Page 74 of The Don's Deadly Assassin

Now, the cat has become the prey. And she has entered my trap.

A sudden flash of inspiration strikes me, and I scale the wall.

"I know you're here, little mouse," she calls out, her voice bouncing off the walls. "Why don't you come out and play?"

I don't take the bait. Patience is key. I need to lead her exactly where I want her.

Perched on top of the wall, I follow her movements from above and see her moving slowly forward, back pressed against my wall. Behind her is a large piece of flooring with what looks like lattice mesh. It seems to act as roofing for something underground.

I press myself down into the wall and test a theory. I throw a stone at the flooring behind her.

It clinks, and the roof vibrates. The Temptress turns towards the sound, taking four steps in that direction. Swiftly, I jump off the wall, landing right behind her.

In a blur, I lunge forward and grab her by the throat, turning her around and walking her backward toward the lattice roof. She lets out a choked gasp, eyes wide with shock.

I kill two stones with one move. I’ve brought her closer to her death since I figure the roof cum floor is unstable, and that is the section closed off for restoration.

Her face twists into a snarl. With surprising strength, she wrenches free of my grip and pulls a broken stiletto from her waistband. I barely dodge the swipe of the sharpened weapon and step backward towards the roof. She keeps moving forward, lunging towards me.

I turn my neck back briefly and spot my trap up behind - the weakened wooden lattice covering a deep pit. Just a little further.

Sweat drips down my temple as I narrowly avoid a swipe to my throat. This Giulia is tiring of our game. Her strikes come faster, more reckless. She wants to end this.

"You should know by now, my pet. Even the Huntress can’t remain on top forever."

I clench my jaw. She's right where I need her.

I smile at her.

"Why don't you come to take my title then?"

At this moment, I see my opening. I feint left, then dive right just as she stabs. Giulia overextends, momentarily off-balance. Before she can recover, I kick out sideways, knocking her squarely onto the fragile lattice.

The wood splinters under her weight. As she drops, I seize her wrist. Our eyes lock.

“I’ll kill you,” she shrieks into the night, even though we both know she’s lost.

"Remember this, Temptress," I warn, my voice cold and steady. "You should never have come for mine."

With that, I release my grip on her arm and watch as she plummets down into the darkness below. A scream echoes up the pit, then fades away. My breath catches in my throat, and for a moment, all I can hear is the pounding of my own heart.

"Camela… what have you done?" a voice whispers from the shadows.

Chapter 26

Vincenzo

I find a washroom five minutes away from where I left Veronika and Camela. I quickly finish up, and walk out into the chilly night to rejoin them. But they’re nowhere in sight.

I see a pathway up ahead, and follow it straight. Five, ten, fifteen minutes pass by and I feel like I’m meandering in the wrong direction.

“Camela?” I call into the stillness. “Veronika?”

I try Camela’s phone. It goes straight to voicemail. I realize I don’t have the guide’s number and call the organizer who informs me she’s new and hasn’t submitted her personal details as yet.

“How have you been communicating?” I bark into the phone, angry at this inconvenience.

“Email, Don Vincenzo,” he replies, sounding sheepish.

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