Page 18 of Silent Night With Alessio

"No… I don’t know how to reach him," he says, his voice barely a whisper. "Please… I don’t want any trouble."

Outside again, we stand by the locked door of the jewelry store, a creeping unease settling over us.

I glance at Isabella, catching the flicker of uncertainty in her gaze. “Stay in the car,” I say, my voice firm. “I’ll check it out.”

She hesitates, clearly wanting to argue, but she nods, folding her arms across her chest as I step away.

I don’t like leaving her, but there’s a part of me that knows she’ll be safer if she stays out of this.

And if there’s one thing I know, it’s that this isn’t adding up. Shops like these don’t just stay locked up without reason.

I head around to the back, slipping into the narrow alley where a small door stands slightly ajar. A chill skitters down my spine as I push it open, my eyes adjusting to the dim light filtering through the back windows.

Inside, the place looks hastily abandoned…papers scattered on the counter, half open drawers, and even some Christmas decorations left unfinished, as if someone got interrupted midway. Whoever left seems to have done so in a hurry.

I move deeper into the shop, the silence heavy, pressing down on me. In the office, I see the security monitor; the screen glowing faintly with a mess of scrambled files.

I try to play the recording, but it’s useless. The files are corrupted, eaten away by what looks like some kind of virus. It’s sloppy work, but there’s a chance Nico could piece it together. I copy the files onto one of the flash drives I find on the desk, slipping it into my pocket.

I switch to the live feed, more out of habit than expectation, and that’s when I see it…a shadow moving in the shop. My stomach twists as the camera shifts, revealing a masked figure slipping through the back door. And then I see her.

Isabella.

She’s standing by the door, curiosity etched into her features as she looks around, oblivious to the danger that’s stalking her.Fuck.

I feel a surge of rage boiling up inside me as I watch the man close in on her. I bolt from the office, my heart hammering. I burst into the room just as the man grabs her, his arm wrapping around her neck, dragging her backwards. Her eyes widen in terror, hands clawing at his arm as she struggles, gasping for breath.

He’s choking her, his grip like a vise, and I can see the fear etched into every line of her face, her body trembling as she fights against him.

“Isabella!” I shout, drawing my gun, my vision narrowing to a sharp point as I take aim. The masked man’s head jerks up, and he releases her just as I arrive. He bolts, slipping through the door with a practiced speed that screams training, and I know better not to follow.

I drop to my knees beside her as she collapses, gasping for air, her hands clutching her throat in a desperate attempt to steady herself. Her wide eyes are glazed with shock, and she’s trembling, her entire body shaking uncontrollably.

“Damn it,” I growl, my voice rough with a fury I don’t bother to hide. “I told you to stay in the damn car!”

She flinches at my words, and I feel a stab of regret, but I shove it down, knowing I need to be firm. “Do you understand what you just did?” I snap, the anger in my voice cutting through the silence. “This isn’t some game. You can’t just go snooping around in mafia business and expect to walk out unscathed.”

Her face pales, tears welling up in her eyes as she nods, a shaky, terrified nod that twists something deep in my chest. She’s scared…terrified.

I take a breath, forcing myself to calm down. “Come on,” I say, my voice softer now, reaching out to help her up. “Let’s get you out of here.”

She’s silent on the drive back, her gaze fixed on the window, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. I can see the tension in her shoulders, the lingering fear that still clings to her like a shadow.

I want to reach out, to tell her it’s over, that she’s safe, but I don’t have the words. I’ve never really been good with words.

When we get to her place, I tell her to go inside and wait while I make a call. I step outside, pulling out my phone, and dial Massimo. The line clicks, his familiar voice answering with a hint of impatience.

“The situation’s complicated,” I say, my voice low. “The third jeweler skipped town. But I found something…. security files. They’re scrambled, but Nico might be able to restore them.”

Massimo’s silence is heavy. “And Isabella?” he asks finally.

“They attacked her,” I say, the anger simmering again. “Some guy in a mask, someone who knew what he was doing. But he slipped up. I’ll make sure Nico gets the files tomorrow. And we need to find that jeweler…he’s the link.”

Massimo’s voice is clipped. “Good. Keep her safe. This mess ends soon.”

He hangs up, and I stand staring at the quiet street for a moment, letting the cold air bite into my skin.

When I go back inside, I find Isabella sitting on the couch, her arms wrapped around herself, her shoulders hunched as if she’s trying to disappear. Her eyes are red, and there’s a haunted look in them that makes something inside me ache.

---