Chapter 74

The dock creaked under Enzo's boots as he stepped forward, the cold night air hitting his face. He could smell the salt from the sea and feel the dampness of the wood beneath him. But none of that mattered right now. All his attention was on the situation at hand.

It wasn't supposed to be this way. The plan had been simple-get in, grab Isabella, and get out. He'd expected a little tension, maybe a few threats, but nothing like this. The dock felt too still, too quiet. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, that something bad was waiting just around the corner.

As he approached the end of the dock, a black SUV rolled up, its headlights cutting through the night like a blade. Enzo's heart skipped a beat. There she was-Isabella. But she didn't look like herself. She was barely standing, her body limp, her head hanging low as two masked men dragged her forward.

Enzo's stomach turned. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. She looked weak like she hadn't had enough food or sleep in days. And those men-they didn't care about her. They were just using her, and that made Enzo's blood boil. He clenched his fists, ready to make a move. But he knew better than to act without thinking. One wrong move and Isabella could be gone.

He took a few slow steps forward, his eyes locked on her. He couldn't let his emotions cloud his judgment. Not now. Not when she was this close.

But just as he reached out to grab her, something cold flickered across his skin. Enzo froze. A red dot appeared right on Isabella's forehead. A sniper's laser. His heart stopped for a second.

"Stop right there," a voice said from the shadows, low and steady. Enzo's eyes shot to the source of the voice, but all he saw was darkness. "Make a move and she dies. You understand?"

Enzo's jaw tightened. The voice belonged to someone he knew wasn't playing around. He had no idea where the shot was coming from, but the laser was enough to stop him in his tracks. He couldn't risk it. Not with Isabella in the line of fire.

He didn't say a word. His body stayed still, every muscle tense as he watched the situation unfold. He had to stay calm. He had to think.

The silence that followed was thick, almost suffocating. The wind kicked up, rustling the leaves in the trees nearby, but it was the only sound in the air. Enzo's thoughts were racing, his mind running through every possible outcome. There had to be a way out of this, but right now, he couldn't see it.

Isabella's eyes flickered toward him, barely open. She looked at him with fear, and that sent a pang of guilt through him. This wasn't supposed to happen.

Then, without warning, the silence shattered. A gunshot rang out. But it wasn't aimed at Isabella. Enzo's heart leaped in his throat as the sniper's laser shifted, and he heard the sound of bullets ricocheting off metal. His instincts kicked in. He hit the ground hard, rolling into cover behind a nearby crate. The world around him erupted into chaos.

He pulled out his gun, his hands trembling as he scanned the area. Vince's men had shown up, and they weren't holding back. Gunfire erupted from all sides, each shot louder than the last. The dock had turned into a battleground, and Enzo didn't have time to think. He just had to survive.

Enzo peeked around the crate, trying to get a look at Isabella. His eyes darted across the dock, trying to find her in the madness. And there she was, still in the hands of the masked men. They were dragging her toward the waiting SUV, her body limp in their arms. His heart skipped a beat as they pulled her closer to the car.

"Not again," he muttered under his breath, pushing himself up and running forward. His body screamed in pain, but he ignored it. There was no time to stop.

He was almost there. He could reach her with just a few more steps. But then another shot rang out, and Isabella was jerked backward. Enzo watched, his chest tightening, as the men loaded her into the SUV.

"No!" Enzo shouted, but his voice was drowned out by the gunfire. The SUV's engine roared to life, and before he could react, it sped off into the night, disappearing into the darkness.

Enzo stood frozen for a moment, watching the car vanish. His hands shook, his chest heaving. She was gone again.

A cold fury washed over him. He couldn't believe it. He had failed. Again.

Enzo collapsed to the ground, his knees buckling beneath him. He was bleeding, but the pain wasn't what made him dizzy. It was the realization that Isabella was out of reach once again. He had come so close, and now she was gone. He didn't know if he could keep going, but he knew he didn't have a choice.

Then he felt someone grab his arm. Vince. Of course. The one man who never seemed to let anything get to him. Vince yanked him up, his eyes cold.

"Get up," Vince said, his voice sharp. "You're not dead yet."

Enzo looked at him, his vision blurred. "She's gone," he whispered, his voice hoarse.

"No," Vince replied, his tone still calm, almost casual. "This is bigger than you think. She's not the only one they're after."

Enzo's head spun as he processed the words. What was Vince talking about? This was about Isabella. It had always been about her.

Vince's eyes never left his. "They want us both dead. And they won't stop until they get it."

The weight of Vince's words hit Enzo like a punch to the gut. It wasn't just about Isabella. The enemy was after both of them. And if they weren't careful, neither of them would make it out alive.

Before Enzo could speak, his phone buzzed. A burner phone. The one he only used when things got really bad. He fumbled to answer it, his hands still shaking.

A distorted voice crackled through the line. "She belongs to us now."

Enzo's blood ran cold. His heart pounded in his chest, his thoughts racing. They had her. And they had no intention of letting her go.

But there was no turning back now. Enzo knew he had to keep going, even if it meant walking straight into hell.