Chapter 38

Chapter 38: Rising Ashes

The city lights blurred as Marco and Luca navigated the winding roads leading away from Victor's mansion, the tension in the car a mixture of relief and anticipation. They had done the unthinkable, walking away from Victor's empire alive. But with every mile that stretched between them and the mansion, Marco couldn't shake a gnawing feeling—the calm before the next storm.

"We did it," Luca murmured, breaking the silence. His voice was laced with disbelief, as if he still couldn't fully grasp their victory. "After all these years... it's over."

Marco glanced over, a faint smile flickering at the edge of his mouth. "Yeah, we did. But don't get too comfortable. We might be free of Victor and Isabella, but that doesn't mean we're out of the fire yet."

Luca's eyes darkened. "You think he was bluffing? About the others?"

"Victor may be twisted, but he wasn't lying about his reach," Marco replied, his tone somber. "He's got allies, connections that run deep. People like him don't go down quietly."

They drove in silence, the gravity of their actions sinking in. Marco knew Luca wanted to celebrate, to let the weight of the victory wash over them, but he couldn't allow himself to relax. Not when the shadows of Victor's world still lurked around them.

As they reached the city's outskirts, Marco turned the car onto a secluded road, pulling up to a small, abandoned dock. The waves slapped against the wooden posts, filling the silence as they stepped out of the car. It was a familiar spot, a place where they'd once come to think, to plan, and, sometimes, to hide. Tonight, it was their haven—one last moment to breathe before the unknown closed in around them.

Luca leaned against the dock railing, staring out at the water. "So, what now?" he asked, his gaze fixed on the horizon.

Marco paused, gathering his thoughts. "Now? We go silent. Lay low. Figure out who else might be gunning for us and stay one step ahead of them."

A faint chuckle escaped Luca. "Always a plan. I don't know how you keep your head so clear."

Marco met his gaze, the vulnerability between them unspoken but palpable. "When you've been in this life long enough, you learn it's the only way to survive."

Luca turned, studying Marco's face with an intensity that held a thousand unspoken words. "You know, sometimes it feels like you're still carrying this weight alone. You don't have to, Marco. Not anymore."

Marco's chest tightened. Luca's sincerity was like a knife, slicing through the walls he'd built around himself. He wanted to respond, to tell Luca just how much that meant. But words failed him, leaving him caught in a silence heavy with all he couldn't say.

Just then, the hum of a motor cut through the night air, its sound too close for comfort. Marco instinctively stepped forward, his body tense, and Luca immediately moved beside him, mirroring his alertness. They watched as a sleek black car rounded the corner, headlights off, moving slowly as it approached the dock.

"Friends of Victor?" Luca muttered, his tone dark.

"Or worse," Marco replied, his hand reaching for the gun concealed at his side.

The car came to a stop, and the passenger window rolled down. Inside sat a man with sharp features and piercing eyes that gleamed with intelligence and danger. He looked at Marco, a knowing smile twisting his lips.

"Marco. Luca," he greeted, his voice as smooth as silk. "You two certainly know how to stir things up."

"Who are you?" Marco demanded, his voice laced with caution.

The man chuckled, stepping out of the car with deliberate ease. "Let's just say I'm someone with a vested interest in seeing Victor's little empire dismantled. Call me Tomas."

Marco exchanged a wary glance with Luca. "And why should we trust you, Tomas?"

Tomas held up his hands in mock surrender. "Because I'm not here to fight. In fact, I'm here to help. I know what you've done, and I think we could be useful to each other."

Luca's eyes narrowed. "You just happen to show up right when we're planning to go off the grid?"

"Trust me, I'm not here by chance," Tomas replied, his gaze unwavering. "Victor may be down, but he's far from out. He's got allies—people with power, resources. If you want to stay ahead, you'll need more than luck. You'll need me."

The tension between them was thick, a standoff of silent scrutiny. Marco weighed Tomas's words, the unspoken alliance hanging in the balance. He had no reason to trust this man, but something in Tomas's demeanor spoke to a shared purpose, a similar darkness that only those who lived on the edge could recognize.

After a long pause, Marco spoke, his voice cautious. "If you're lying—"

"I'm not," Tomas interrupted, his tone coldly confident. "You'll see soon enough."

Luca stepped forward, his expression hard. "Fine. But if you so much as give us a reason to doubt you…"

Tomas smirked, nodding. "I'd expect nothing less."

As the three men stood in the glow of the dock lights, an unspoken agreement settled over them, a fragile alliance forged in the wake of their shared vendetta against Victor's legacy. Tomas gestured to his car, motioning for them to follow. "Let's get moving. The fewer people who know where you are, the better."

Marco and Luca exchanged one last glance, an unspoken question lingering between them. But in that moment, both knew there was only one path forward. They climbed into the car, the engine humming to life as Tomas drove into the night, carrying them toward a future as uncertain as the one they'd left behind.

To be continued...