Chapter 13: Chapter 13

1,152 words

<html><head></head><body>(Tony's POV) The dull ache in my ribs flared as I stirred awake, the pain enough to remind me that every breath I took was borrowed time. The room around me was dim, shadows from the flickering lantern dancing across the cracked walls. I could hear muffled voices nearby, their sharp edges cutting through the stillness. My throat was dry, my body heavy, but curiosity outweighed my exhaustion. Carefully, I shifted to the edge of the cot, wincing as the movement sent waves of pain through my chest. "Do you think I don't see what you're doing, Vince?" Carlo's voice hissed, low but seething. I froze, my fingers gripping the edge of the cot. The voices were coming from the next room. "I'm trying to fix this mess," Vince shot back, his voice equally sharp. "Unlike you, I'm not hiding out and hoping someone else will clean up the blood." "Fix it?" Carlo's bitter laugh echoed. "You brought this on them. You let the mole slip through your fingers. And now they're leading the Morettis straight to the Romanos' doorstep." My heart pounded as their words sank in. A mole? Someone close enough to the Romanos to betray them to the Morettis? "Don't you dare pin this on me," Vince growled. "I'm doing everything I can to keep us alive. If you've got something to say, say it." "I'll say this: you can't trust anyone. Not your allies. Not even your family." The weight of his words settled in my chest like a stone. My mind raced, piecing together fragments of conversations, moments that hadn't made sense before. The ambushes. The traps. The Morettis always being one step ahead. Someone had been feeding them information. And it had to be someone close-someone who knew the Romanos inside and out. I tried to stand, but my legs gave out beneath me. My body screamed in protest, but I couldn't stop now. I stumbled toward the doorway, leaning heavily on the frame as my vision blurred. "Tony?" Isabella's voice broke through the haze, and suddenly, she was there, her small hands steadying me. "I know who it is," I rasped, my voice barely audible. "Who?" Vince demanded, stepping closer. I opened my mouth to speak, but the room tilted violently, and the words caught in my throat. My knees buckled, and darkness swallowed me whole. \--- (Isabella's POV) The room was a blur of movement and hushed voices as we worked to stabilize Tony. His face was pale, his breaths shallow, and the sight of him like this sent a spike of fear through my chest. "Tony, stay with us," I whispered, gripping his hand tightly as Enzo worked to stop the bleeding from where his stitches had torn. "He said he knew something," Vince muttered, pacing the room like a caged animal. "He knew who the mole was." "Then we need to figure it out," Enzo snapped, his tone sharper than usual. "But first, we keep him alive." Carlo stood in the corner, his arms crossed, watching us with an unreadable expression. I didn't trust him-not fully-but right now, we didn't have the luxury of doubt. Tony stirred, his eyes fluttering open. "The mole they're leading the Morettis to the Romanos," he rasped. "Who?" Vince demanded, kneeling beside him. "Who is it, Tony?" But Tony's eyes slipped closed again, and no amount of shaking or shouting could bring him back. "We're wasting time," Enzo said, standing abruptly. "If what Tony said is true, we can't wait for him to wake up. We need to move." "But we don't know enough," I argued, my voice trembling. "What if we're walking into another trap?" Enzo's jaw clenched, his dark eyes burning with determination. "We don't have a choice. If the Romanos fall, it's over for all of us." Vince nodded, his expression grim. "We need to piece together what we know. Who has access to the Romanos' plans? Who would have motive to betray them?" The room fell silent as we all searched our memories, our thoughts spinning in a hundred directions. "We're running out of time," Carlo said, his voice cutting through the quiet. "The Morettis don't wait. If they're moving, they're moving fast." The weight of his words pressed down on me, and I felt the knot of fear in my stomach tighten. We had to stop them. But how? Enzo's burner phone buzzed, breaking the silence. He pulled it from his pocket, his brows furrowing as he read the message. "What is it?" I asked, my heart racing. "Someone on the inside," he said slowly, his voice filled with both hope and caution. "They want to help us." "Is it a trap?" Vince asked, his eyes narrowing. "Possibly," Enzo admitted, his gaze dark. "But it might be our only shot." \--- (Enzo's POV) The farmhouse was eerily quiet as I stood by the window, staring out at the endless stretch of forest. The burner phone felt heavy in my hand, the cryptic message replaying in my mind. "Enzo?" Isabella's soft voice drew me back. I turned to find her standing in the doorway, her blonde hair loose around her shoulders, her blue eyes filled with worry. "What's going on?" she asked, stepping closer. I hesitated, the weight of the decision pressing down on me. "Someone on the inside wants to help us. They sent a location." "Do you trust them?" I shook my head. "I don't know. But if they're telling the truth, it could be the break we need. If they're lying" "It could be a trap," she finished, her voice barely above a whisper. I nodded, the silence between us stretching as the reality of the situation sank in. "What do we do?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly. I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I don't know. If we follow the lead, we're risking everything. But if we stay here, the Morettis could win." Her hand brushed mine, her touch grounding me. "We have to go," she said firmly. "We can't sit here and wait for them to find us. If there's even a chance to stop them, we have to take it." "Isabella," I began, my voice softening. "If something happens out there-" "Don't," she interrupted, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Don't say it. We're going to make it through this. Together." Her conviction was enough to push away the doubt, at least for the moment. I nodded, squeezing her hand before pulling away. "We leave in ten minutes," I said, my voice steady. As we prepared to move, a flicker of movement outside caught my eye. My heart stopped, my hand instinctively reaching for my weapon. "Someone's watching us," I murmured, my voice low. Isabella stiffened beside me, her gaze following mine. The shadows seemed to shift, and I felt the cold grip of dread settle over me. The game was far from over. </body></html>

Chapter 13: Chapter 13

1,152 words