Chapter 3 - The Alliance of Blood
Rain began to lash against the tall arched windows of La Corona, blurring the lights of the boats anchored in the harbor below. Gio motioned with a slight flick of his fingers, and Luca immediately stepped forward, clearing the remaining guests from the dining room with quiet, unquestioned authority. Within minutes, the grand hall was empty, leaving only Gio, Isadora, and the quiet hum of the sea.
"If Marco finds out Julian Marino’s daughter is alive, he will mobilize half the underworld of Southern Italy to hunt you down," Gio said, rising from his chair. He walked over to the window, staring out into the tempestuous night. "Why come here now? Why reveal yourself to me in such a public, chaotic manner?"
"Because you were slipping," Isadora said, standing up to face his back. "For four years, I worked in this restaurant, watching you from behind the kitchen doors. I watched you make deals with the very men who funded the attack on your childhood home. You were becoming comfortable. You were becoming arrogant. Throwing a napkin at a waitress because she spilled a drop of wine? That isn't power, Giovanni. That is the behavior of a nervous boy trying to convince himself he is a king."
Gio turned around slowly, his expression unreadable. "You risked your life to insult me just to test my reaction?"
"I risked my life to see if there was any of your father left inside you," she said, stepping closer. "And when you pushed that key across the table—when you offered me an easy escape—I knew you weren't completely rotten. A monster would have had me killed in the alley. A coward would have handed me over to Marco. You tried to protect me, even while pretending to dismiss me."
Gio let out a bitter, low laugh. "Protection in this world is an illusion. The moment you threw that ice, you made us a spectacle. By tomorrow morning, every faction from Sorrento to Salerno will know that a waitress defied Giovanni Rossi and walked away breathing. They will think I am soft."
"Let them think you are changing," Isadora said, her eyes flashing with determination. "Use their miscalculation against them. Marco is planning a coup during the Feast of Saint Anthony this weekend. He believes you are distracted by luxury and political bribes. He took my bag tonight because he has an informant in your staff—someone who recognized me and wanted to prevent us from speaking."
Gio’s posture instantly stiffened. "An informant in La Corona?"
May you like
"Yes," Isadora said. "The lock on my locker wasn't picked; it was opened with a master key. Only three people have access to those keys: you, Emilio, and the head of security."
Gio turned his sharp gaze toward the kitchen doors. "Matteo," he called out, his voice turning to steel. "Bring the security logs. Now."
