A New Threat

The following morning brought with it an uneasy silence. The mansion, typically filled with a flurry of activity, felt still and heavy, like the calm before a storm. I had barely slept the night before, and neither had Dante, though he hid it well. The weight of what had transpired—the clash with Viktor, the near loss of Matteo—hung over us like a dark cloud.

I had spent the morning checking in on Matteo, who was still recovering, his body weak but his spirit strong. His resilience gave me hope, and I clung to that hope as I made my way down the hallway toward Dante's office. He had kept to himself most of the morning, and I knew he was making plans for what came next. We had come out of the confrontation alive, but Viktor's warning still echoed in my mind, and I knew it was only a matter of time before his associates would seek revenge.

As I reached the door to Dante's office, I hesitated. There was an air of tension, and I wasn't sure if I should push him or give him space. But before I could decide, the door opened, and Dante stepped out, his usual commanding presence overwhelming the hallway.

"Can we talk?" I asked, my voice quieter than usual.

Dante's gaze softened, just for a moment, before he nodded. "Of course. Come inside."

I followed him into the office, where the blinds were drawn, casting the room in shadow. His desk was cluttered with papers, a map of the city spread out before him, and he was running his hands over his temples, as though trying to shake off a headache that wouldn't leave.

"I've ordered the men to double security," he said as I sat down across from him. "But it's not enough. Viktor's network is vast, and we've barely scratched the surface."

I crossed my arms, trying to digest the weight of his words. "So what now? We wait for the next attack?"

Dante met my eyes, his expression hardening. "We don't wait. We go on the offensive. But I need to be sure we have all the information we can gather about Viktor's plans."

I nodded. "And how do you suggest we do that?"

Dante paused for a moment, his gaze flickering toward the door. "There's someone I need to speak to. Someone who can help us—someone close to Viktor. But this person is... complicated."

The uncertainty in his tone piqued my curiosity. "Who are we talking about?"

Dante leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "His sister."

I was taken aback. "Viktor has a sister?"

"A half-sister," Dante corrected. "Her name is Alina. She's not involved in the business, but she knows enough to be dangerous. If anyone can lead us to Viktor's next move, it's her."

I could feel the tension building in my chest. "And you want to bring her here? To help us?"

Dante shook his head. "I don't trust her. But I have a plan. I need to find her and convince her that helping us is in her best interest. But it's not going to be easy."

I stood up, pacing the room. "How do you plan on convincing her? Viktor won't hesitate to hurt anyone who betrays him."

"I know," Dante said, his voice low. "Which is why I'll be the one to handle it. But I need your help to find her. Alina's been hiding under the radar for years, but I have a few contacts who can get us closer to her."

I stopped pacing and turned to face him. "And if she doesn't want to help us?"

Dante's jaw tightened. "Then we'll have no choice but to use force. I'm not asking you to do anything you're not willing to do, but I won't let Viktor use her against us."

I understood the gravity of the situation. This was a dangerous game, one that would require us to tread carefully. But I also knew that if we didn't act fast, we would be caught off guard again—and that could be fatal.

"I'll help you," I said, my voice steady. "I'll track down her location, and see what I can find out. But we'll need a plan. We can't just walk in and hope for the best."

Dante nodded. "Agreed. We'll need to be smart about this. The last thing we want is to tip Viktor off before we're ready."

There was a pause as I studied him. I could see the toll the past few days had taken on him—the exhaustion, the worry—but there was still that fire in his eyes, that determination to protect what was his. It was something I admired, even if it scared me sometimes.

"I'll start gathering information," I said, turning toward the door. "And we'll do this the right way."

"Be careful," Dante warned, his voice softer now. "This isn't just a fight for control anymore. This is personal."

I glanced back at him, giving him a nod of reassurance. "I'll be careful. But we're doing this together."

As I left his office, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were standing on the precipice of something much larger than either of us could have imagined. Alina, Viktor's sister, might hold the key to everything. But if she was anything like her brother, she wouldn't make it easy.

The next few days would be critical. We had no room for error. And in the back of my mind, I could hear Viktor's voice again, his warning haunting me: This is only the beginning.