The Countdown Begins

The city felt colder that night. Or maybe it was just Luca, standing on the edge of something he wasn't sure he'd survive.

Forty-eight hours.

That was all he had to take out a man no one had ever gotten close enough to touch.

Killian D'Angelo wasn't just another target. He was the monster in the dark, the kind of man who crushed threats before they even became problems.

And now Luca was supposed to be the one to end him.

The weight of it pressed against his ribs as he sat on the rooftop overlooking Killian's penthouse. Sienna's blueprints lay spread before him, marked with every possible entry point.

None of them were good.

Killian had more security than some world leaders. Armed men. Cameras. Motion detectors.

And worst of all—Killian himself.

Luca had heard the stories. He'd seen what Killian had done to people who crossed him. And he had no doubt that if he failed, his body would never be found.

The wind howled, cold and biting. Luca exhaled, forcing himself to focus.

He needed a plan.

—

The First Move

Luca wasn't going in blind. He needed to test Killian's security before making his move.

That's why, at exactly 2:47 a.m., a power surge hit the south side of Killian's building.

Nothing major. Just enough to flicker the lights, to force his security team to run a system check.

Luca watched from the rooftop as the guards moved—who responded, how fast, and what routes they took.

A fifteen-second delay in camera reboot.

A blind spot near the service entrance when the power resets.

Not much, but it was something.

Luca smirked. "You're not untouchable, Killian."

He packed up and disappeared into the night.

Tomorrow, he'd be back.

And this time, he wouldn't just be watching.

—

The Unexpected Problem

Luca barely made it three blocks before he sensed it—he was being followed.

He didn't turn, didn't react, just kept walking. Letting whoever it was think he hadn't noticed.

Then, in one fluid motion, he ducked into an alley, pressed himself against the wall, and waited.

A shadow moved at the entrance. A figure stepped in.

Tall. Confident. Dangerous.

Luca moved fast, grabbing the man and slamming him into the wall, his gun already pressed against the stranger's ribs.

Then he saw the face.

And his stomach dropped.

Killian D'Angelo.

Standing there. Smirking.

Like he'd been waiting for this.

Luca's grip on the gun tightened. "You've got to be kidding me."

Killian just tilted his head. "You're sloppy."

Luca scowled. "And you're out here alone. Risky, don't you think?"

Killian chuckled. "Who said I'm alone?"

A knife pressed against Luca's back. A second shadow.

Luca exhaled sharply. Shit.

This wasn't just bad.

This was a death sentence.

—

Next Chapter: Killian's Game