Page 168 of Double Trouble for the Mafia Prince

Rafa screams as the bullet punches into his thigh.

He folds, hand flying to the wound, blood blooming through the fabric of his pants as he crashes to the floor.

Gianna pulls away in that moment.

Arditi’s hand jerks toward the console.

"Touch that," I say, voice cold, steady, "and I blow your fucking hand off."

Arditi stops.

Gianna stumbles back into my arms.

Her breath is shaky, but her grip is iron-tight on my wrist.

Rafa is still trying to crawl toward her, one hand slipping in his own blood.

"Gianna," he chokes, "we were supposed to fix it."

"You broke it first," she says, even as her tears are running free. I keep the gun on both of them as Marco and Tomas rush in behind me, sweeping wide with cover.

The rest of the team fills the space in seconds.

Arditi is cuffed.

Rafa is dragged upright by his collar, face slick with sweat and desperation.

28

GIANNA

The chamber is quiet again.

The only sound left is the soft hum of machinery and the gentle rasp of my breath.

I stand at the center console, alone now except for Dante, who lingers a step behind me, his hand still close to mine.

The others have taken Rafa and Arditi upstairs.

Marco stayed behind to secure the perimeter.

But in this moment, no one speaks. No one moves.

Only me.

The screen blinks.

RR – Legacy Terminal / Umbra System Awaiting Biometric Unlock

It’s waiting for me.

I place my hand against the scanner.

My fingers tremble slightly, but I press down until the machine accepts the print and begins to warm beneath my skin.

The floor vibrates with quiet confirmation.

Lights blink to green.