking out for me. There's no harm in that."

"There is when it jeopardizes our work," Alessandro shot back, his eyes darkening. "This is dangerous, Isabella. The more he digs, the more likely he is to uncover something he shouldn't. And that puts both of us at risk."

I felt a flicker of anger. "So what, you want me to push him away? Just because it's inconvenient for you?"

"This isn't about convenience," he snapped, stepping closer. "This is about keeping you safe."

"Safe?" I echoed, my voice rising. "You mean under your control. That's what this is really about, isn't it? You can't stand the thought of someone else being close to me, someone who might actually care."

His eyes blazed with something I couldn't quite name—anger, frustration, maybe even jealousy. "You think this is about control?" he said, his voice dangerously low. "This is about survival, Isabella. Yours and mine. The people we're up against—they won't hesitate to use anyone against us. Even your precious Antonio."

I stared at him, my mind racing. There was a part of me that knew he was right, that the danger we were in was very real. But the way he was going about it, the possessiveness in his tone—it scared me.

"You can't just dictate who I can and can't trust," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "Antonio is my friend, and I won't just cut him out because you're worried."

Alessandro's expression hardened, but I could see the conflict in his eyes. "This isn't a game, Isabella. I'm trying to protect you."

"And I don't need protection," I shot back, my frustration boiling over. "I can handle myself, and I can handle Antonio. You don't get to decide how I live my life."