CHAPTER 13 CHANGE OF PLAN

I was supposed to go back home, but I had to change my plans. A call from someone I used to know changed everything. I hadn't wanted to drag him into this, but he had already figured it out.

"Sera, I know you're in Italy. Li Wei is here too. I've been tracking him, but by the time I get there, he'll be gone. Can you take him?" Raveer's voice was sharp, urgent.

It was an unexpected request, but I didn't need to ask what Li Wei was up to. We had clashed before—his operations at the border had caused chaos. He had sent his men into a village, leaving behind devastation. But at the time, we couldn't do anything. It was election season, and the government didn't want us making a move. It was an unfinished mission—one that had stayed with me long after us disbanded.

"Of course. With pleasure," I replied.

Raveer already had a plan in place. That evening, I entered the brothel he had scouted. Li Wei had a habit—he always chose a girl as his escort for the night's event, only to discard her after using her. A vile man.

I waited, dressed in the most revealing, sultry outfit I could find. If he didn't pick me, I had a plan B. But I didn't have to worry.

"Oh, look at this brown skin," Li Wei drawled as his fingers gripped my chin, tilting my face up to inspect me like I was nothing more than a piece of meat. "Maybe I'll go for something a little spicy tonight."

I wanted to snap his wrist, to carve my blade into his throat. But now wasn't the time. His men were all around.

Instead, I smiled, leaning in just enough to play along. "I'll make sure you never try any other spice," I purred.

He smirked, satisfied.

Good.

Because tonight, I was going to make sure he never tasted anything again.

"Take her to the boutique and get her dressed. I want her with me at the ball."

He moved me like I was some kind of commodity, just another object in his collection.

The staff got me ready—dress, makeup, the works. Li Wei treated women like accessories, something to be shown off and discarded. I already had my mask on; it was a themed party, one of those exclusive events where the wealthiest people gathered, each with their own hidden agenda. One wrong move, and it would all be over.

When he came to pick me up, his eyes roamed over me like he was assessing his latest purchase. I played my part, letting him lead me inside the palace. The place reeked of alcohol and greed. Most of the guests were already drunk. Li Wei's arm tightened around my waist, pulling me closer as he downed another drink.

Men around us were eyeing me, some with amusement, others with lust. One of them walked up to Li Wei with a smirk.

"Where'd you get this bitch from?"

Li Wei laughed, tipping his glass. "A special place."

Lucky for me, no one could see my face beneath the mask. But then, I felt it—someone watching me. A different kind of stare.

Antonio.

Oh, for fuck's sake.

Did he recognize me? No. There was no way. I was masked, dressed completely differently. He probably thought I had left Italy already. Still, I needed to make this quick.

I turned my attention back to Li Wei, trailing my fingers up his thigh, leaning in just enough for him to catch the teasing glint in my eyes.

"Why don't we go to your room?" I whispered, biting my lower lip.

He fixated on my lips, his fingers tracing the outline of my jaw as he licked his own. That was it. He was mine.

With no hesitation, he grabbed my wrist and dragged me toward a private room. As soon as the door shut, I pushed him onto a chair, straddling his lap, pressing my lips against his neck.

Disgusting. But I kept going.

As his head tilted back, lost in pleasure, I moved swiftly. My right hand clamped over his mouth before he could make a sound. With my left, I drove the dagger deep into his neck, twisting just enough to feel the resistance give way. 

I leaned in close, my lips just beside his ear. My voice was a whisper, cold and final. " It's a goodbye from Silent Thunder "

His body jerked, eyes wide with shock. But it wasn't enough. I tilted my head, savouring the moment, then leaned in, letting my smile deepen as I drove the blade back into his throat—slow this time, deliberate. I yanked the blade out and drove it into him again. As I pulled the dagger out, I felt a rush—pure, intoxicating satisfaction.

Poison. Quick and efficient.

Just as I stood up, the door burst open. Instinct kicked in—I moved fast, spinning toward the intruder, blade poised at their throat.

A strong hand caught my wrist.

The grip was familiar. 

Antonio' POV

The party was the usual cesspool of drunk men, desperate deals, and fake smiles. I leaned back against the balcony railing, watching the room with disinterest. My mind was elsewhere

Then I saw her.

At first, just a silhouette, wrapped around Li Wei like a perfectly placed trap. A woman in a sleek dress, masked, but there was something about the way she moved—the slow, calculated way her fingers traced his arm, the tilt of her head when she whispered against his ear. My jaw clenched. A cold knot formed in his stomach as he watched the way she leaned into him, how her eyes sparkled as if she was actually enjoying his company.

Sera.

She was supposed to be gone. Back home. Not here, wrapped around that bastard like she belonged there. 

I took a slow sip of my drink, keeping my expression neutral, watching. Li Wei was already drunk, too distracted to see the predator in his lap. I had a feeling he was about to realise it far too late.

Minutes later, I saw them leave, her hand on his chest, his grip possessive on her waist. My fingers tightened around my glass. I shouldn't follow. This wasn't my problem. Oh fuck it, I don't care. I moved.

By the time I reached the hallway, the door to his private room was slightly ajar. Inside, I heard a wet gurgling sound—then silence. I pushed the door open, in a blink, the bloodstained dagger was at my throat, her body pressing against mine, ready to strike.

I caught her wrist before she could push the blade further.

She was staring at me like she would kill me in the next second, and damn it, it made my heartbeat faster, my body reacting in ways I couldn't control. There was no fear, no hesitation—just pure, unfiltered danger. And I found myself drawn to it, even as it terrified me.

Her hand moved slowly, deliberately, and she licked the blood off her finger. That moment seemed to stretch into eternity, her eyes never leaving mine, and as the crimson stain disappeared from her skin, a drop lingered on her lips. I couldn't look away. The sight of it—her lips, red with blood—made my pulse race in a way I couldn't understand.

She didn't even seem to care about the blood, didn't flinch at the violence. In fact, she seemed to enjoy it. It was like I was watching another side of her—something I wasn't sure I was prepared to see.

God, she's dangerous. And the thought didn't scare me—it thrilled me.

But there was something else in her eyes too—a glint of satisfaction, a dark pleasure in her own power, and I couldn't look away from it.

It was the blood on her lips, the way she looked at me, as if she could kill me in an instant—and I wouldn't even know what hit me. And damn it, I wanted to see more.