Page 117 of Dangerous Vows

Tonight will be like no other because the future of our family is riding on it.

The journey to our destination is short, but to me, it stretches to eternity.

The warehouse reeks of dust,oil, and sweat—the kind of place meant for blood, not business. It’s quiet. Too quiet.

There are just enough steel crates to make it look like Petrovic is hiding weapons here, but in reality, this place is lighter than a priest’s conscience.

Matteo stands beside me, silent, watching the warehouse doors with predator stillness. We wait.

And then—footsteps.

Doors creak. Shadows stretch.

Matteo walks in first, flanked by a dozen men—cold eyes, twitchy fingers on triggers.

Our men move into the location. We have the advantage of surprise, and Matteo sends men to every shadow as we make a silent entrance.Niccoló and Renalto circle outside. Everyone is tense and nervous. They’re not just following orders.

They’re following a monster.

Men are silently put down. The Serb flag practically bleeds from the tattoos inked on the throats of the men we knocked out, being mindful not to divulge our presence.

And I know that at this moment, Vukan is pulling strings from the dark; otherwise, we would have been met with gunfire.

We methodically work our way through the warehouse, and we come upon a clearing, and there stands Petrovic, his beady eyes looking crazed and hazy, like a man on heroin. But under it is a no-holds-barred attitude—like this isn’t a death trap waiting to be sprung.

“Where is he?” he growls. “I want to see Pietro.”

I step forward from the shadows. “You’re looking at him.”

He has his arm around Amara. A glance confirms Vukan has possession of my sister.

Miloš’s mouth curls into a smile. He’s all teeth and ego. “You’ve been busy. I’ve lost good men thanks to your little games.” He gives me an evil glare. “Stefano wanted first crack at you, Pietro. But me? I just want this bitch because she fucked me over. I’m a man of my word, and when she didn’t play along, I lost face with the men I lead. We both know she has to honor the contract. It’s the only way this ends. No one disrespects me, not even an Italian princess. There are consequences—you understand.”

Before he can respond, another voice echoes through the warehouse.

“Where’s Pietro?”

Stefano.

My blood runs cold as he walks out of the darkness and stands beside Miloš. He’s wearing a smug expression and is flanked by two of his lieutenants.

“I’m here.” I step forward.

“She’s easy to manipulate,” Stefano says, giving his daughter an indifferent look. “I know you’d follow her if you thought she was in danger. Amara is loyal to those she loves. She’s young and filled withdelusions of how she can live outside the family—without my power and money, she’s nothing. Once I saw that you loved her, it made it easy to manipulate tonight’s events. She loves her grandmother as much as she loves you.” He pauses before he gives us his dramatic confession. “Elio would have had you at the club if it weren’t for his obsession with my daughter’s safety.”

I suspected it was him, so his admission doesn’t faze me. In fact, I’m elated because now we can kill him outright. And he’s so lost in his delusion of power that he doesn’t know he’s living and breathing on borrowed time.

Besides, he used her.Used her loyalty and her heart as a weapon.

And this is the last time he ever gets to do that.

Petrovic holds Amara to him like a human shield.

He’s a coward.

I hate cowards.

I glance at Bianca, her eyes full of defiance as Vukan has her securely in his grasp. She doesn’t know he’s on our side. I pray to God he still is.

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