Chapter 86

Matteo drew deeply from his cigarette, the smoke curling out through the slightly cracked window beside him. The past day and a half had been grueling—endless press junkets and back-to-back interviews with journalists. Even after wrapping things up and sending Bella on her way, his workload hadn’t eased. There was still the other reason he’d come to L/C to attend to. Now, at last, everything was converging toward one final moment: the showdown with Guerra. It was time to prove to that conniving rat exactly what real power looked like.

His gaze dropped to the phone resting on his thigh. All he wanted was one last message from Gen before the meeting began. Life was never certain, no matter how airtight the plan. Matteo wasn’t foolish enough to think nothing could go wrong. He had sent her a text, simply telling her he loved her. If only she would reply with those four words, he could finally center himself, focus entirely on what lay ahead.

“Come on, Weakness,” he whispered softly, eyes locked on the screen, willing her to respond as if by telepathy.

Stephen glanced up from his own phone, curiosity piqued. “What was that?”

Matteo muttered, “A watched pot never boils,” then redirected his attention to the window, watching the city blur past.

“Huh?”

He sighed deeply, taking one last drag from his cigarette before lowering the window a bit more and flicking the butt out onto the street. Lighting a fresh one, he asked Leo, who was behind the wheel, “Everyone in position?”