Page 30 of Silent Night With Luca

I nod, though my heart is still racing. “I will be. I needed this, so thank you for indulging me. It’s good for my soul.”

He nods, his gaze lingering on me for a moment longer than necessary, and I feel that familiar warmth creeping up inside me. Even though everything’s a mess, even though we’re in the middle of something dark and dangerous, Luca has this way of making me feel safe.

The snow starts to fall again, softly at first, then heavier as the wind picks up. The lights around us glow brighter as the sky gets a little darker gray, and the whole world feels suspended in this quiet, peaceful moment. It’s easy to forget, just for a second, what’s waiting for us when we go back to the lodge.

“You’re right,” Luca says, breaking the silence. “We both needed this. I’ve enjoyed this. So, thank you, for pushing me.”

I smile, nudging him with my shoulder. “It feels good to visit a fairytale every once in a while, huh?”

He doesn’t argue, and for a brief moment, we’re just two people, walking through a Christmas market with regular folks instead of mobsters, bodyguards and hitmen. It’s nice to focus on this instead of on what’s coming.

I know, deep down, this moment won’t last. Soon enough, we’ll be back in the thick of it, facing Marco, and everything will come crashing down. But for now, I let myself enjoy it.

ELEVEN

Luca

The room smells like eucalyptus and lavender, the soft spa music humming low in the background, but the tension cuts through the air like a blade. The whole setup feels surreal—like we’re getting ready for something relaxing to happen, not a hit that could go south in a heartbeat, or worse, start a war.

Adrian stands beside me, his arms crossed. He scans every inch of the room. We’ve been over the plan a dozen times, but now that we’re here, in the spa, it feels heavier. The reality of what is about to happen is sinking in.

“You good with this?” Adrian asks, his voice low.

I nod, glancing at the Massimo decoy. He’s already stripped down, lying face-down on the massage table with a sheet pulled up to his waist. Beneath that sheet, hidden within easy reach, is his sawed-off shotgun. He looks calm—too calm for what’s about to happen—but that’s why we picked him. He knows how to keep his cool.

The fake masseuse is standing at the ready, her hands at her sides, packing heat just in case, as well. Her face is set, no emotion there, just focus. Good. She’ll need it.

“I’ll be in the closet,” I tell Adrian, nodding toward the small, barely noticeable door at the far end of the room. “Door pulled to, but not latched. As soon as I’m cleared and the sonofabitch enters the room, I’m going ape shit on him.”

Adrian smirks, but his eyes are sharp. “Remember, Rossi, keep the emotion out of it. This is a job like any other, even if it is a crazy Vitale. We’ve got two guys at either end of the hall. No one gets in or out without them knowing.”

I glance at the camera feed on the monitor Adrian’s been setting up in the adjacent room. “And you’ll monitor everything from here? I’ll have my earpiece in, so give me a heads up if anything is off.”

He nods. “Every angle. We’ve got pinhole cameras around the room, so I’ll see it all. The second Marco shows up, our guy outside will let me know if he’s alone or if he’s got a tail.”

I nod, feeling the weight of the moment settle on my shoulders. “If he’s got backup, we adjust?”

Adrian’s looks toward the door, then back to me. “We’ll adjust. I’ve got it covered. I’ve got ten weapons on this one, including the ones in this room.”

I turn my attention to Lima, the decoy on the table, giving him one last look. “Remember, keep it smooth. If Marco gets suspicious, you make the first move.”

Lima nods, calm as ever. “Got it. If he twitches, I blow a hole in his face.”

The plan is simple. Marco thinks he’s walking into an easy kill. He’s expecting to find Massimo alone, unarmed, relaxed. Vulnerable. What he won’t expect is the trap we’ve laid for him, the firepower we’ve got hidden in plain sight.

“We’ve covered everything,” I say, more to myself than anyone else. “Two men in the hall, a lookout outside, cameras, and we’re armed to the teeth. He’s not walking out of here.”

Adrian places a hand on my shoulder, his grip firm. “You’ve done this before, Luca. Stick to the plan, and this will be clean. Just like we talked about.”

I nod, the adrenaline already starting to pulse through me. We’ve set this up perfectly. Now, it’s just a matter of time.

“Alright,” Adrian says, checking his watch. “It’s almost three. Everyone get to your places.”

Lima adjusts his sheet, his finger on the trigger and rolls his shoulders as if he’s preparing for an actual massage. The fake masseuse steps toward the table, standing at the ready, her hands poised, and she actually starts to knead his shoulders. Damn, a good shoulder rub as I prepare for an ambush.

I head toward the closet, sliding inside, leaving the door cracked just enough for me to keep an eye on things and get a hidden shot if I need it. My gun is already in my hand, safety off, the weight of it familiar in my palm.

Adrian moves into the adjacent room through the adjoining door. The monitor glows a faint blue hue into the darkened room as he checks the feed one more time. We’re ready.

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