Silent love

Chapter 51

On the previous chapter...

"Drop your weapon". He said, voice low and calm like he wasn't standing in a burning ruin. "Or I open her from chin to chest".

Guns shifted. Everyone was locked in, all barrels aimed at Federico.

Valerio had planned this. Down to the second.

But he didn't count on one thing.

Me.

I turned my head just enough to let my voice carry, hoarse, mocking.

"You weren't that confident a minute ago".

His smile twitched. Just slightly.

Then the blade pressed deeper.

My words died in my throat as sharp heat bloomed under my jaw.

"Don't forget where you are". He whispered, low and venomous.

I stayed still, the sting of metal biting in. The taste of blood crept onto my tongue. But I didn't regret it.

I saw it in his face.

I'd cracked him. Just for a second.

He wasn't untouchable.

Not anymore.

And Federico was still standing. Rifle steady.

The trap had been laid.

But Valerio had no idea who he'd caught in it.

And worse?

He had no idea what Federico looked like when he was ready to burn the whole world down.

And so wasn't I.

ʚ YAQUELINE'S POV ɞ

Federico didn't lower his rifle. His eyes were locked on Valerio, not me. And Valerio didn't blink. The knife still pressed into my neck, but it wasn't the blade that made it hard to breathe.

It was the silence between them. It was too quite in this room.

"You have a problem with me". Federico said finally. His voice didn't rise. It didn't shake. It was steady. Precise. "You always did. So let her go".

Valerio didn't move.

"She's not part of this". Federico continued, jaw like steel. "She was never part of this. You wanted me".

Still, Valerio said nothing. But his fingers twitched slightly against the handle of the knife.

I held as still as I could.

Then Federico took a step forward. Just one.

"If she dies...". He said, voice low, measured, deliberate. "Her blood will be on your hands".

He paused.

"And yours...". His eyes darkened. "Will be on mine".

That made Valerio laugh.

A sharp sound. Humorless.

"Oh, come on". He said, breath hot against my ear. "My blood has been on your hands for years. So really...". He leaned closer, the blade dragging faintly along my skin. "What difference would it make?"

Federico didn't blink.

"But hers would be different". He said. "Wouldn't it?"

Valerio's grip shifted. I felt it, the tightening tension in his arm. The pause that wasn't hesitation, but memory.