Rescued by Darkness

Unmasking the Mole

Lorenzo's footsteps echoed down the stone corridors as he made his way to the security center. His face was a mask of cold fury, the icy determination that had carried him through the darkest of times now boiling beneath the surface. He couldn't afford to show weakness—especially not now, when his family's safety was at stake. His enemies had made their move, and they would pay for it with blood.

In the war room, Nico, Xander, Leo, Mason, and Cassio were already waiting. Rocco stood off to the side, his broad shoulders tense, his eyes dark. The mood was oppressive, thick with the kind of anticipation that only comes before a storm.

"We found him," Rocco said without preamble, his voice low but charged with the same restrained fury Lorenzo felt.

"Where?" Lorenzo asked, his voice dangerously calm.

"One of our warehouses. He tried to slip out in the chaos after the attack but didn't get far. Our men caught him trying to cross the border into France."

Lorenzo's jaw tightened. "Bring him in."

It didn't take long for the guards to drag the traitor into the room. The man was bloodied, his face swollen from the beating he had already received. His eyes darted around the room in a mix of terror and desperation, but they always came back to Lorenzo—begging, pleading.

Lorenzo stood still, towering over the man with an unforgiving gaze. The weight of his presence alone seemed to crush any hope the traitor might have had for mercy. He had betrayed the D'Angelo family, and now he was going to pay the price.

"Do you know what happens to rats in my family?" Lorenzo's voice was low, measured, each word dripping with menace.

The man shook his head frantically, his voice breaking as he tried to explain. "Please, I—I didn't have a choice! They threatened my family—"

Lorenzo's hand shot out, gripping the man by the throat and cutting off his excuses. "You had a choice. And you chose wrong."

The man's eyes bulged as he struggled to breathe, his hands clawing at Lorenzo's arm. But Lorenzo didn't let go. He held him there, forcing the traitor to stare into the cold, merciless eyes of the man he had betrayed.

Lorenzo released him, and the man fell to the floor, gasping for air. He coughed, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth as he tried to speak again.

"They—they said they'd kill my wife—my kids! I didn't want to do it!"

Rocco stepped forward, his face a mask of disgust. "That's the excuse every coward uses. You should've come to us. We would've protected your family. Instead, you sold out the D'Angelo name."

Lorenzo turned his back on the man, his hands clasped behind his back as he took a deep breath. The fury simmering inside him threatened to break free, but he kept it in check. He had to remain in control.

"We know you've been feeding information to the Russians for months," Xander said, his voice sharp, cold. "Every move we made, every shipment—it all led back to you."

"You're the reason they knew about Luciana," Nico growled, stepping closer. His fists were clenched at his sides, his muscles taut with barely restrained rage. "You put a target on her. You put my sister's life in danger."

Lorenzo's gaze flicked back to the man on the floor, his expression hardening further. "You're lucky Luciana is safe. If anything had happened to her, your death would've been far worse than what's coming."

The man sobbed now, realizing the gravity of his situation. "Please, don't kill me! I'll do anything—anything you want!"

Lorenzo's lips curled into a cruel smile, but there was no warmth in it. "Anything, huh? Tell me everything the Russians know. Every detail. And then... I'll consider your plea."It didn't take long for the traitor to spill everything he knew. Between sobs and gasps for air, he told them about the meetings, the money he'd received, and the information he'd passed on. It was more than enough.

When the man finished, Lorenzo gave a slight nod to Rocco, who stepped forward again. Without a word, Rocco grabbed the man by the collar and dragged him toward the back of the room, where a door led down to the basement—a place where people like this traitor were dealt with.

"You won't see the sun again," Rocco muttered as he hauled the man away.The door closed behind them, leaving Lorenzo and his sons in silence. The weight of what had just transpired hung heavy in the room. The mole had been found, but the threat was far from over.

"The Russians will be expecting results," Leo said, his voice grim. "Now that we know what they're after, they'll come at us harder."

"We'll be ready for them," Lorenzo replied, his voice steady but filled with a dark promise.

Mason and Cassio exchanged glances, their eyes reflecting the same determination. They would protect their family at any cost.

Lorenzo turned to face his sons, his gaze softening ever so slightly. "We're done with the rats. From now on, the circle tightens. No one outside this family gets close. Understood?"

They all nodded in agreement.

As the meeting dispersed, Lorenzo stayed behind for a moment longer, his thoughts returning to Luciana. He would do anything to protect her, to keep her safe in a world that was far from kind. No one would touch her. No one.

Before heading to bed, he made his way to the master suite, where Luciana slept peacefully in her crib. Alessia was already lying down, her eyes heavy with exhaustion from the long day. Lorenzo approached the crib, his heart swelling as he gazed at his daughter.

For a moment, the hardness in his eyes softened, and a rare smile touched his lips. She was his little girl—his princess.

But as soon as he turned away, the weight of the night returned. His face hardened once more, the rage simmering beneath the surface. The mole was gone, but the war with the Russians was far from over.

The only sound in the room was the quiet hum of the night as Lorenzo prepared for the battles ahead. There was no rest for a man in his position. And he wouldn't rest until every last threat to his family was eliminated.