Hearts Of Stone || Isa & Antonio

chapter 3: blackmail

Isabella
Blackmail

There was almost no traffic at this time of the night, yet here I was navigating through yet another maze of complicated streets.

The headlights and neon signs reflected off the puddles left by the evening rain, and I could still taste the humidity clinging to the air.

Antonio's GPS directions had, as usual, been a complete mess, forcing me to take more detours than I'd care to count. I gripped the steering wheel a little tighter, the frustration simmering just below the surface. This meeting had better be worth it.

Antonio always played games, and this time I wasn't in the mood. He'd been holding those damn pictures over my head like some kind of twisted insurance policy. Tonight, I planned to end it, one way or another. If he tried anything-just one wrong move-I swore I'd put a bullet in him. No more threats. No more jokes.

As I pulled up to the so-called meeting point, a chill crept down my spine, and not because of the night air. There he was-Antonio Montegna, lounging against his sports car, looking every bit the smug bastard I remembered.

A self-assured smirk curled on his lips, as if the world spun on his whim. But there was something else-a figure knelt beside him on the cold asphalt, wrists bound and head covered with a dark cloth, motionless. Was the man unconscious? Or dead?

I slammed my car door shut, my boots clicking against the gravel as I approached. "Who's this, Antonio?" I demanded. I hated surprises, and this felt like a particularly unpleasant one.

Antonio's grin deepened, the smile that would've been charming on anyone else now grating. "Surprise! Thought we could use some company for our little chat tonight." He gave the man a careless shove with his foot, sending him slumping to the side like dead weight.

I folded my arms, the knot in my stomach tightening. "And who exactly is he?"

Antonio crouched beside the figure and ripped the cloth away with excitement, revealing the intruder's bruised face. "Marco," Antonio said with mock cheer. "Remember him? The one sneaking around this morning?"

I inhaled sharply. So this was the bastard who'd slipped through our defenses earlier.

Antonio stood, brushing his hands off casually as if he'd just taken out the trash. "I thought you'd like to get to know him better. Seems Marco has some valuable information-things that might interest..both of us."

I narrowed my eyes, my patience wearing thin. "If you've already dragged me out here, just get to the point. What do you want?"

Antonio circled Marco like a predator toying with its prey, his gaze flickering between me and the bound man. "I spent a bit of time... convincing him to talk," he said, savoring each word. "And let's just say he had quite a lot to say."

I rolled my eyes, exasperated. "Antonio, enough with the theatrics. If you've got something, spill it."

He leaned back against the hood of his car, "Patience, Bella. You're going to love this part." He tapped his temple, as if retrieving the information from some mental vault. "Apparently, Marco here was looking for a chip. Ring any bells?"

My heart skipped a beat. The air between us suddenly felt heavier, thick. I masked my reaction with a casual shrug. "A chip? Seriously? That's the best you've got? You dragged me here for this?"

Antonio's grin widened. He could see right through me, the bastard. "Oh, come on, baby. Don't play dumb with me. We both know there's more to this than you're letting on."

I shot a glance at Marco, whose face was swollen and bloodied. How the hell does he know about the chip? I kept my expression neutral, feigning indifference, but my mind raced.