Page 153 of My Sweetest Temptation

He saw me.

He made the effort.

He began to play a verse of “Angel by the Wings” by Sia, and though he didn’t speak, I understood his silent request. With eager hands, I lifted the violin from its stand and tightened the bow. Then I tuned the instrument and positioned it against my collarbone, resting it against my jaw. When Nico struck the chorus, I joined him.

Everything else faded away. I closed my eyes and lost myself in the music. Each note became a shared confession, a language of its own, expressing what words often failed to convey.

I was the angel that fell in love with the devil.

But could the devil fall in love with the angel?

I leaned back, a drink in my hand, the ice clinking as I took a slow sip. The sting of the whiskey slid down my throat, and I set the glass down on the table. My eyes scanned the room, taking in each of my men, my team, my family.

"We're not getting ambushed again," I stated. "Let's go over the plan once again and make sure every detail is accounted for."

Uncle Alessandro settled into the chair at the end of the U-shaped table, looked over the papers spread before him. "I’ll have our runners positioned to meet the cartel’s crew just beyond the border,” he said. “The moment our guys cross, they’ll swap out with theirs. This way, we maintain control over the operation.”

I nodded, fully in favor of the plan. We could not make any mistakes this time.

"We've set up three security convoys: a lead car, the shipment, and a tail,” Matteo added. “We're avoiding the main roads and taking back routes through the West Coast. Each convoy will have its own path, making it harder for anyone to predict our movements."

I nodded, tapping the glass. This way, they wouldn’t be able to anticipate which route to take, so we’d reduce the risk of a surprise attack.

“We've also arranged for additional support. More of our men will be traveling alongside and nearby," Lo continued. “We've got other guys embedded within the police force. Caprice and Mercedes will be our eyes and ears to ensure safe passage. We'll have no issues there."

"Good." I took another sip of my drink, my mind turning to our previous failure and making sure we hadn’t missed anything that could lead to the same outcome. "What about lookout points? I want every angle covered."

Luca responded, "We've got the east and west sides covered. Snipers will be positioned on rooftops."

"The drop-off has been changed as well," Lo added. "We're shifting guards and snipers to the new location. Any tails we might have will be expecting the original drop, so we'll use decoys there as a distraction."

Uncle removed his glasses and looked up, his gaze piercing. "The plan is solid, but I still worry about the risks, Nico."

"I know the risks, Uncle," I responded, my voice sharp. "That's why I'll personally be at the drop-off site. If they show their faces, we take out each and every motherfucker."

Uncle Alessandro's eyes gleamed, and a slow, wicked smile spread across his face. This world was ruthless, and I had to embrace the beast to survive.

The air inside the warehouse clung to the skin and made it hard to breathe. I peered from behind a dusty, cracked window into the abandoned industrial building, waiting anxiously for our shipment to arrive.

I gazed into the distance where overgrown grass and tangled weeds extended behind a thick shadow of towering trees, concealing us. Guards were positioned outside the building, hidden behind the cover of trees, and on the rooftops of the surrounding structures. Additionally, two snipers stood watch on the roof of the building we were in.

I reluctantly left Winter this morning. The house was heavily armed with guards, and now that she was part of my soul, I needed extra men to keep her safe. She made a permanent home in my heart, and not taking her from me.

"Hey, Nico," Matteo called out. “Are you daydreaming or something? Shit's about to get real."

I snapped back to reality and spotted Luca hunched over at a table, his fingers flying across the keyboard as he monitored the perimeter cameras. His brow furrowed in concentration. Beside him, Lo was methodically loading weapons to prepare them for war.

I shook my head, trying to shake off the thoughts that were too heavy to share.

A voice crackled through the earpieces we all wore. It was the sniper on the rooftops, his voice steady but urgent. "Boss, we have movement, and it’s making its way now. ETA three minutes."

I pressed my finger to the earpiece. "Got it," I replied.

"Get ready," I informed my men, relaying the message to the guards through the comms.

Adrenaline surged through me as we took our positions. We hurried to Lo, grabbing our weapons of choice. I hefted my rifle, slamming a magazine into place with a satisfying click. I slid a pistol into the waistband of my pants and strapped another to my ankle.

"Fuck," Lo muttered, his face draining of color.

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