Page 68 of The Don's Soulmate

“Ettore?” I whisper, heart racing, hands clenching on his. He releases his hold on me, and I turn, still holding his hands, all my fears eradicated.

“Thought I’d leave you to figure this all out, cara mia?” he looks down at me with such tenderness, that I feel foolish for even thinking our escape would be a problem for me to solve. When has he ever left me in trouble?

In fact, he’s always saved me from it, and here he is doing that, once again. Ettore's gaze traces over my face, his piercing blue eyes searching mine as if seeking reassurance that I'm truly here, in this moment, with him. A sense of calm settles deep within my being.

His presence wraps around me like a shield, strong and unwavering, offering me a sense of security that I've never known before. I justknowthat by his side, it’ll all work out. Tonight, life, death.

His thumb brushes gently against my cheek, and in a strange way, I can hear his thoughts in my mind. He’s telling me not now, not here.

I look away, stepping back next to Sofia, whose sharp eyes miss nothing.

“So, how do we lose the dogs outside?” Sofia asks.

Ettore’s line of sight darts behind us and he looks back with a nod. “It’s clear. Follow me out the back.”

He grabs my arm, leads me towards the back exit with Sofia at my heels. Ettore hands an employee three crisp hundred-dollar bills. We slip out unnoticed onto a deserted street behind the store and a sleek black car pulls up beside us, its engine purring like a predator ready to pounce. Ettore opens the door for me, his touch lingering on my waist before I slide into the backseat, Sofia following suit.

The car speeds away from the store, leaving behind the guards who are none the wiser to our disappearance.

“Where are we going?” I ask, completely in the loop.

“We drop Sofia off first,” Ettore says. “Then, to the location. Outskirts of town. Forest cover. We won’t be seen, and if the transaction goes south, there won’t be any witnesses.”

“Wait,” I say, confused. “We’re dropping Sofia off first?”

"Carlotta, we decided it's safer if only you go with him," she murmurs softly. "Ettore can’t shield us both if trouble comes. One of us is bound to get hurt."

I swallow hard, knowing she's right. With a final hug at the lot where her spare car is parked, she exits.

We begin to drive again. For a while, we’re both sitting in silence. I have too many questions, knowing nothing about what might happen tonight. And yet, I don’t dare ask, for there’s one thought running through my mind: we might not make it out alive.

"I hired a fake ‘buyer.’ Ugo agreed to the deal," Ettore says, breaking the silence. He doesn't look at me, his focus on the navigation system, cross-checking his driver before a mistake is made. "Tonight, he'll hand over the artwork in exchange for cash – counterfeit cash."

"Counterfeit?" I ask, surprised at the audacity of his plan. "And he won't know?"

"Of course not. It's perfect," Ettore replies, a sinister smirk playing on his lips. "We're also offering him a substantial amount in cryptocurrency, which will be transferred during a fake encrypted transaction. Once we leave with the artwork, the transaction will reverse and he’ll never get the money."

“How much, again?”

“Two hundred million,” Ettore replies.

I can’t even fathom that amount of cash off the books. Ettore senses my confusion, and explains. “The cash is stored in trunks, with the top layers being authentic. However, the counterfeitsbeneath are the most superior in the world. And then, there’s some gold.”.”

"Gold?" I question, trying to understand all the moving parts.

"Fake as well," he answers, chuckling darkly. "In fact, it's painted lead bars. They won't know until it's too late."

I sit back, realizing the full extent of Ettore's cunning plan. The stakes are high, and if anything goes wrong, we'll be at the mercy of Ugo's wrath. But it's too late to turn back now. I'm in this for better or worse, and my fate is entwined with Ettore's. I feel it in my bones.

The night grows darker and the car comes to a sudden halt. We're at the edge of a dense forest, the trees looming overhead like silent sentinels. The moon is high, casting eerie shadows, making me see things that don’t exist.

"Stay close to me," Ettore instructs under hushed breath, as he helps me out. "We can't risk being spotted."

I nod, swallowing hard as we step out of the car. The driver remains behind, ready to make a quick escape if needed. Ettore takes my hand, his grip firm but not unkind, and leads me deeper into the woods.

We move quickly, our footsteps muffled by the thick carpet of leaves beneath us. Once or twice, I nearly trip over branches I don’t see, but he’s always there, holding me up.

"Are you scared?" he asks, his voice barely a whisper.

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