Hidden in the Ashes (Book 1 of The Rossi Legacy series)

Preface

Iris stared into the mirror. Her makeup streaked down her face stark against her porcelain skin, blood smeared across her collar from somewhere tangled in her wavy brunette hair. A bruise was already blooming from her left jaw to her cheekbone. "This is enough," she thought, her reflection staring back, defeated. "I can't keep taking his shit."

There was no easy way out of this, she knew. But this time, there was no chance she could cover her injuries. With steady hands, she picked up her phone and quickly dialed.

"Lena, it's time." The words were clipped, decisive, before she hung up.

Iris rushed to the bedroom, yanking a small bag from behind the wardrobe, not bothering to be quiet—Matteo was too drunk to stir. She spared a glance at him, sprawled across the bed. God, he was handsome—devastatingly so—but the monster beneath his red hair, splayed over his forehead, was who she really saw. His fingers still loosely gripped a shattered wine bottle, shards of glass scattered across the floor. Without a second thought, she left a note on the nightstand, grabbed her heels, pulled her hood up, and slipped out.

Getting past Matteo's bodyguards was simple. They never cared where she went. She was trusted in their world—a fixer, the one who yanked Matteo's ass out of the fires that he'd carelessly set. She was smart, calculated, and maybe that was why she fit in so well in this life, even though she never wanted any of it.

The Rossi mansion buzzed with life, music pulsing as the family celebrated another high-profile deal. A dangerous one, of course. Matteo had nearly ruined that too, and it was Iris who stepped in to clean up the mess. And as always, she paid the price.

At the edge of the garden, Iris found the hidden exit Matteo's family used to smuggle things unseen, and she slipped through into the night.

"Lena?" she called in a whisper.

"Over here!" came the hushed reply.

Lena stepped out from the shadows of a lamppost, her long black hair gleaming like midnight silk. "Get your ass over here, kid!" she barked.

Iris darted across the street, Lena already motioning her towards a black Volvo.

"The safe house isn't far," Lena said, hurried. "Still in town, but out of sight for a few weeks at least." They sped off, winding down unfamiliar roads until they reached a tiny, unassuming cabin.

"Where the hell did you find this place?" Iris asked, suspicion creeping into her voice.

"Remember that pathetic wannabe gang we took down a few years ago? This was their operation hub—totally off the books, can't even see it on satellite." Lena grinned as they approached the door.

Inside, Lena wasted no time grabbing a first-aid kit, her tone sharper than usual. "What happened this time?"

Iris sighed, exhaustion heavy in her voice. "The Rossi's signed a deal with the Castellan family. Matteo got drunk, high on Castellan product, and started shit. I stepped in—again—smoothed things over, but he... lost it."

Lena paused, shaking her head as she disinfected Iris' cuts. "He took it out on you, didn't he?"

Iris laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Wine bottle. My face."

"God, Iris, it's not funny." Lena's voice cracked. "That bastard's going to get what's coming to him—"

"In time," Iris interrupted, eyes hardened. "For now, I just need to disappear. Find a place he'd never look." She winced as Lena stitched her scalp.

"Do you really think you can get away?" Lena's voice softened. "You know what they do to rats."

Iris smirked, reaching into her bag. "If I play my cards right, the Rossi's will never know it was me." She pulled out a small, black notebook. "I've written down every inside contact I could. Besides, if Matteo so much as breathes a word, he'll sink us both. He always did tell me a bit too much."

Lena's lips curled into a grim smile. "You always have a plan." Her voice lowered. "But Matteo's going to tear this town apart looking for you. He won't just let you leave."

Lena finished her work, packing away the medical supplies. "Get some rest. I'll be back tomorrow with food and I'll see what sublets I can find. You need to lay low for a while."

Iris nodded, her eyes heavy with exhaustion. "Lena... thank you. For everything."

Lena shot her a wink. "Anytime, kid." She slipped out the door, the sound of gravel crunching under tires as she drove away.

...

In the Rossi mansion, Matteo woke to someone yanking him from his sleep.

"What the fuck, Enzo?!" he growled, still groggy, as his cousin hauled him out of bed.

Enzo's face twisted in anger. "You nearly cost us everything last night. Do you ever think?"

"Now now," a voice came from the door "Put the boy down, Enzo. Matteo's had a rough night." Luca stepped into the room, all calm, controlled authority. His golden hair was neatly styled, a stark contrast to Matteo's disheveled appearance. The sweet smell of his cologne filled the room instantly.

Enzo reluctantly released Matteo, but his fury didn't subside. 

"Can't a drunk man sleep?" Matteo some how managed to choke out angrily. He noticed a streak of light shining in from the window and began to rub his temples in pain, clearly hungover from the night before.

"Oh Matteo." Luca said melodically as he strode across the room. "What are we going to do with you? You're lucky Iris saved your sorry ass again." he said smoothly. His words, though soft, hit hard.

At the mention of Iris, Matteo's stomach sank. "Where is that bitch?" his voice darkened.

Luca shrugged unbothered, "We thought she'd be in here with you cousin. Don't you usually have her on a tight leash?"

A knot of anger twisted in Matteo's gut as he scanned the room, memories of the night before flooding back—the bottle, the blood.

"Matteo." Enzo's voice broke through his thoughts, pointing to the note on the nightstand. Luca chucked slightly "Guess you need to attend to your bitch." he said mockingly as he made his way out of the door, Enzo following behind still fuming as the door slammed behind them.

Matteo grabbed the note, his hands trembling with rage as he read it. His face twisted into a dark grin.

"You can't run far, Iris," he muttered, a sinister promise lingering in his voice.

...

Several weeks later, Iris still found herself on the run. Every lead on a new safe house had been compromised by Matteo's network. She sat at the cabin's rickety table, staring down at an ad Lena had left.

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ROOMMATE WANTED - SUBLET

2 bedroom apartment in The Ashford Apartment Building

Your share of Rent: $400 a month

Call the complex and ask for Adonis Cain if interested
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Adonis Cain. The universe really was cruel.