Hearts Of Stone || Isa & Antonio

chapter 2: new york

Isabella
New York

Flashback:

That morning, I arrived at Clavier's house as soon as I got the information, my mind set on finishing the job quickly and quietly.

The aim? Get the chip to my father, but without the unnecessary information he absolutely had no clue about. Possible information about his daughter and the enemy kissing, cuddling and walking hand in hand.

Absolutely unnecessary for him and our family to know of.

The sooner I was out of sight, the better. The Clavier family was neck-deep in scandal, always, mainly because of their history with reporting, detective and some other legal bullshit.

The last thing I needed was for the bloodhounds of the press to catch wind of my presence. But, of course, those incessantly chirping reporters had nothing better to do than prowl the streets, hunting for their next big story, eager to sink their teeth into any whiff of gossip.

I moved fast, in and out. Grabbed the important stuff, deleted the not important ones. Well, deleted from the main chip, not forever. The rest of that chip, it was going to be mine.

It was supposed to be simple, a routine task. That was until I stepped outside.

And there, leaning casually against his black sports car, was Antonio Montegna.

Oh god.

A cold wave of shock surged through me, paralyzing me for a brief second. My mouth tightened into a hard line, and I muttered a curse under my breath.

Antonio. Always in the worst possible place at the worst possible time.

His dark hair was tousled, beautifully so by the morning breeze, and that infuriating smirk—so arrogant, so sure of himself—was already plastered across his face. It was a look I knew all too well.

A look I adored way too much.

Antonio and I had a complicated history, one that stretched back long before we even learned about the deep-seated feud between our families.

Yet, even now, after knowing everything, it felt like we were always tensed, waiting for something to happen between the two of us. Perhaps out of hatred, or perhaps something else entirely.

I swallowed my frustration and ignored him, attempting to stride past as if he were nothing more than a ghost. Invisible. Inexistent.

Like he was supposed to be.

But Antonio was never one to let things slide. Before I could get far, his hand shot out and caught my arm. The brief touch sent a current up my spine and my had shot up to meet his already darkened gaze.

His grip wasn't harsh, but the unwelcomed jolt through my body had electrified my nerves.

"What are you up to, Bella?" he asked, his voice low, teasing. Bella. I hated that name with a passion after him."You don't just waltz into the city for a casual stroll. Something's brewing, and I want to know what it is."

I pulled my arm free and met his gaze. "You're in no position to demand answers, Antonio. This doesn't concern you."

His eyes darkened, but that irritating smirk only widened. "Everything concerning you concerns me, Bella. You know that."

Not these words again. Those, twisted two sided words of his. I knew well, he meant more than just the literal meaning. His smirk told me so.

I turned away, willing myself not to be drawn into his little game. Not today. Not when the stakes were so high, and I couldn't afford a single misstep. "I don't have time for this. Stay out of my way, Antonio."