Billion dollar adventure: Meeting Mr arrogant

Chapter 24: The Calm Before the Storm

The silence in the safe house was almost unsettling, a sharp contrast to the chaos that had just unfolded. Lucy’s heart was still racing as she sat beside Ryder in a dimly lit corner of the room. Despite the exhaustion hanging over them, Ryder’s team was already resetting, their focus shifting to securing the building and preparing for the next move. Lucy could feel the weight of it all pressing down on her—the danger, the uncertainty, the realization that they were entangled in a battle that reached far beyond them.

Ryder’s hand rested on her shoulder, grounding her in the present. She glanced at him, noticing the tightness in his jaw, the hardness in his gaze. He wasn’t just the man she’d grown close to; he was a leader, a strategist, someone who knew how to face down danger without flinching. And right now, he was all of those things at once.

“We’re not safe here for long,” Ryder said, breaking the silence. His voice was steady, a low rumble that held both resolve and a trace of vulnerability that only she could see. “The Delvecchios aren’t the type to back down. They’ll be regrouping, preparing to strike harder next time.”

Lucy swallowed, her mind still reeling from the events of the night. “So what do we do? Just keep running?”

Ryder shook his head. “No. Running isn’t going to solve this. We need to hit back, to let them know we won’t go down without a fight.” His gaze was intense, his mind clearly already formulating a plan.

Marcus joined them, his expression grave. “Ryder, I just got word from one of our informants. The Delvecchios have put out a contract on you. They’re bringing in outside help—hitmen with no ties to the family. They want to keep their hands clean, but they’re willing to spare no expense to make sure you’re taken out.”

A chill ran through Lucy. She looked at Ryder, fear creeping into her voice. “This isn’t just about territory anymore, is it?”

“No,” Ryder replied, his tone hardening. “This is about survival. They want me gone, Lucy. And they don’t care who gets caught in the crossfire.”

Lucy felt a surge of anger, stronger than the fear gnawing at her. The Delvecchios had taken something from her too—her sense of normalcy, the safe life she’d built before she met Ryder. They were relentless, their reach stretching into every corner of Ryder’s world, leaving destruction in their wake. But she wouldn’t let them win. Not without a fight.

“Then we fight back,” she said, surprising herself with the steel in her voice. “We don’t let them scare us into hiding.”

Ryder’s gaze softened as he looked at her. He reached out, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “You’re braver than you know, Lucy.”

Marcus cleared his throat, breaking the moment. “If we’re going to strike back, we’ll need allies. People we can trust. The Delvecchios have their fingers in a lot of pies, but they’ve also made plenty of enemies.”

Ryder nodded thoughtfully. “I know a few people who might be willing to help. They’re not exactly upstanding citizens, but they owe me favors—and they’re just as eager to see the Delvecchios fall.”

A murmur of excitement rippled through the room as the team realized what Ryder was planning. They were going to take the fight directly to the Delvecchios, to push back against the shadow that had loomed over them for too long.

Ryder glanced at Dex, who was reviewing the surveillance footage on a laptop. “Dex, pull up the intel we have on the Delvecchio holdings in the area. I want every safe house, every business front, every hideout they use. We’re going to hit them where it hurts.”

Dex nodded, a grin forming on his face. “Finally, some payback. I’ll get the information ready.”

The next few hours were a blur of activity. Ryder’s team moved with swift efficiency, gathering resources, checking weapons, and mapping out the Delvecchio locations. Lucy watched in awe as Ryder coordinated every detail, his focus unwavering, his voice calm yet commanding.