Veil of Vengeance

CH 25: Racing Shadows

The room felt like it had been plunged into ice. Alessandro's face darkened, his jaw tightening as the weight of the news settled between us.

"Gone?" I echoed, my voice barely above a whisper. Panic started to claw at my insides. "What do you mean she's gone?"

The man looked uneasy, clearly aware that delivering bad news to Alessandro was a dangerous game. "We were keeping an eye on her, just like you instructed, Boss. But she slipped away. One minute she was there, and the next... we lost her."

Alessandro's expression didn't change, but I could sense the storm brewing beneath his calm exterior. "How long ago?"

"Maybe half an hour," the man replied, his voice strained. "We've already started looking, but there's no trace of her."

I felt a wave of nausea crash over me. Claire was out there, alone, with whoever was after her. And it was my fault for dragging her into this mess.

Alessandro turned to me, his eyes hard with determination. "We'll find her."

There was a finality in his tone, a promise that he would do whatever it took to bring Claire back safely. But beneath that, I could feel his own frustration—his need for control being tested by a situation that was spiraling out of it.

"Where would she go?" Alessandro asked, his voice softer as he addressed me. "Is there anywhere she might have run to, somewhere she feels safe?"

I tried to think through the fog of panic clouding my mind. Claire wasn't the type to panic easily, but after everything that had happened, she must have been terrified. If she was trying to escape, where would she go?

"She might have tried to go back to her apartment," I said, though I wasn't entirely sure. "Or maybe she'd go to a friend's place... someone she trusts."

Alessandro nodded, already pulling out his phone to make calls. "I'll send my men to both places. We'll find her."

The next few minutes were a blur of activity. Alessandro issued orders with the efficiency of a man who was used to dealing with crises, his voice calm but firm. His men moved quickly, fanning out to search for Claire, while Alessandro and I stayed behind, waiting for any news.

The tension in the room was palpable. Every second that ticked by felt like an eternity. My mind raced with worst-case scenarios, each one more horrifying than the last.

Alessandro, sensing my distress, walked over and gently took my hand. His touch was a small comfort, a reminder that I wasn't facing this alone. "We'll find her, Isabella," he repeated, his voice steady.

I nodded, trying to hold on to that reassurance. But the fear in my chest refused to subside. "What if we're too late?" The words slipped out before I could stop them, my voice betraying the depth of my fear.

Alessandro squeezed my hand gently, his expression softening. "We won't be. I won't let that happen."

We waited in silence for what felt like hours, though it was likely only minutes. Alessandro never let go of my hand, his presence a steady anchor in the storm of my emotions.

Finally, his phone buzzed, breaking the silence. He glanced at the screen, his brow furrowing slightly before he answered.

"Yes?" he said, his tone clipped. He listened for a moment, his expression unreadable, and then he nodded. "Good. Keep her there. We're on our way."

He hung up and turned to me, a flicker of relief in his eyes. "They found her."

My heart leapt. "Is she okay?"