Chapter 129

Matteo stepped into the bustling mess hall, his eyes scanning the crowded room. It was the first time since his arrival two days prior that he had been permitted to enter this common area. Around one hundred men were seated, eating their lunches in scattered groups. Though his stomach rumbled loudly, craving nourishment, Matteo’s mind was occupied with far weightier concerns.

Yesterday had been a grueling day—he and Frankie had spent the morning locked in meetings with Roman, and the afternoon had been consumed by a relentless interrogation led by Bennett. The memory of Bennett’s sly mention of Matteo’s wife, and the image of her devastation, made his eye twitch involuntarily. It was a calculated ploy—a web of deception designed to manipulate him into revealing information to protect her. But if Matteo knew Gen at all, she was no one to show weakness to a sniveling rat like Bennett.

“The guards are ours?” Frankie’s voice broke through Matteo’s thoughts. His gaze was fixed on a table in the far corner where six Russians huddled closely over their trays.

Matteo nodded lazily, watching the uniformed men casually patrol the dining area. “Mhmm.”

“There’s Philip and Greg over there. We’ll start with them, and once you’re done, I’ll handle my own business,” Frankie said with a hint of amusement.

“Such generosity, letting me go first,” Matteo teased as they weaved between tables toward their target.

Frankie smirked. “The guards won’t have a choice once I get started.”