Chapter 16

(POV: Enzo)

The storm outside mirrored the tension inside the crumbling farmhouse. Rain lashed against the windows, a steady drumbeat that underscored the silence hanging heavy between us. Tony sat across from me, his expression closed off, his shoulders tense. The firelight danced on his face, but there was no warmth in his eyes.

I leaned back in the rickety chair, trying to piece together what had just happened. The betrayal, Carlo's final act, still clung to me like smoke. The man who had given us shelter had nearly gotten us killed, and now now the cracks were showing.

"I didn't know," Tony muttered finally, breaking the silence. His voice was hoarse, raw, as though he'd been swallowing gravel.

"You didn't know?" I repeated, my voice sharp enough to cut through the room. I sat forward, glaring at him. "Tony, you vouched for him. You said Carlo could be trusted."

He flinched, just slightly, but enough for me to notice. "I didn't think-"

"That's the problem," I interrupted, my frustration boiling over. "You didn't think. You put us all at risk. Isabella could've been killed!"

At the mention of her name, his head shot up. For a moment, I thought he might lash out, but instead, his face crumpled into something closer to guilt.

"I didn't mean for this to happen," he said, his voice low. "I would never intentionally hurt her. Or any of you."

"And yet here we are," I said bitterly, leaning back again.

The room felt too small, the air too thick. I couldn't tell if the pounding in my chest was from anger or the lingering fear of how close we'd come to disaster.

\---

(POV: Tony)

I wanted to fight back, to argue, but what could I say? Enzo was right. This was on me.

The weight of it was crushing, a boulder pressing against my chest. I'd trusted Carlo because he'd saved my life once, years ago. Back when I was still learning the ropes of the Romanos' world. I thought I knew him.

Clearly, I didn't.

"Do you really think I'd betray you?" I asked quietly, looking Enzo in the eye.

His jaw clenched, his silence louder than any answer he could've given.

I forced myself to hold his gaze, even as my stomach twisted into knots. "I've bled for this family. I've lost people I loved for this family. If you think for one second-"

"Then explain Carlo," he snapped, cutting me off. "Explain how the man you trusted nearly got Isabella killed."

The fire crackled between us, the only sound in the room as I searched for the right words. But what could I say? The truth was, I didn't have an explanation.

"I made a mistake," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "I trusted the wrong person. But I swear to you, Enzo, I had no idea he was working with the Morettis."

Enzo's expression didn't soften, but he didn't push me further. Instead, he stood and paced to the window, his back to me.

"You've always been reckless," he said after a long pause. "Always taking chances, trusting people who don't deserve it. It's going to get us all killed one day."

\---

(POV: Isabella)

The tension between them was suffocating, a powder keg waiting to explode. I stood in the doorway, watching as Enzo turned his back on Tony, his shoulders rigid with barely contained fury.

Tony sat by the fire, his head bowed, his hands clenched into fists. He looked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

I couldn't take it anymore.

"Enough," I said, stepping into the room.

Both men turned to look at me, their expressions starkly different. Enzo's eyes were still blazing with anger, while Tony's were filled with something closer to despair.

"We don't have time for this," I said firmly, crossing my arms. "Carlo is dead. The Morettis are still out there. And every second we waste arguing brings them closer to finding us."

Enzo's jaw tightened, but he didn't argue. Tony just nodded, looking like he'd been slapped.

"I know you're angry," I said, looking at Enzo. "And I know you're hurt," I added, turning to Tony. "But we can't let this tear us apart. Not now."

For a moment, neither of them said anything. The only sound was the rain hammering against the roof.

Finally, Enzo sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "She's right," he said, his voice softer now. "We need to focus."

Tony nodded again, but he didn't look at me. Or at Enzo.

\---

(POV: Enzo)

Isabella had always been the voice of reason, the one who could cut through the noise and bring clarity. But even her words couldn't erase the tension between me and Tony.

As she left the room, I turned back to him. "This isn't over," I said quietly.

"I know," he replied, his voice hollow.

For a moment, I felt a pang of guilt. Tony had been through hell these past few days, and I knew he wasn't the enemy. But that didn't erase the mistakes he'd made.

"You need to start thinking before you act," I said. "For all our sakes."

He didn't respond, just stared into the fire. And for the first time, I wondered if our bond could survive this.

\---

(POV: Isabella)

I leaned against the wall outside the room, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath. The storm outside showed no sign of letting up, and the storm inside wasn't much better.

I knew Enzo and Tony cared about each other, even if they'd never admit it. But this rift between them-it felt deeper than anything I'd seen before.

As I stood there, I couldn't help but think about Carlo's betrayal, about the cracks forming in our fragile alliance.

We were all fighting for survival, but if we didn't learn to trust each other again, we'd tear ourselves apart before the Morettis even got the chance.