Sold to the Capo-Chapter 111: BAIT AND A BULLET

VINCENZO’S POV

I stared at the text long enough to notice any pattern in it. I had read the text so many times over that I knew it word by word now. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

How did this make any sense? Grace wouldn’t send a text, would she?

The thought didn’t sit well with me. Someone who I suspected of taking the ledger was casually sending me a text? She knew that if she had revealed herself to any other person in the family, they wouldn’t bother to know if she was innocent, they would rather just put a bullet through her head and somehow i would also be tempted to do the same.

There was a sharp knock on my door and I whipped my gaze up to stare at the door, wondering who would come here when they weren’t allowed here without me calling them or it being something that important that it couldn’t wait.

"Come in" I called out gruffly.

The door was pushed open and I saw Salvatore poke his head into the room, a serious look on his face. "Sorry for barging into your room bㅡ"

"Round it up" I leaned back in my chair, picking my phone from my table while I gave him a glance that screamed of boredom.

He didn’t look like he appreciated my attitude but he knew what would happen if he said shit about it, I was baiting him, waiting for him to slip and he was smart enough not to do it. "Valentina just told me that there’s a new plan and I know that I’ll be able to get that in place aㅡ"

"I think I’m fairly certain about that. Can you skip to the good part and if there is none, maybe just leave?" I suggested with a raised brow as I tried to call my men again in Barcelona but they were still switched off.

Fuck.

At this point, I would be tempted to fly to Costa Rica to make sure my wife was fine.

Salvatore cleared his throat. "I was able to contact someone there at my mansion and Micheal isn’t in the mansion." He reported.

My gaze shot up to meet his. "Excuse me?" I growled, waiting for him to repeat himself.

He cleared his throat, straightening his posture. "Micheal had left the Haven about seven hours ago saying he would be back in a few hours but apparently he hadn’t come back" He explained

I looked at my phone and immediately dialled his number and just as expected, it was now unreachable. He must have left shortly after I had called him earlier this day. Son of a bitch!

"What about Adriana?" I asked.

"Not there also. I’ve sent people after the both of them but Micheal didn’t leave with Adriana, they’re sure of that."

I buried my face in my hands,this is not what I envisioned for myself today at all. "Contact my men as soon as they land and tell them to join your party" I ordered and he nodded, his expression blank.

"What else?", he asked, his voice now a bit soft.

I looked up at him and looked back down at the floor, a thousand thoughts running through my mind. "If you find Micheal, leave him alive for me. I’ll travel to Costa Rica myself because I can’t just sit here and wait for you guys to come up with results. Get the plane ready and tell the pilot to be ready to leave at dawn, okay?", I asked, relaying my plan to him.

He looked a bit taken aback by my words but he just nodded, refusing to voice his opinions as he bowed to me and left.

Suddenly I was left alone as I switched my phone lights on so I could go through Grace message.

Fuck this.

I stared at the text for the hundredth time, memorizing every word, every punctuation, searching for something—anything—that could indicate a trap.

Nothing.

No threats. No demands. Just that.

I didn’t believe in coincidences, and I didn’t believe in mercy either. If this was really her, she had either lost her damn mind or was already dead, and someone was using her name to bait me.

I grabbed my gun, silencer attached, sliding it into my holster. Then another, smaller one at my ankle. A blade strapped inside my jacket. This wasn’t a negotiation or a simple meeting.

I left the mansion without a word, my men unaware of my departure. If I let anyone know, they’d try to stop me, slow me down. That wasn’t an option.

I slid into the driver’s seat of my black SUV, fingers tightening around the wheel as I drove into the night, my mind running through every possible scenario as to what I was walking into.

Grace wouldn’t be alone.

She wasn’t that stupid. If she had stolen the ledger and was against us as that email we had seen from an anonymous source said, she had given the legder to someone. If she had gotten it before Henry.

I drove for an hour, passing abandoned streets, the city falling into eerie silence the further I went. Then, twenty minutes away from the meeting spot, I killed the headlights and parked the car.

From here, I’d walk.

The less noise, the better.

I moved through the dark, my body tense as I crept through empty alleyways and side streets. The wind howled through the cracks of buildings, and I could hear the distant sound of a dog barking somewhere.

I kept my gun ready, finger hovering near the trigger, my senses on high alert.

Then, finally, I saw it.

The square where the person had asked to meet.

It was old, abandoned. A single flickering streetlight cast shadows against cracked pavement, the air heavy with the tension of what was to come.

I crouched low behind an overturned dumpster, my gaze scanning the area. Nothing.

There would be something later, I knew that much.

Seconds stretched into minutes. My patience thinned as I waited for her or whoever to show up so I could see them.

Then, movement.

I stiffened, my grip tightening on my gun as I spotted a figure stepping into the square.

Grace.

The dim light caught her face, and I felt a strange, brief relief. It was really her. Thankfully someone wasn’t trying to use her against me.

But I still didn’t trust her.

I watched. Waited. Wanted to see if she’d show any sign that she was trying to bait me. She seemed awfully nervous, her hood obscuring her face slightly and I realized that she wasn’t armed.

Her posture was tense, her head turning left and right, searching. For me.

Okay, this should be It for me. I quickly scanned around the area for any shadows, the buildings could quickly hide someone if they chose to remain hidden. I needed her alive but I couldn’t afford to walk into a trap.

She let out an aggravated sigh, mumbling something under her breath as she kicked a loose stone. She was getting frustrated, ready to leave.

Time to move.

I crept forward, silent as a ghost, reaching her from behind in seconds. Before she could react, I clamped a hand over her mouth and pressed my gun to the back of her head.

She froze.

"Don’t scream," I muttered in her ear, my voice low and dangerous.

Her body trembled against mine, her breath ragged.

Slowly, I loosened my grip, my eyes scanning the area to make sure no one was hiding in the shadows. Still clear.

Then—

Pain exploded in the back of my skull.

A gun barrel or something had hit me.

I stumbled forward, vision blurring for half a second before instinct kicked in.

Another swing came. I dodged even though it was barely this time.

The attacker moved fast, but I was faster. I caught his wrist, twisting it hard until I heard a snap and a strangled cry followed.

I drove my fist into his ribs—once, twice—before kicking his legs out from under him.

He crashed to the ground, gasping.

I was on him instantly, knee digging into his chest, gun shoved against his temple.

"Who sent you?" I growled, pressing harder.

"Stop!" Grace’s voice rang out, panic lacing her tone. "Vincenzo, stop! He’s not—"

But I wasn’t listening. I cocked the gun, ready to pull the trigger.

Then—

I felt cold steel press against the back of my head.

Another gun.

A familiar voice.

"Step away from him, Vincenzo. Please... don’t shoot..." The person said, relief evident in their tone even as they pressed the gun into my skin proper.

I froze.

Then I smirked.

That voice.

I tilted my head slightly, just enough to catch a glimpse of her face.

Adriana.

Relief and confusion clashed inside me. She was back in Sicily?

A slow grin stretched across my lips.

"How many times would I tell you not to point a gun at my head, Tesoro?" I smirked even though deep down all I wanted to do was pick her up in my arms and hug her tightly.

She pulled her gun away, a small smile on her face. "Let’s talk"