Twisted Veil of Devotion

Part 17

Ryan POV

The meeting was arranged at a remote vineyard on the outskirts of Milan, far from prying eyes. The tension was suffocating as Martinez and I stepped out of the car, flanked by two agents. The sprawling estate looked serene, but I knew it was anything but. This was enemy territory, and I couldn't afford to forget that for a second.

Juan Vicente, Ismael Amado, and Roberto Ramón were waiting for us on the terrace overlooking rows of grapevines stretching endlessly into the horizon. Each man exuded a different kind of menace—Juan with his calm, calculating gaze, Ismael with a perpetual sneer that screamed arrogance, and Roberto with the air of a predator waiting to pounce.

"Ryan," Juan said smoothly, standing as we approached. He extended a hand, and I shook it reluctantly. "It's a pleasure to finally meet the man causing such a stir."

"I'm not here for pleasantries," I replied, cutting straight to the point.

Juan smirked, motioning for us to sit. "Of course not. You're here for Zane. And more importantly, the girl."

My jaw tightened at the way he said "the girl," but I forced myself to stay calm. "Do you know where he's keeping her?"

Ismael leaned back in his chair, swirling a glass of wine. "You think we just have his hideout marked on a map for you? Zane doesn't make it that easy."

"But you're rivals," Martinez interjected. "If anyone knows his movements, it's you."

Roberto chuckled, his voice low and dangerous. "We know plenty. But the question is, why should we share it with you?"

"Because you hate him," I snapped. "Because taking him down has to be in your best interest."

Juan leaned forward, steepling his fingers. "You're right. We do hate him. Zane's arrogance, his power, his stranglehold over Italy—it's been a thorn in our side for far too long. But helping you? That comes at a cost."

"Name it," I said without hesitation.

Martinez shot me a warning glance, but I ignored him.

Ismael grinned, setting his glass down. "We want what's his. When you take him down, his empire crumbles. And when it does, we take the pieces."

"You're asking me to hand over an entire criminal empire," I said, my voice sharp.

"We're not asking," Roberto said, his smile cold. "We're telling you the price of our help. You don't want it, you're free to walk away. But you'll never see your girl again."

"Do you have anything solid on his location?" I asked, trying to steer the conversation back to what mattered most.

Juan exchanged a glance with Ismael and Roberto. This time, there was no smirk, no false air of certainty. "Not yet," Juan admitted, his tone far more measured than before. "He's gone dark. No sightings, no chatter. But that's expected with Zane. He's a ghost when he wants to be."

My fists clenched beneath the table. "Then what good are you to me?"

"Calm down," Ismael interjected, leaning forward, his casual arrogance momentarily replaced by something more serious. "We may not know where he is now, but we have resources, contacts, ways to smoke him out. If we work together, we can bring him down. And when we do, you'll get your girl back."

I didn't trust them, not even for a second, but I needed their network. My team was hitting dead ends, and time was running out.

"Why help me?" I asked, my tone skeptical. "What's in it for you?"

Roberto chuckled darkly. "We want what you want—Zane out of the picture. The difference is, you just want the girl. We want everything else."

"You'll use me to take him down and then sweep in to claim his empire," I said flatly, laying their intentions bare.