Page 31 of Bound to the Enforcer

The kitchen smells faintly of coffee and burnt toast, the stale remnants of a breakfast that neither of us ate. Alessio leans against the counter, his arms crossed, his eyes locked on the stack of files in front of him.

"What's the next move?" I ask, stepping into the room. There is no trace of hesitation. I just need to fake indifference until I naturally begin to feel it.

He glances at me, his expression unreadable. "We need to figure out Domenico's next play. He's consolidating power faster than we expected."

"Okay, so we need to stop running and figure out a way to stop him before he manages to get a vote cast by the five families."

He places a hand on the table, his fingers pressing into the wood. "We're not running. We are simply strategizing."

"No?" I step closer, my voice steady. "Because that's exactly what it feels like. You can't win a war by staying on the defensive, Alessio. Domenico is counting on us to hesitate, to be cautious. If we don't hit back soon, we'll lose."

His eyes darken, and I can feel the weight of his stare. "You think it's that simple?"

"No, I think it's necessary," I say sharply. "If you don't have the stomach for it, then tell me now. Because I do. That motherfucker killed my sister. Blood for blood. I won't let Domenico win—not after everything he's taken."

I see a glint in his eye. It only lasts a minute, but it's there. Respect and pride. He isn't looking at me like the lost little puppy he had to care for. He is looking at me like his peer.

The sharp knock on the cabin door interrupts the steadiness between us. Alessio moves instantly, his body tense as he reaches for the gun tucked at his side.

"It's me," comes a familiar voice.

Alessio exchanges a brief look with me before unlocking the door. Matteo steps in, brushing the cold off his shoulders, his eyes darting between the two of us. He's dressed in a dark coat, his expression grim but focused.

"Nice place," he says dryly, glancing around the sparse room. "Are you planning to stay here forever?"

"Matteo, always a pleasure. Get to the point," Alessio mutters, closing the door behind him.

Matteo doesn't waste time. He pulls a folder from under his coat and drops it on the table. "Domenico's moving faster than we thought. It's worse than we expected, Sophia. He's not just after power. He's looking to destroy any loyalty your father left behind."

I step forward, picking up the folder and flipping through its contents. Names, dates, transaction records. Each page is another stab in the back, another betrayal from someone whoonce claimed loyalty to my father. Domenico has been paying people off one by one in order to garner a strong enough foothold.

"What's his endgame?" I ask calmly despite the storm building inside me.

Matteo glances at Alessio before answering. "He's trying to dismantle the network your father built, piece by piece. He's already taken over two key territories in the south. If he consolidates those alliances, he'll have the numbers and resources to make a move on you directly."

"And then what?" I press. "He declares himself head of the family?"

"No," Alessio speaks with ice in his tone. "He wipes out anyone who could challenge him. That includes you. But first, he will seek out the vote of the five families. In order for him to usurp the throne, he will need to seek approval. We have laws and customs in our world, and he needs to abide by them."

The room falls silent, the weight of their words pressing down on me. But instead of fear, I feel something else—a steady, simmering resolve that sharpens my focus.

"Then we don't wait for him to come to us," I say, setting the folder down. "We take the fight to him."

Matteo raises an eyebrow. "Bold move. Risky, too."

"Waiting is riskier," I reply. "Every second we sit here, he's gaining ground. If we don't act now, we'll lose everything."

Alessio leans against the counter, his arms crossed as he watches me. "What's your plan, then?"

I meet his eyes. "We start with the people in that folder. The ones Domenico's been working with. We take them out of the equation—cut off his resources, his alliances. Make him vulnerable."

"And how do you plan to do that without tipping him off?" Alessio asks, his tone skeptical.

I glance at Matteo. "That's where you come in."

Matteo smirks, leaning back in his chair. "What do you need?"

"Contacts. Resources. And leverage," I say firmly. "You know these people better than I do. You know their weaknesses, their loyalties. Or lack of them. If we can turn even a few of them against Domenico, it'll destabilize his entire operation."

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