Page 4 of The Price of Mercy

“You’re awake,” Luca said, his voice a mix of relief and irritation. “About damn time.”

Enzo lowered the gun, his grip loosening as he leaned back against the pillows. “What happened?” he asked, his voice rough from disuse.

Matteo stepped further into the room; his arms crossed over his chest. “You got shot, Enzo. That’s what happened. It wasn’t some random hit. This was professional. Clean, precise, and calculated. Whoever it was, they knew what they were doing.”

Enzo’s eyes narrowed. “Professional?”

Luca nodded, pulling up a chair beside the bed. “Yeah. We’re thinking it was De Luca. They’ve been getting bolder lately, testing our boundaries. But we don’t have proof yet. Whoever it was, they disappeared like smoke. No trail, no witnesses. Nothing.”

Enzo’s jaw tightened. The De Luca family had been a thorn in his side for years, their territory disputes escalating into outright hostility. If they were behind this, it was a declaration of war. But Enzo wasn’t one to act without evidence. He needed to be sure.

“And the doctor?” Enzo asked, his voice low.

Matteo shrugged. “Some guy named Julian. He found you in the alley, brought you back to his apartment, and stitched you up. We didn’t even know you were missing until we got a tip aboutthe ambush. By the time we tracked you down, you were already out cold on his couch.”

Enzo’s mind raced. Julian. The name didn’t ring any bells. He wasn’t part of the family, wasn’t part of the underworld. Just a civilian who’d stumbled into a mess he had no business being in. And yet, he’d saved Enzo’s life. That wasn’t something Enzo took lightly.

“Where is he now?” Enzo asked, his tone leaving no room for argument.

“Back at his apartment,” Luca said. “We didn’t touch him. Figured you’d want to handle that yourself.”

Enzo leaned back, his fingers drumming lightly against the silk sheets. He wasn’t ready to see Julian just yet. The doctor had saved his life, but he’d also seen Enzo at his most vulnerable. That was a dangerous position to be in. Enzo needed to know more about the man before deciding what to do. In his world, knowledge was power, and he wasn’t about to make a move without it.

“Put surveillance on him,” Enzo ordered, his voice calm but firm. “I want to know everything about him. Where he works, who he talks to, what he does in his free time, or who. Everything.”

Luca raised an eyebrow. “You think he’s involved?”

Enzo’s gaze was steely. “I don’t know. But I’m not taking any chances. If he’s just a civilian, then he’s a liability. If he’s more than that, then he’s a threat. Either way, I need to know.”

Matteo nodded, already pulling out his phone to relay the orders. “Consider it done. We’ll have eyes on him 24/7.”

Enzo’s mind turned to Julian. The doctor had saved his life, but he’d also stepped into a world he couldn’t possibly understand. Enzo couldn’t afford to let someone like that walk away without consequences. But he also couldn’t bring himself to harm the man who’d saved him. It was a dilemma, one that required careful handling.

For now, Julian was a puzzle, and Enzo intended to solve it. In his world, debts were not taken lightly. If someone saved your life, you owed them. And Enzo Moretti always paid his debts. But first, he needed to know who Julian really was.

As the brothers left the room, Enzo leaned back against the pillows, his mind already working, calculating the next move. Julian had stepped into his world, and there was no going back. Whether the doctor realized it or not, his life was about to change forever.

???

Enzo sat in his study, a room that exuded power and precision. The walls were lined with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, filled with leather-bound volumes, rare first editions, and meticulously organized files. A massive mahogany desk dominated the center of the room, its surface polished to a mirror shine. On it sat a sleek laptop, a crystal decanter of bourbon, and a stack of reports waiting to be reviewed.

The room was lit by the warm glow of a brass desk lamp, its light reflecting off the gold accents in the decor. A large window behind the desk offered a view of the city skyline, its twinkling lights a stark contrast to the quiet intensity of the room.

Enzo leaned back in his chair, his sharp eyes scanning a report on one of his legitimate businesses; a high-end restaurant downtown that was turning a healthy profit. His mind, however, was only half-focused on the numbers. The other half was occupied by thoughts of Julian Carter, the doctor who had saved his life. It had been a few days since he’d ordered surveillance on the man, and he was eager for an update.

A soft knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. “Come in,” he called, his voice low and commanding.

The door opened, and Johnny, a young, low-ranking employee, stepped inside. Johnny was in his early twenties, with tousled blond hair, bright blue eyes, and a baby face that made him look like he belonged in a college dorm rather than the Moretti family’s inner circle. He clutched a manila folder in his hands, his nervous energy palpable as he approached the desk.

“Mr. Moretti,” Johnny said, his voice slightly shaky. “I have the report on Julian Carter, like you asked.”

Enzo set down the report he’d been reading and gestured for Johnny to hand over the folder. “Let’s see it.”

Johnny stepped forward and placed the folder on the desk, his hands trembling slightly. Enzo noticed but didn’t comment. He opened the folder and began to read, his expression unreadable as he absorbed the information.

The report was thorough, as Enzo had demanded.

Julian Carter, 32 years old, worked as an emergency room physician at St. Vincent’s Hospital. He was well-respected among his colleagues, known for his calm demeanor and steady hands under pressure. He lived in a modest one-bedroom apartment in a quiet neighborhood, drove a five-year-old sedan, and had no criminal record; not even a parking ticket. His life,on paper, was unremarkable. But it was the personal details that caught Enzo’s attention.

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