Page 33 of Control (Dark Syndicate #1)

Daniela

I’m scrubbing the kitchen counter for the third time today, but the rhythmic motion doesn’t help. My thoughts keep drifting to him. His piercing eyes, the way they hold secrets I’m not sure I want to uncover. And then the truth—the awful, jagged truth—claws its way back in.

Remo Callegari killed my parents.

I press harder, the sponge squeaking against the surface.

How do you reconcile something like that?

You don’t. Not really. You bury it, maybe, under layers of anger, confusion, and something disturbingly close to longing.

I can’t stand being around him right now, so I’ve been avoiding him, keeping my focus on painting, cooking for his people, and anything that lets me pretend my life isn’t crumbling.

But it’s like trying to outrun a storm. He’s everywhere, a shadow in the corner of my mind, impossible to ignore.

Adeline’s laugh filters through my thoughts, a memory of her teasing me about how I take life too seriously flashing in my mind. Maybe she’s right. Maybe I need to get out of here, even if just for a little while. Being locked up in this house feels like slow suffocation.

I grab my phone and type out a message: Need to see you. Can we meet?

Adeline replies almost immediately: Of course. My treat, but you owe me for bailing on our last coffee date.

A small smile tugs at my lips.

Convincing Remo to let me leave is harder than I expected. His jaw tightens, the scar along his neck catching the light as he paces the room.

“You’re asking me to send you out there like a lamb to the slaughter,” he snaps.

“It’s just a coffee shop, Remo. Adeline’s place isn’t exactly on the mafia’s radar.”

“You think that matters?” He stops pacing, pinning me with a glare. “Leone would slit your throat just to send me a message. You’re not going anywhere alone.”

“I’m not asking to go alone,” I argue. “Livia and two of your goons can babysit me. Happy?”

His silence stretches uncomfortably long before he finally relents and nods. “Fine. But text me.”

The café Adeline picks is cozy and tucked away, its ivy-covered walls a stark contrast to the chaos of my life. I sip on my coffee, letting the warmth soothe some of the tension in my chest. Adeline leans forward, her chin resting on her hand as she studies me.

“You look like you haven’t slept in days,” she points out.

“Thanks for the confidence boost.”

She grins. “You’re welcome. But seriously, though, what’s going on? You’ve been avoiding my calls, and now you show up looking like you’re auditioning for a zombie movie.”

I hesitate, swirling the coffee in my cup. “It’s…complicated.”

Her eyes narrow. “Complicated how? Does it have anything to do with your mysterious boyfriend?”

“Something like that.” I glance at Livia, who’s sitting a few tables away, her sharp eyes scanning the room. “It’s…messy, Adeline. Let’s leave it at that.”

Before she can press further, a loud crash shatters the relative calm of the café. My head snaps up, and my stomach drops as men in dark suits burst through the door, guns drawn.

“Down! Everyone down!” one of them shouts.

Adeline freezes, her face pale. I grab her arm, pulling her behind me as chaos erupts. Livia leaps to her feet, her weapon already drawn.

“Go,” she barks at me. “Now!”

I don’t think. I just grab Adeline’s hand and run. We duck behind a dumpster in the alley the moment we exit the back door. My hands shake as I fumble for my phone to call Remo. Screams and gunshots continue to echo in the distance.

The line rings once. Twice.

Before it can connect, a hand grabs me from behind, and a blade presses against my throat, cold and unforgiving, as my phone is snatched away and tossed into the bin.

“Not so fast,” a voice growls.

I catch a glimpse of Livia through the alley entrance just in time to see her crumple to the ground. A single gunshot echoes in my ears, and I scream. The man holding me strikes me hard across the head. Pain explodes behind my eyes, and the world goes black.

When I come to, my head throbs, and the cold, damp air bites at my skin. I’m chained to the wall of a basement, and my wrists are raw from the metal cuffs. Water drips somewhere, a steady, mocking rhythm. As I lick my dry lips, the metallic tang of blood fills my mouth.

Footsteps echo, deliberate and heavy, and soon, a man steps into view, his presence commanding the dimly lit room.

He’s tall and imposing, with dark, brooding features that seem to be carved from granite.

His sharp suit is immaculate, the kind of tailored perfection that screams power.

His hair, black as ink, is slicked back, and his cruel smile sends a chill racing down my spine.

There’s an aristocratic air about him, and it’s as if the very walls should bow in his presence.

He crouches in front of me, his eyes scanning my face with unsettling intensity. “Awake already? Impressive,” he says, his tone smooth and almost pleasant. “You’ve got guts. I’ll give you that.”

I stare at him, the pounding in my head making it hard to think straight. “Who the hell are you?” I manage, though my voice comes out weaker than I want it to.

He chuckles, a low, mocking sound that reverberates in the damp space.

“Forgive me, how rude of me not to introduce myself.” He rises, adjusting his cuffs with a practiced elegance.

“Leone Vizzini,” he says, inclining his head slightly as though his name alone should explain everything.

“I’m the man your dear Remo wishes he could be. ”

The name rings a faint bell, but my thoughts are sluggish. All I know is that he’s dangerous. More dangerous than anyone I’ve ever encountered.

“What do you want from me?” I ask, trying to keep the tremor out of my voice.

Leone tilts his head, studying me like I’m some rare exhibit. “Want? That’s such a simplistic way of looking at things.” He leans closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “This isn’t about what I want, my dear. It’s about what I can take.”

“Where’s Adeline?” My voice comes out hoarse, but I force myself to meet his gaze.

“Safe, for now. She’s not my concern. You, on the other hand…”

My stomach twists, but I force myself to hold his gaze. “Remo will come for me.”

“Oh, I’m counting on it.” He straightens, clasping his hands behind his back. “Do you know what I love about opera?” he asks all of a sudden as if we’re having a casual conversation.

I blink, caught off guard by the question. “What?”

“The drama. The passion. The inevitable tragedy.” He smiles, but there’s no warmth in it. “Every note, every act, building toward a crescendo of heartbreak and despair. Beautiful, isn’t it?”

I don’t answer. Especially since he doesn’t seem to need me to.

“You’re the crescendo, Daniela. The final, devastating act in Remo’s little opera. And when the curtain falls, he’ll have nothing left but the echoes of his failure.”

My chest tightens, fear clawing at the edges of my composure. “You’re insane.”

“Perhaps.” Leone shrugs as though the idea amuses him.

“But then again, insanity and genius often share the same stage.” He laughs, a soft, chilling sound.

“Every bullet I put through you will be for the brother he stole from me.” His voice is like ice, sharp and cutting.

“I won’t stop until he’s lost everything. ”

The door creaks open, and a man steps in to murmur something to Leone. Leone nods, his gaze never leaving mine. “Duty calls,” he says, straightening his jacket. “But don’t worry. We’ll have plenty of time to get acquainted. Welcome to my world, Daniela. Let’s see how well you perform.”

As he turns to leave, his parting words hang in the air like a death sentence.

He leaves me alone with my thoughts, and they’re not kind. I remember Livia’s lifeless body and the blood pooling around her. The bastard shot her.

Then, I think of Remo, his voice low and gravelly, telling me to stay safe.

And I wonder if safety is even possible in a world like this.