Page 27 of Mafia Wars

“Luna,” I bite out, pacing the room like a caged animal. “She’s at Richard’s. One of my cars is gone.”

There’s a pause, long enough to hear my own pulse pounding in my ears. Then Jack growls, low and sharp, “She’s handing herself over.”

The words hit like a fist to the gut. My body moves on instinct, grabbing my keys off the counter. “We need to get her. Now.”

“Okay,” Jack mutters. In the background, I hear the rustle of movement—he’s already preparing. “I’ll come with you and bring backup.”

I don’t waste time arguing. Jack’s irritating, but he’s not wrong.

When I pull up to his place which is close to my house, he’s waiting outside, leaning against a black duffel bag slung over his shoulder. His expression is set in stone, eyes narrowed, and jaw clenched. He tosses the bag into the backseat and climbs in beside me, his movements sharp, controlled.

“She’s a liability,” Jack says as I hit the gas. “You should’ve seen this coming.”

“I knew something was off,” I admit, gripping the wheel until my knuckles ache. “But this… this is something else.” Yet, I think of how my father and Jack had mentioned handing her over in front of her; I wonder if that was the deciding factor for her. She’s too kind and doesn’t seem to see the value in herself. But, I see it.

Jack doesn’t respond immediately; instead, pulls out his phone and punches in a number. When no one picks up, he curses under his breath and leaves a voice message for my father.

“We’re going to Richard’s now. Luna is inside; we will pull her out before you make the hit, but wait for us to leave.”

The way he sayswe,sends a chill down my spine. Jack’s voice is cold, calculated—a far cry from the usual sharp-edged arrogance he wears like armor. He’s serious now, and that makes him dangerous. For the first time tonight, I wonder if bringing him along was a mistake. We don’t get along even during the best of times, but I had no one else to call.

Backup cars follow in our wake, their headlights cutting through the darkness like watchful eyes. It should bring some comfort, but it doesn’t. The weight in my chest only grows heavier as we close the distance to Richard’s estate.

I can’t shake the image of Luna walking into the lion’s den, her head held high, defiance burning in her eyes. Whatever her reasons, whatever plan she’s concocted in her reckless, brilliant mind, doesn’t matter anymore.

She’s mine to protect. Always will be.

And I’ll be damned if I let her slip away tonight.

As we near Richard’s estate, I slowly pull over; I don’t want them to know we are coming.

“We get her out, and we don’t linger. No heroics, leave the cleanup to my dad,” Jack says.

I glance at him, his face illuminated by the pale glow of the dashboard lights. There’s no humor there, no trace of his usual bravado.

“Whatever it takes,” I say, my voice a quiet promise.

Jack nods, his jaw tightening. “Just try and stick to the plan.” We get out, and Jack removes several guns from his duffel bag, loading his body with them before he hands me two. Once we are all set, we go on foot; all the other cars have pulled in behind us, and the men slowly get out, everyone checking their weapons. They don’t look to me for orders but to Jack.

“ Cian and I will go in first. I need you all to be ready if you hear gunfire or if we don’t return.”

They all nod in unison.

We move slowly down the road, keeping to the edge of the road.

The estate looms ahead, its silhouette stark against the night sky.

It’s time.

The weight of the moment settles over me as we move toward the estate, shadows blending with the darkness. Somewhere inside, Luna is waiting—whether she knows it or not.

And I’ll stop at nothing to bring her back.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CIAN

THE GRAVEL CRUNCHES softly beneath Jack’s boots as he comes to a halt. His hand moves deliberately, reaching down to pick up a jagged stone. In the same motion, he pulls his gun fromits holster, the silencer already screwed on tight. He glances at me, the faint gleam in his eyes catching the moonlight. I know that look. It’s a silent question, and my answer is always the same.

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