The ties that bind

Chapter 40 - The Trap is Set

"She won't be alone," Matteo reassured. "We'll have eyes on her at all times."

"That's not good enough," Marco snapped, glaring at him. "You're putting her in the line of fire, and you expect us to sit back and wait?"

Serena sighed. "You don't have to like it, but this is happening."

Marco let out a low curse, shaking his head. "Damn it, Serena."

"I'll be careful."

Marco scoffed. "You always say that."

"And I always survive."

Silence.

It was Raffaele who broke it this time. "When do we start?"

Lorenzo exchanged a glance with Matteo before turning back to the rest of them. "Tonight."

Serena stiffened slightly. That was sooner than she expected.

Alessandro immediately frowned. "That fast?"

"The sooner, the better," Matteo confirmed. "If we delay, we risk giving them time to cover their tracks."

Vincenzo's expression was unreadable, but his jaw was tight. "How do we make sure they take the bait?"

Lorenzo's gaze flickered toward Serena. "We make them believe they have another chance to strike."

Serena felt a chill crawl up her spine.

"They've been patient," Lorenzo continued. "But we're about to give them an opportunity they won't be able to resist."

Serena swallowed hard but didn't back down. "Then let's get started."

"So what exactly is the plan?" Raffaele asked, arms crossed as his sharp gaze darted between Matteo and Lorenzo. "You keep saying we set a trap, but what does that look like?"

Matteo leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. "We give them the perfect chance to make a move—something they can't ignore."

Serena forced herself to breathe evenly, knowing exactly what that meant.

"They think they still have control," Matteo continued, his eyes flickering to Serena. "So we let them believe they do. We give them the illusion that we're vulnerable."

Alessandro's face tightened. "How?"

Lorenzo exhaled, his gaze never wavering. "We stage an argument. Make it look like the family is fracturing. Like Serena is on her own."

Serena's stomach twisted. It made sense. If the traitor thought she was isolated, an easy target, they'd be more likely to strike.

Vincenzo's jaw flexed. "And then what?"

Matteo's voice was eerily calm. "We wait."

Serena sat back in her chair, staring at the wooden surface beneath her fingertips. "And when they make their move?"

Lorenzo's answer was simple. "We end this."

Silence hung between them, the weight of what they were about to do pressing down like an impending storm.

Raffaele exhaled harshly. "I don't like this."

"You don't have to," Matteo said. "But it's happening."

Marco leaned back against the wall, arms crossed as his dark gaze flickered toward Serena. "You better be sure about this, Serena."

She met his eyes without hesitation. "I am."

Even if every nerve in her body screamed otherwise.

Lorenzo pushed back from the table. "Then let's get to work."