Page 10 of The Shadow King's Brother

Elio De Luca

I inhale the city—exhaustand a faint floral hint. I glance back at the glass hospital facade against the grey sky as we walk to the car. The sun is setting, but Nica and I still have some work to do at the De Luca downtown offices.

At least my mother and the baby are safe, for now.

Nica links her arm through mine. “That was kind of amazing, Elio, watching new life being brought into this world,” she says. “She’s cute, your baby sister— Celeste.”

“It was. I mean, she is—she’s perfect,” I agree, forcing a smile.

I want to share her joy, I really do, but I’m just not there. My sister’s life… it’s hope, yes, but it’s also a target. Vulnerability.

We walk in silence to the waiting car, a black sedan. Marcus is already behind the wheel, giving me a nod as we slide into the back seat.

Nica settles in beside me as Marcus pulls into the street, the city slipping past in a blur. I steal a glance at her—hair tousled by the wind sneaking through the half-open window, her expression calm. My pulse quickens, like it always does around her.

The city hums outside—honking, chatter, the usual chaos. I shift my focus to the rearview mirror. There’s a black Mercedes behind us, holding its distance but not backing off.

It’s too close for my liking.

My eyes dart to the rearview mirror again, my body tensing as the car sticks to our tail. The tinted windows hide whoever’s inside.

Is someone following us?

I lean forward slightly and whisper. “Marcus, the Mercedes behind us—been there too long.”

I keep it to myself, making sure Nica doesn’t catch on. She doesn’t need more to worry about right now. She’s finally relaxed. The visit to the hospital—I’ve never seen her smile like that in a long time.

Marcus grunts in a brief acknowledgment and smoothly changes lanes. The Mercedes mirrors our move seamlessly, with no hesitation. Definitely not a coincidence. My pulse rises, every instinct screaming that this isn’t random.

Beside me, Nica hums softly. She gazes out the window, her profile catching the light. I wish I could shield her from all of this, but the reality is crashing down too fast.

Marcus makes another turn, sharper this time, trying to shake them. The Mercedes follows, still matching us move for move. My mind races through possibilities.

Who could it be? An old enemy resurfacing, or a new one? Vinny?

I tap out a quick message to Gio at the hospital: “We’ve got a tail. It’s a black Mercedes. Check the license plate number AT-67002.”

The city blurs past, and my grip tightens on the edge of the seat, trying to appear composed.

Finally, Marcus makes a hard right, taking us down a quieter street. The Mercedes doesn’t follow.

I exhale slowly, the tension releasing slightly but not entirely gone. I know they’ll be back. Whoever they are, this isn’t over.

Nica turns to me, her eyes sharp, like a hawk that has spotted its prey. “What’s going on?” she asks.

I know that quiet intensity all too well.

“What just happened back there?”

I shake my head, a small, almost involuntary movement. I run a hand through my hair. “Nothing you need to worry about,” I say.

She leans forward, her eyes narrowing. “Didn’t we go over this a million times, Elio?” she says, her tone clipped. “Don’t wrap me in plastic, I can handle things. Now, who followed us?” she demands.

I glance at Marcus in the rearview mirror, but he’s silent, his expression neutral.

“I don’t know—”

“I lost them, Miss Galli. Don’t worry,” Marcus says from the front, but his words do nothing to soothe the burning tension in the car.

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