Page 26 of Secret Revenge

I couldn’t deny it any longer – Liliana was a force to be reckoned with, her abilities both enthralling and disquieting.

“What do you think we should do next?” I asked.

“I’d confront them and then negotiate a new deal. One that favors us heavily. If they refuse, we let everyone know what they’ve stolen and they’ll lose their entire business.”

I wasn’t sure that was the best idea. “What if they try it again?”

“They won’t. I’ll be watching them and I’ll make sure they know they’ll never have a second chance with us.”

“Go ahead. Call them and negotiate the best deal you can. If they give you any trouble, tell me.”

As we continued working together, I introduced her to more of my business partners, telling them she represented the family. Her negotiation skills were on par with my own, but what else could I expect from the woman who negotiated her own courtship?

“Nicholas,” she called out, her voice laced with concern. “We’ve got an urgent call from one of our informants.”

“Put them through.” My pulse quickened as the phone line crackled to life, the informant’s frantic voice filling the room.

“Boss, we’ve just received word of an imminent attack,” the informant hissed, their words slicing through the tension. “Luca Carbone’s been talking about getting his family back and is planning to strike soon.”

“Understood,” I replied, my thoughts racing as I processed the information. “Gather as much intel as you can and report back to me immediately.”

“Will do, boss,” the informant affirmed before the line went dead.

My mind churned with dark possibilities, each scenario more treacherous than the last. We had to keep Jocely and Abby safe.

The air hung heavy with tension as I paced the dimly-lit room, my mind racing to formulate a plan to counteract our enemy’s schemes. My men stood at attention before me, awaiting my orders with grim determination etched on their faces. The steady hum of activity in the background only served to heighten the sense of urgency that had settled over us all.

“Riccardo, take your men and fortify the perimeter,” I commanded, my voice resonating with authority. “I want eyes on every possible entry point – nothing gets through.”

“Understood, boss,” Riccardo replied, nodding curtly before disappearing to carry out his tasks.

“Marco,” I continued, turning my attention to another trusted lieutenant. “Gather intelligence on the rival gang’s leaders. I need to know their strengths, weaknesses, and any potential leverage we can exploit.”

“Of course, Nicholas,” Giuseppe affirmed, his gaze never wavering from mine. He left the room, determination fueling his movements.

As I assigned tasks to each of my men, I could feel Liliana’s intense gaze upon me. She watched intently as I coordinated my team, her deep brown eyes betraying a mixture of admiration and unease.

“Are you sure this is the best course of action?” she asked hesitantly, her voice barely audible over the cacophony of activity around us.

“Trust me,” I said, locking eyes with her for a brief moment before returning my focus to the task at hand. “I’ve been in this world long enough to know how to handle situations like this.”

“Matty,” I called to my tech expert, “monitor all communication channels for any sign of an impending attack. If they so much as whisper about it, I want to know.”

“Right away, boss,” Matty replied, saluting before rushing off to his station.

As my men dispersed to carry out their orders, I took a moment to assess the situation. My instincts told me that we were walking a dangerous tightrope, and one misstep could send us plummeting into chaos. Yet, as I looked around the room at the loyal faces who had pledged their allegiance to me, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of confidence. We were a formidable force, and together, we would face whatever storm was brewing on the horizon.

“Boss,” Matty’s voice cut through the silence, “we’ve intercepted their communications. They’re planning to strike tonight.”

“Where?” I demanded, my grip tightening around the edge of the table.

“Here,” he replied, pointing to a location on the map. “They’ll be coming from multiple directions, trying to catch us off guard.”

I could feel Liliana’s presence beside me, her breath shallow and uneven as she processed the gravity of the situation. Her fear fueled my determination, igniting a fierce resolve within me.

“Call everyone in,” I ordered, my mind racing with strategies and countermeasures. “We’ll launch a preemptive strike. We hit them first, take out their leaders, and leave them scrambling.”

“Are you sure that’s the best course of action, Nicholas?” Liliana questioned softly, concern etched across her face.

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