Page 28 of Silent Night With Alessio

The thought alone makes my throat go dry, my heart twisting with something I can’t name. I don’t like it. I don’t like the thought of her being in the middle of this. But I know I can’t argue with Massimo.

“Then… let me go with her,” I say, barely keeping the urgency out of my voice. “I’ll be outside, a safe distance away. Just in case anything happens.”

There’s a pause, and then Massimo sighs, a hint of irritation seeping into his tone. “You’re getting attached, Alessio. Getting emotional over her. It’s dangerous… it’s stupid.”

I open my mouth to protest, but nothing comes out. He’s right. I am attached. I can’t deny it. I hate the idea of her being there without me, of something happening and me not being close enough to stop it.

Finally, Massimo sighs. “Fine. But you’re to stay out of sight. No Luciana can be seen at that auction. Understood?”

“Understood.” Relief floods through me, and as I end the call, I feel a renewed sense of purpose, a steely resolve that settles deep in my bones.

When Sal and I get back to the Lodge, I find Isabella in the main hall, dressed like a queen of the underworld.

Elena has transformed her into someone who looks like she’s born for this, her dark hair spilling over her shoulders in waves, a black dress clinging to her figure in a way that leaves me momentarily speechless. Her lips are Chinese red, the color a stark contrast against her pale skin. She’s breathtaking.

“You’re… beautiful,” I mutter, the words slipping out before I can stop them.

She blushes, her eyes darting away, and something about her shyness makes me want to pull her close, to protect her from everything that lies ahead.

“You ready for this?” I ask, my voice soft.

She nods, determination shining in her gaze. “Yes. The ring… it matters to my family, too.”

Nico approaches, handing her a ring and slipping a small earpiece into her ear. “This will let us see everything thathappens in there,” he says, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “And you’ll be able to hear us the whole time.”

I watch as she slips on the ring, her fingers trembling slightly, and then I pull out a plain black mask, handing it to her. “Everyone’s wearing one at the auction,” I tell her. “Most of the families have theirs customized with their family symbol customized, but yours will be plain.”

She nods, slipping the mask over her eyes, and I can feel my pulse quicken as I watch her. This is it. We’re at the edge, and there’s no turning back.

In the car, Nico and I keep a careful distance, dropping her a few blocks away from the Ice Box Club. She’s nervous; I can tell by the way she hesitates before stepping out, but she gives us one last look, a faint smile that’s more for herself than for us.

“You’ll be fine,” Nico says over the comms as she slips inside, his voice steady. I can only watch, tension coiling in my gut, as she disappears into the shadows of the club.

Inside, she navigates the crowded room with a steady grace, taking her seat as instructed. Through the comms, Nico and I listen in, catching snatches of conversation, whispers of rival families eager for a chance to humiliate the Lucianas.

The Gufos are there, wearing their owl masks, and a Vitale stands nearby in a ghostly white mask.

The auction begins, the room buzzing with energy as the coordinator announces no Luciana is present.

Then, the bidding starts, and I feel my pulse quicken as I hear the voice of the masked Vitale make the opening bid. I’d recognize that voice anywhere… That’s Dante, the leader of The Vitale family. He opens with a bid of a million dollars.

“Of course he’d come himself,” I mutter to Nico. “The chance to take the ring is too good to pass up.”

Isabella’s voice crackles through the comms, calm but with an edge of nerves. She bids two million, and the room falls silent.

I can almost see the shock ripple through the crowd, feel the tension building as Dante raises his bid again.

“Outbid him,” I tell her, my voice low. “Don’t worry about the amount. Just win.”

The back-and-forth continues, the stakes climbing higher with each bid, and through it all, I can feel the weight of every eye in that room trained on her.

12

Isabella

The room is stifling,a silent thunder rolling beneath the elegance of velvet seats and glistening chandeliers. I can feel eyes crawling all over me, some questioning, some accusing, others... predatory. And then there’s him.

Dante Vitale. I know his name now, thanks to Nico whispering it over the earpiece, and somehow that only makes it worse. His white mask glints under the low lights, ghostly against his sharp gaze.

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