Page 39 of The Mafia's Second Shot

This ends now. One way or another.

28

ZOEY

The morning is colder than usual, the mountain air sharp and biting. I stand in the doorway of the cabin, wrapped in a blanket, watching as Cooper moves through the small clearing where his car is parked. His movements are precise, methodical, but there’s an edge to them, a tension in his shoulders that tells me he’s already thinking about the fight ahead.

He doesn’t look back at me, his focus entirely on the task at hand. I know this side of him—focused, determined, unyielding. It’s the part of Cooper that’s kept him alive all these years, but it’s also the part that terrifies me. Because when he’s like this, it feels like nothing else matters. Not even us.

“Do you have to go alone?” I ask, my voice breaking the silence.

He glances over his shoulder, his expression softening just enough to remind me that the man I fell in love with is still in there. “Marco will meet me at the rendezvous point,” he says. “I’m not walking into this blind.”

“That’s not what I meant,” I say, stepping outside. The cold bites at my skin, but I ignore it. “Do you have to go at all?”

He sets down the bag he’s packing and turns to face me. “Rossi’s getting closer, Zoey. If I don’t cut him off now, he’ll pick apart everything we’ve worked to protect. And I can’t let that happen.”

I know he’s right, but it doesn’t make it any easier. “And what about you?” I ask, my voice trembling. “What happens if you don’t come back?”

He exhales sharply, running a hand through his hair. “I’ll come back.”

“You don’t know that,” I counter, stepping closer. “You can’t promise me that.”

His jaw tightens, and for a moment, I think he’s going to argue. But then his shoulders slump, and he looks at me with an honesty that cuts straight to my core. “You’re right. I can’t promise. But I’ll do everything I can to make sure I do.”

The silencethat follows is heavy, filled with all the things we’re too afraid to say. I reach for his hand, my fingers brushing against his. “I don’t want to lose you, Cooper.”

“You won’t,” he says softly, pulling me into his arms. His warmth is a stark contrast to the icy air, and for a moment, I let myself believe that everything will be okay.

But it doesn’t last. It never does.

He pulls away reluctantly,his hands lingering on my waist. “Stay here,” he says. “The cabin is secure, and Marco’s men are keeping an eye on the perimeter. If anything happens, lock the doors and don’t open them for anyone.”

“I know,” I say, my throat tight. “You’ve told me a dozen times.”

“And I’ll tell you a dozen more,” he replies, his lips quirking in a faint smile. “Just to make sure you listen.”

I try to smile back, but it doesn’t reach my eyes. “Be careful.”

“I will,” he says, pressing a kiss to my forehead. It’s brief but filled with a tenderness that makes my chest ache. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Soon,” I echo, watching as he picks up his bag and heads for the car.

The soundof the engine starting feels like a door slamming shut, and as he drives away, the emptiness of the cabin settles over me like a weight. I stand in the doorway long after he’s gone, the cold seeping into my skin. Finally, I turn back inside, closing the door behind me.

The silence is deafening.

I tryto distract myself with mundane tasks—cleaning the kitchen, reorganizing the books on the shelves, even chopping wood outside—but nothing works. My mind keeps drifting back to Cooper, to the look in his eyes when he said goodbye, to the unspoken fear that this might be the last time I see him.

I sink onto the couch, pulling a blanket over my lap, and stare at the fire. The flames flicker and dance, their warmth doing little to chase away the chill in my chest.

Hours pass,though I can’t tell how many. The sun dips lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the room. I’m dozing off when the sharp buzz of my phone jolts me awake. It’s an unfamiliar number, but I recognize the pattern of the digits—one of Cooper’s allies, using a code we’d set up in case of emergencies.

My heart pounds as I open the message.

“Rossi’s men spotted near the perimeter. Stay inside. Await instructions.”

The words blur as my hands begin to tremble. I read them again, my mind racing. Rossi’s men. Here. How? The cabin is supposed to be secure. We’re supposed to be safe.

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