THE TRAILER

As he returned to consciousness, Leo felt a dull, pulsing pain in his skull. His limbs felt unbelievably heavy, and his body ached. His tongue was coated in the metallic taste of blood, and the hard, cold ground beneath him made it clear that he was no longer in La Rosa Nera.

He forced his eyes open, and his head lolled to one side. Only one flickering lightbulb swayed above him, and the room was dimly lit. walls made of concrete. No windows. One steel door.

a basement.

A jail.

Leo moaned and attempted to get up, but his ankles and wrists were restrained to the chair by heavy leather straps. His dress shirt was torn at the sleeve and stained with blood, and his suit jacket was gone. Of course, someone had stolen his gun.

His nostrils were filled with the distinct smell of mildew and moisture. This was an interrogation room, not just a hiding place.

It was a place where people entered but never left.

The last thing he saw was Moretti's men rushing into the room with a rifle butt swinging toward his face. He swallowed hard, his mind clearing just enough to remember that.

They were waiting.

They were aware.

He had been set up by someone.

His heartbeat accelerated, but he made himself inhale deeply. It wouldn't help to panic.

Outside the door, footsteps resounded.

Leo stiffened.

He recognized the man immediately as the heavy steel door creaked open.

Romano Alessandro.

His pricey watch caught the dim light as he walked in like he owned the place. Leo had punched him earlier, and his lip was still swollen, but he looked amused, not angry.

Romano pondered, "Look who's awake," and closed the door.

Leo remained silent. He just sat there and watched, his eyes cold.

With a laugh, Romano pulled a chair across the floor and took a seat in front of him.

To be honest, I didn't think Isabella would send her husband after me. I assumed she would send someone a bit more... experienced.

Leo's jaw tightened.

Romano grinned. However, I must give it to you. You've quickly adjusted. You were just an outsider, a nobody in this world, a few months ago. Right now? You're right in the middle of it.

Leo said nothing.

Romano's face darkened as he leaned closer. "You ought to have avoided getting involved."

Despite the pain, Leo grinned. "And lose out on all the fun?"

Romano shook his head and let out a breath through his nose. "You believe this to be a joke?"

He took a switchblade from inside his jacket and flicked it open. He twirled it between his fingers, the faint light glinting off the sharp edge.

Leo did not recoil.

A Risky Proposal

Leo felt a tiny pressure against his skin, but the blade remained stationary. Romano could easily cut him open with a single misstep.Romano's gaze grew strained. "You don't look afraid."

Leo looked him in the eye. "I've been in more dire circumstances."

After examining him for a while, Romano laughed. "Perhaps. However, I'm assuming you had a plan of escape in those circumstances.

Leo did not respond.

Romano grinned. "This time, no."

The cold blade of the knife barely broke the skin as he pressed it against Leo's cheek.

"Now, let's talk," Romano whispered.Leo maintained an expressionless expression. He refused to let this jerk enjoy the thrill of witnessing terror.

"What are you looking for?" Leo's voice was steady as he asked.

Romano grinned more broadly. "Right to the point. That appeals to me.

He flipped the blade in his hand and leaned back a little. "Leo, here's the thing. I could murder you now. Nobody would even blink. Isabella would certainly be incensed, but what was she to do? She is already two steps behind Moretti.

Leo's mouth clenched.

Romano went on. "However... I don't wish to murder you.

Leo's forehead wrinkled a little. Why am I here, then?

Romano opened his arms. "Because I see possibilities."

Leo said nothing.

Romano leaned closer once more. "You are different from the other members of Isabella's crew. Despite not being born into this life, you have adjusted to it. You have demonstrated your willingness to go above and beyond. You think quickly and intelligently, but more significantly...

He grinned.

"Your spouse is the enemy."

Leo let out a slow exhale. "Get right to the point."

Romano grinned more broadly. "You should switch sides," I said.

Leo fixed him with an unwavering gaze.

Romano gave a nod. "That's correct. Work for us. Leo, you are valuable. Isabella trusts you, and given the current state of affairs, let's just say that her days of dominating the world are coming to an end.

Leo said nothing, his thoughts racing.

Romano went on in a casual tone, as though he were offering Leo a business deal rather than treachery. "I'm offering you an option. If you stick with Isabella, you'll fall with her when Moretti defeats her. Or...

His voice faded to a near whisper as he leaned closer.

You are here to work for us. And you'll come out on top when everything is said and done.

Leo waited until they were both silent before he spoke.

"No."

Romano blinked. "No?"

Leo grinned. "My wife is not betrayed by me."

Romano gave him a long look and then let out a loud sigh. "It's unfortunate."

Then he suddenly stabbed Leo in the thigh with the knife.

Sharp, searing pain erupted in Leo's leg. He gritted his teeth and refrained from screaming as his body jerked against the restraints.

Romano watched for a response as he slightly twisted the blade.

Leo was able to maintain a smirk despite his labored breathing and hazy vision. "That's all you have?"

With a laugh, Romano withdrew the blade. Leo's trousers were stained by the blood that seeped from the wound.

After wiping the blade off his sleeve, he got up. "You'll have a change of heart soon enough."

Leo did not respond.

Romano pointed to an individual outside the door. Two guards intervened a moment after that.

Romano gave the order, "Make sure he stays alive," and started to leave. However, roughen him up a bit. He needs time to reflect.

Romano's smug smile was the last thing Leo saw before the guards moved forward.

Then came the first blow.

A Gory Escape

Leo couldn't remember how many hits he had received. Even though his vision swam and his ribs hurt, he didn't want to break.

The guards finally left him alone, apparently satisfied.

He breathed heavily as he sagged in the chair. His wrists were now slathered with blood from his wounds, but his hands remained bound.

He let out a slow exhale.

Excellent.

It provided him with a starting point.

He twisted his wrists slowly, allowing the blood to lubricate his movements. After a series of agonizing tugs, he felt the leather straps loosen slightly.

He pulled harder, grinding his teeth against the pain. His right hand finally—finally—slipped free, but his skin burned.

Leo lunged at him, shoving his head against the wall and snatching him by the throat. Leo took the knife from his belt and stabbed the second guard in the stomach before he could even react.

The man crumpled after gasping, his eyes wide.

Leo checked the chamber and grabbed the first guard's fallen gun from its holster. loaded.

Excellent.

Despite the pain in his leg, he stumbled in the direction of the door.

He needed to leave.

Isabella needed to know.

And after he did...

Moretti would cover the cost

He untied the rest without delay.

Leo was prepared when the door creaked open once more.

The initial guard intervened.

Leo's breath was labored, but he held the stolen gun tightly as he staggered through the darkened hallway. Even though his leg hurt every time he walked and blood seeped through his trousers, he made himself get up. The pain came second. The first priority was survival.

There was a spooky silence in the building, the kind of silence that warned of danger. He sensed that Moretti's men were still present, like specters in the darkness. He would be dead before he got to the exit if he wasn't careful.

No. That isn't taking place.

He listened while leaning his back against the wall. From the next room came faint voices. Three men, possibly four. Armed, of course.

Leo let out a slow exhale.

Then he went

The Kill Switch

There was a small gap in the door to the next room. Leo glanced inside and saw the men seated around a table, watching a security screen. He identified one of them as a senior enforcer for Romano.

Leo lifted his pilfered handgun and entered.

He pressed the trigger before any of them could respond.

BANG!

Blood spattered the table as the first man fell.

Leo was quicker than the second man, who fumbled for his gun. One more shot. One more body.

The third lunged at Leo, reaching for a knife.

Leo caught the man by the wrist and slammed the gun's butt into his temple as he twisted. The man immediately crumpled.

The fourth man had no weapons.

His eyes were wide with terror as he raised his hands. "W-wait—"

He was shot in the knee by Leo.

With a scream, the man fell to the ground.

Beside him, Leo knelt down and pressed the gun to his forehead. "Where is Romano?"

The man's breath came in short gasps as he shook. "H-he departed! Lock you up and wait for orders, he—he said!

Leo's eyes became gloomy. "Where is he going?"

The man paused.

Leo applied more pressure.

"A house of safety! On the north side! A former warehouse close to the docks!

Leo got to his feet and fired without thinking.

The man sagged, dead.

Leo let out a breath. No loose ends.

He checked his gun, picked up extra ammunition from the fallen guards, and hobbled to the door.

He wasn't simply running away.

He intended to go hunting.

Returning to the Queen

Even though the streets were bustling with late-night traffic, Leo's focus had shifted to returning to Isabella.

He took control of a car and pressed his gun barrel against the driver's temple until the man scurried out without protest.

Leo gunned the engine after sliding into the driver's seat.

On the wheel, his knuckles were white.

Romano had been wrong.

He had the opportunity to kill him, but he chose not to.

He was going to lose everything because of that error.

When Leo arrived, the penthouse was silent. Too silent.

With his gun up, he pushed the door open.

The opulent room was bathed in a warm glow from the illuminated lights. The aroma of 

Then he caught sight of her.

Isabella held a glass of wine as she stood by the window. Slowly, she turned, her gaze meeting his.

They were silent for a moment.

Then she grinned.

"Hello, husband, welcome back."

Leo let out a sharp sigh. There was a slight release of tension in his shoulders.

However, Isabella's warmth vanished as her gaze shifted to his wounds.

"What took place?"

Leo set his gun on the table and hobbled over to her. "Romano."

Her eyes grew gloomy.

With a low voice, Leo took her hand. "He desires for me to turn on you."

Isabella's fingers clenched around his as she studied him intently. "And?"

Leo looked directly into her eyes. "I declined his request."

Her lips curled into a slow smile that stopped short of her eyes.

 Her lips curled into a slow smile that stopped short of her eyes.

"Then we murder him," she muttered.

Leo gave a nod.

Because there was nothing else to do.

The Conflict Starts

The whole city would know by morning.

No longer were the Queen and her King merely protecting their empire.

Their goal was blood.

Romano was at the top of the list.

The Hunt Starts

A silent lull before the storm, the city was still covered in the last of the night. Leo gripped the whiskey glass tightly as he gazed down at the world below from the penthouse balcony. The fire that simmered inside him was far worse than the alcohol's burning effect on his throat.

Isabella sat on the sleek black leather couch behind him, her eyes calculating and keen. If it weren't for the war that was simmering in both of their minds, he would have been distracted by the way the deep red fabric of her silk robe clung to her.

Leo pivoted, his eyes meeting hers.

He whispered, "He wanted me to change sides."

Swirling the wine in her glass, Isabella sneered. "Romano is an idiot."

"He's desperate, too." Leo put his glass down on the table and walked over to her. "Moretti is aware that I've evolved from an outsider. He is aware of my threat.

Isabella crossed one leg over the other and leaned back. "Romano now knows you won't turn on me."

Leo grinned. "As if that were ever a possibility."

Isabella saw something flicker through her eyes that she couldn't read. A softer substance. But it was gone as fast as it appeared.

"We must act swiftly," she stated. "Moretti won't hold off until you're well. They will attack before we do, and Romano will report back to him.

Leo let out a sharp sigh. His leg wound was still burning like hell, and his entire body ached from the beating. Isabella was correct, though.

They had no time to wait.

Romano's paranoia

Nerves frayed, Romano paced his dimly lit office across the city. Even though his safe house was well guarded, he still felt vulnerable.

Leo was still alive.

He was uneasy just because of that fact.

He had misjudged the man. It should have broken him, beating him, stabbing him. A typical man would have accepted the offer or at the very least pleaded for forgiveness.

Leo wasn't just anybody, though.

Romano could now feel the consequences of his error.

His cell rang. He grabbed it and put it to his ear. "What?"

Through the line came a crackling voice. "We're moving. Despite being out in the streets, Isabella's men are remaining silent. No overt attacks as of yet.

Romano muttered an expletive.

She had a plan.

And he didn't know what.

He gripped the phone tighter. "Two security measures. Kill first if you notice anything suspicious. No cautions.

"Yes, sir."

The line died.

Romano wiped his face and let out a breath.

This was something Moretti needed to know.

The Retaliation Plan

Isabella laid out a set of blueprints on the glass coffee table back at the penthouse. Leo sat next to her while tracing the outline of Romano's safe house, a warehouse close to the docks, with his fingers.

Here, we struck him," Isabella remarked. Quick and accurate. He has no time to flee.

Leo gave a nod. "How many guards are there?"

"Too many to attack from the front." She tapped a side door with her finger. However, this? This is where he is weak. The second floor is connected to the ventilation system. It's tiny, but sufficient for one person to enter and turn off security from within.

A smirk formed on Leo's lips. Are you saying that I should crawl through air ducts?

Isabella maintained a steady gaze. "The only person who can is you."

Leo shook his head and laughed. "All right. And after security is removed?

"My team and I move in together. We eliminate them. It is unlikely that Romano will survive.

Leo gave her a quick look. "Moretti, too?"

A slow, perilous smile appeared on her face.

Additionally, she had selected him to be her companion.

His fingers brushed hers as he reached over. "Let's get this done."

She didn't back off.

For an instant, in the midst of the conflict and bloodshed, they were more than just co-conspirators.

They were married.

---

Intruding

Midnight.

With the smell of saltwater permeating the air, Leo huddled behind a pile of shipping containers. Men patrolling the perimeter, their footsteps resonating on the concrete, brought the docks to life with distant movement.

He let out a slow exhale. It's time to go.

He crept through the tangle of containers, staying in the shadows, until he arrived at the rear of the warehouse. The ventilation shaft was unguarded, as Isabella had mentioned.

Leo climbed up, squirming as his leg ached.

Two guards. Armed, but preoccupied.

Excellent.

Without a sound, Leo fell behind the first man. Leo put an arm around his neck and choked him before he could respond. Leo turned before the second guard did.

A single shot. One person dead.

He hurried to the security panel, unlocked the main doors, and turned off the cameras.

It's showtime.

The Queen Attacks

Isabella and her group moved like nighttime shadows as soon as the doors clicked open.

Gunfire was silenced. Screams muffled. Before they knew what had hit them, bodies were falling.With his gun as a natural extension of his hand, Leo joined them. Before they could even see him coming, he defeated three men.

Romano's troops had no chance.

The warehouse was covered in bodies in a matter of minutes. The smell was strong as blood gathered on the floor.

Isabella was standing in the middle of it all, unharmed, her gun still smoking.

She turned to face Romano, the last man standing, and Leo watched.

He had attempted to flee.

He was now kneeling and looking up at Isabella with wide, frightened eyes.

He shook his hands and gasped, "Wait." "Please. We can have a conversation—

Isabella's head cocked. "Speak?"

Romano gave a frantic nod. "Moretti—I'm being used! He'll— if you kill me.

BANG!

Just one shot.

Romano fell to the ground, dead.

Isabella lowered her gun and let out a soft exhale.

Leo approached and peered down at

the corpse. "No pity?"

Her expression was unreadable as she turned to face him. "Did he show any to you?"

Leo grinned. "You make a valid point."

Isabella took a step in his direction and touched his chest. "This was only the start."

Leo looked about him at the devastation.

This battle was theirs.

However, Moretti's war was far from over.

Leo was also prepared.

Because it was more than just survival this time.

It was a matter of revenge.