Chapter 76

The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife-not that Enzo wanted to test that theory. He and Isabella sat in the dimly lit room, both exhausted but too paranoid to rest properly. They had been on the run for what felt like forever, dodging enemies at every turn. It was like life had turned into a never-ending game of hide-and-seek, except the seekers had guns and a serious grudge.

Isabella shifted uncomfortably, her eyes scanning the room, as though the walls themselves were hiding some threat. "This feels too quiet," she muttered, rubbing her arms as if to shake off the uneasy feeling crawling up her spine.

"Yeah," Enzo agreed. His gut was screaming at him that something was wrong. He couldn't put his finger on it, but the silence felt like the calm before a storm. "Too quiet."

And right on cue, chaos decided to crash their little break.

Out of nowhere, something sharp came flying toward Enzo's face. His reflexes kicked in just in time, and he dodged, the blade barely missing his cheek by an inch. The knife embedded itself into the wooden wall behind him, still vibrating from the force.

Isabella gasped, her eyes darting around the room. "What the hell-"

Then they saw him. Leo.

One of their own. One of the few people they actually trusted. He stood there, completely unbothered, another knife twirling in his fingers like this was just another Tuesday.

Enzo blinked, disbelief washing over him. "Leo?"

Leo tilted his head slightly, as if confused by their confusion. "What? You thought you could keep running forever?" His voice was eerily calm, but there was a sharpness to it that sent chills down Isabella's spine.

She frowned, her hand instinctively moving closer to the gun holstered at her side, though she had no intention of using it yet. "Leo, what are you doing?"

Leo sighed, almost like he was disappointed in them. Like this betrayal was somehow their fault. "You should have stayed dead, Enzo."

Well. That was not what Enzo expected to hear tonight. His mind raced, trying to make sense of the sudden betrayal. What was Leo talking about? Staying dead? He hadn't died. Not yet.

Before Enzo could demand answers, Leo lunged again. This time, Enzo was ready. He ducked, barely avoiding the slash aimed at his throat. The air whooshed past his ear as Leo's knife sliced through the space he had occupied a second earlier. Isabella scrambled backward, her eyes wild with panic. She grabbed a metal chair-because if this fight was happening, she wasn't about to just sit there like a damsel in distress.

Leo leaned in close, his breath warm against Enzo's ear as he whispered, "You were never supposed to last this long."

The words were cold, loaded with some kind of sinister intent that Enzo couldn't quite understand. Leo's knife came flying toward him again, aimed right for his heart.

Enzo twisted at the last second, feeling the knife slice past his arm instead of straight into his chest. The pain was sharp, but it was nothing compared to the searing anger that flooded his veins. Well, that was slightly better. He grabbed Leo's wrist, twisting it hard enough to make the knife clatter to the ground.

Leo didn't seem bothered. Nope, he just used his other hand to slam his elbow into Enzo's jaw. The force of the hit sent Enzo stumbling back, his head swimming as he shook his head to clear the stars now dancing in his vision.

"Oh, you are so dead," Isabella growled. She grabbed the metal chair she had been holding and swung it full force at Leo's shoulder.

The impact sent him stumbling. "Really?" he muttered, rubbing his arm. "A chair?"

"I was aiming for your head," Isabella shot back, her voice laced with frustration and anger.

Leo grinned. Actually grinned like he wasn't currently trying to kill them. "You always did have a temper."

Before she could fire back, Leo pulled out another knife because apparently, one wasn't enough. He lunged at Isabella this time, the blade glinting under the dim light. He wasn't even trying to hide the sadistic pleasure in his eyes as he prepared for the next attack.

She dodged, but not fast enough. The knife grazed her arm, leaving behind a stinging cut. The pain made her gasp, but she didn't stop. She wasn't going down without a fight. Enzo was already moving, the adrenaline rushing through him as he tackled Leo to the ground. The two men crashed to the floor in a messy tangle of fists and rage.

Leo was fast, but Enzo was fueled by pure anger and betrayal. A few brutal punches later, Enzo finally managed to pin Leo down, his breath coming fast and heavy. "Who sent you?" he demanded, his fist clenched in Leo's collar, his knuckles pressing against the fabric as he shook him.

Leo, bleeding but still somehow smirking, shook his head. "You'll find out soon enough."

And then-because this night clearly wasn't dramatic enough-Leo reached for another hidden blade, aiming straight for Enzo's throat.

Enzo's eyes widened as he saw the gleam of the blade. He wasn't fast enough to dodge it this time. But before Leo could strike, Isabella didn't hesitate. She grabbed Enzo's gun from the table and fired.

The sound was deafening, the crack of the shot echoing through the room. Enzo's body tensed, the impact of the bullet making Leo gasp as it struck him. His body jerked, his hand going slack, and the knife slipped from his fingers as he collapsed onto the floor.

For a moment, the only sound was Isabella's shaky breathing. Her heart was racing in her chest, her hands trembling as the adrenaline surged through her. Enzo was still breathing heavily, his eyes never leaving Leo's lifeless body.

Then-footsteps. A lot of them.

Leo's lips curled into a weak but knowing smile. "You have no idea what you've started," he whispered, his voice faint, but laced with some dark forewarning.

And then-he was gone.

The door BURST open. Reinforcements. A whole lot of them.

Enzo didn't even think. He grabbed Isabella's hand and pulled.

"Move!"

Bullets tore through the air behind them, barely missing as they sprinted for the back exit. Each step felt like it could be their last, but they didn't slow down. Not now.

They burst into the alley, the cold night air slapping them in the face. The sharpness of the cold only reminded them of how alive they were-alive, but for how much longer? The tension in the pit of Enzo's stomach tightened with each passing second. Isabella's heart pounded in her chest, her legs burning as she tried to keep up with Enzo's pace. It wasn't enough just to run. They needed a plan.

"This is getting ridiculous!" she panted. "How many times do we have to almost die in one week?"

"Not enough," Enzo muttered, his voice tight with frustration.

His fingers flew over his phone as he dialed Vince's number, his mind racing as he tried to come up with a backup plan. Come on. Pick up.

Nothing.

He tried again.

Still nothing.

"Oh, that is not a good sign," Isabella muttered, glancing over her shoulder, her eyes narrowed as she scanned the alleyway. They were running out of options-and fast. Whoever was after them had eyes everywhere, and now it seemed they were completely cut off from the only person who could help them.

"No response?" Isabella asked, already knowing the answer.

Enzo didn't look up from his phone. He cursed under his breath and tossed it into his pocket, already trying to think of the next move.

"No response," he said, his voice grim.

That wasn't bad luck. That was planned.

They ducked into another alley, their backs pressed against the cold brick wall. Enzo was already trying to figure out their next move. "We need to disappear," he said, his mind racing.

Before he could finish, Isabella's phone buzzed.

She looked down, breath catching in her throat.

One new message.

Her hands trembled as she unlocked the screen.

Run all you want, but you belong to us.

Oh, hell no.

Before she could even show Enzo, a car screeched to a stop at the alley's entrance.

Headlights flooded the narrow space.

A shadow stepped out.

A gun was raised.

And it was pointed right at them.

Whoever this was, they weren't here to talk.