Page 24 of Silent Night With Alessio

I never mentioned the phoenix. Not once. Yet Tomasso knew. Knew it exactly, down to the pattern etched on the ring. His mocking laugh echoes in my mind, sharp and grating. How could I have missed it?

And then, there were the men, watching us in the market. I only caught a glimpse, just a flash, before Alessio had insisted we leave, but it was enough. The look in their eyes was unmistakable, a hard edge that sent a chill down my spine. They didn’t just want to watch us. They wanted to hurt us, to hurt Alessio.

I’m shaken, but there’s something that quiets my fear, and that’s the look on Alessio’s face. I can almost feel his mind working, feel how sharp his focus is.

Whoever these people are, they’ve got no idea who they are messing with. That much, I’m sure of. And I don’t think they will realize it until he catches up to them. There is a certain rage in his eyes, cool but intense, and I can tell he is capable of every bit of cruelty that they would deserve.

Once we are back at the Lodge, Alessio leads me straight into the tech room. Two men are inside when we enter; Luca, the bodyguard I had seen before, and a man who briefly introduces himself as Nico.

There’s a certain seriousness in their eyes as they look at me and Alessio. Nico gives me a nod as if to reassure me, but there’s something uneasy in his gaze, something that makes my pulse quicken. Alessio nods to him, a silent signal to continue.

“Alright,” Nico says, leaning back in his chair and swiveling to the monitor, “I’ve unscrambled the files. Took me a while, but now we can watch the security footage…raw and uncut.”

His fingers fly across the keyboard, and the screen flares to life, showing the interior of the jeweler’s shop just before a burglary hit it.

I swallow hard, my chest tight.

Onscreen, Bruce is sorting through his wares. A quiet night.

Then, with a violent burst, the back door swings open, and three masked men rush in. They grab the jeweler, pinning him against the wall. One of them hits him, hard, then again and again.

His cries muffled, blending with the grainy noise, but they’re genuine enough to make my stomach churn. Another man goes behind the counter, but he doesn’t seem to care about the valuables. He instead goes for the computer.

“Bastards,” I whisper, my hand clenching at my side.

Alessio’s eyes narrow as he watches the footage, his face a portrait of cold fury. “They took nothing, did they? They weren’t after the merchandise.”

Nico nods grimly. “Exactly. They were after him.” He pauses the video, the jeweler’s face frozen mid plea. “They wanted the jeweler. They needed him as part of the setup, Alessio. He’s a pawn.”

Luca, arms folded, frowns at the screen. “So, they snatched him to create a diversion. Made sure you were on a wild goosechase, thinking the fake ring could have come from any of these jewelers.”

Alessio’s jaw tightens. “And all this time, we’ve been after the wrong guy.”

The pieces snap together in my mind with a sickening clarity. Tomasso. It was him…damn him.

I don't know why I felt relief when we first thought it wasn't him. Maybe it’s the part of me that doesn’t want to see anyone get hurt, that still clings to certain innocence, maybe even naivety.

Whoever is trying to get at the Luciana must be connected to Tomasso. Somebody who doesn't care who gets hurt, as long as they get what they want. He put me in danger, and now that innocent jeweler is another person paying the price.

“Tomasso,” I murmur, my voice trembling with a mix of fear and rage. “He… he did this. He’s the one who made the fake. And now that poor man is… he’s suffering for it.”

Alessio turns to Nico. “You tracked all the jewelers, right? Where is Tomasso now?”

Nico pulls up a map on the computer, his fingers working the keyboard until a red dot blips to life, marking a hotel just outside of Winter Haven. “There. He’s been holed up there since yesterday.”

Alessio doesn’t hesitate. “I’m going to find him. Alone.”

“Alone?” I protest, my voice louder than I intended. “Alessio, I should come with you. This involves me too, doesn’t it?”

He shakes his head, his eyes cold but tinged with something softer, something I can’t quite place. “No, Isabella. It’s safer if you stay here. I need to do this on my own.”

“But…”

He cuts me off, his tone final. “Please. Stay here. I’ll handle it.”

There’s no arguing with him. He’s already moving toward the door, and with one last, fleeting glance, he’s gone, leaving me standing in the cold glow of the monitor, alone with my anger and worry.

Back in the hallway, I can feel all my anger pressing down on me. Tomasso, that lying snake, had dragged us into this mess.

---