Page 47 of Single Mom's Mafia Daddies

I made sure the door shut loudly enough to announce my presence before I crossed the kitchen and opened the refrigerator to grab my protein shake and the carton of boiled eggs I kept on hand. The shift in dynamic between Alessio and Lila was none of my business, I reminded myself, so I kept my mouth shut and filed the information away in case I needed it later. Alessio grew more volatile with every passing day. This change offered a chance for things to calm down, but if Lila retreated from him, it could go the other way.

“Morning, Renzo.” Lila hopped up from the chair and scooted around the counter to stand in front of me. “Alessio told me what happened last night. Thank you for looking out for him.”

“It’s my job.” I winced at the harshness that roared through me. “And it’s what friends do for each other.”

Her smile gathered up all the joy in the world and shot it straight into my chest. I rubbed at the ache and turned away.“I’m going to the security room. Need to review last night’s footage.”

It was a short trek from the kitchen to the security room, and I opened the nondescript black door to find Bruce waiting for me. He rubbed his eyes and pushed a chair toward me. “Figured you’d be in soon. I cued up all the footage from last night.”

The room used to be a large pantry, but I’d converted it into a security hub with Matteo’s help. Monitors covered the long wall, each of them wired for a different section of the estate. We could control everything from here, but this was only one of three hubs. I had a backup for the backup in case of multiple emergencies. They were a risk, but I knew better than to think no one would ever reach this room where they could control our safety without giving us a possible way to fight back. Matteo and I were the only two people in the world who knew about my secondary systems and hidden rooms.

Bruce tapped a command on the keyboard. “How far back should I go?”

“Start from the time we left.” I had a gut feeling we’d missed something. Battles were won and lost on gut feelings, and I’d learned to listen to mine. We’d escaped the Verduccis twice, and both times it had seemed too easy. We should have died that first night. And we shouldn’t have been able to escape last night. It was almost as though theywantedto let us go. Why?

I popped a boiled egg into my mouth and chewed as the screen in front of me clicked on. After we painstakingly reviewed recorded footage from our investigation and search of Verducci’s building, we watched the footage from our own domain.

The cameras in the wolves’ eyes at the gate gave me a clear view of the street in either direction. No sane enemy came at us from the front. Then again, Luca wasn’t sane. His brother kept him on a short leash, but even the black-haired demon Vincenzo couldn’t control The Ghost all the time.

I shifted my attention to the second set of cameras that overlooked the southern side of the wall and the estate. The mansion stood in the background, a white behemoth amid a sea of black. The windows were shadowed, impossible to see through, so I concentrated on the wall. Several of Luca’s men had scaled it on Monday, leaving behind deep gouges in the stone. Seeing the torn-out chunks infuriated me, but something else grabbed my attention.

“The sensors are out.” I tapped the screen. “There. There should be two red lights for the motion sensors.”

My gut twisted as the possible implications rampaged. Seconds passed on the screen, then a face appeared over the top of the wall. I checked the timestamp. Two hours after Alessio and I left. While we faced off with Luca, his men were scouting the house. The man leaped to the ground and sprinted toward the far corner of the estate.

I squinted. “Is that the tunnel entrance?”

“One of them. It’s closed off, though. Justin checked it to make sure.” Bruce eyed me from the side. “You thinking what I’m thinking?”

“We’ve been compromised.”

I’d already known—I’d even warned Lila—but damn the building evidence was a shitshow. It was always a risk to bring in more men. Alessio trusted me to bring in people who wouldn’t betray us, and I paid handsomely to ensure trust. But it seems they were bought anyway. I’d failed to meet my mission parameters. Alessio had to hear this from me. “Bruce.” I waited for him to look up.

“Get the men out. I’ll call you when we’re clear.” I checked my watch as I stood. I’d worked through the day, and Alessio should be in his office down the hall unless something called him away.

Or Lila distracted him.

“It’s been a pleasure working with you, sir.” Bruce stood and held out a hand. “I hope we see each other again.”

I slapped my palm to his and gripped his shoulder with my other hand, shaking him back and forth. “It’s been my pleasure. Now do your job, soldier.”

He snapped a salute.

In any other situation, I’d handle the men myself, but I had bigger priorities. I entered Alessio’s office after a single knock. He sat behind his desk, the wrecked room looking like something from a horror film. “We have to go.”

“How bad?”

“Level three.” I palmed my phone. “You have thirty minutes. I’ll get Lila and Leo prepared to vacate.” I paused, the regret almost too much to bear. “There’s likely a man in the tunnels. Maybe more. I should stay behind and deal with him.”

“You’re coming with us.” Alessio pointed a finger at my chest. “I warned you once about this martyr bullshit.”

“Yes, sir.” I spun around and marched out of the office.

Leo scampered up to me. “We’re going outside to play. Can you come?”

“Not yet.” I managed a smile. “Don’t go outside. I need to talk to your mom for a minute. Okay?”

“Okay.” Leo ran over to the bench seat beside the French doors and clambered up.