The morning light filtered through the hospital blinds, casting pale slivers of sunlight across the room. Despite the soft glow, the air felt thick, charged with the tension of the unknown. William's condition had stabilized overnight, but he was still too weak to leave. That didn't stop him from trying, though.
"I'm fine," William muttered as he struggled to push himself up, ignoring the sharp pain that flickered across his face. "We don't have time for this."
I shot him a warning look. "You're not fine. You need rest."
But William, in typical fashion, refused to heed my words. His determination was as fierce as ever, even in the face of his injuries. It was both infuriating and admirable.
"We can't sit around waiting for Castellano to make his next move," he said, his voice tight. "Every minute we waste gives him more time to plot. We need to stay ahead of him."
He wasn't wrong. The threat of Castellano loomed over us like a dark cloud, and the longer we waited, the more dangerous the situation became. But William was in no condition to fight, and I couldn't stand the thought of him pushing himself too far.
"We've already made contact with Lucas Bennett," I reminded him, trying to keep my voice calm and steady. "Ethan is handling it. We need to trust him to do his part while you recover."
William's eyes flashed with frustration, but he didn't argue. Instead, he leaned back against the pillows, his hand absentmindedly rubbing the bandage on his temple. I could see the war waging within him—his body demanding rest while his mind raced ahead, desperate to take action.
I sat down beside him, my fingers brushing over his hand in a silent gesture of reassurance. "We'll get through this, William. You don't have to do everything alone."
His eyes softened as they met mine, the tension in his body easing slightly. For a moment, the weight of the world seemed to lift, and I saw the man underneath—the man who had been my protector, my partner in this chaotic journey.
"I'm not used to relying on anyone," he admitted quietly, his voice so soft I almost didn't catch it. "But with you… it's different."
My heart fluttered at his words, but before I could respond, the door creaked open, and Ethan stepped inside. His expression was grim, his usual calm exterior overshadowed by something darker.
"We've got a problem," he announced, his voice tense. "I just got off the phone with Lucas. He's agreed to meet with us, but he's not coming alone."
I frowned, confusion washing over me. "What do you mean?"
Ethan glanced at William, his jaw tight. "Lucas said Castellano has eyes everywhere. If we want his help, we're going to have to meet with someone else first—someone connected to Castellano."
William's expression darkened instantly. "Absolutely not. We're not walking into a trap."
"It's not a trap," Ethan said quickly, though the hesitation in his voice made it clear that even he wasn't entirely convinced. "Lucas said this person could be useful. He's willing to help us get to Castellano, but he needs assurances first."
"Assurances?" I asked, my stomach twisting with unease. "What kind of assurances?"
Ethan's eyes flicked to me, his gaze serious. "Lucas wants to meet with a man named Dominic Ferraro. He's one of Castellano's top men, but apparently, he's not happy with the way things are going. Lucas thinks Ferraro might be willing to turn on Castellano in exchange for a deal."
A knot formed in my chest at the mention of another one of Castellano's men. This wasn't just a simple business feud—this was a web of dangerous alliances, criminal connections that ran deeper than I had imagined.
"And we're supposed to trust this guy?" William asked, his tone sharp. "He's one of Castellano's people. For all we know, this is Castellano's way of luring us out."
"I don't trust him," Ethan admitted, his expression hard. "But Lucas does. And right now, we need all the help we can get."
The tension in the room grew thicker as we processed Ethan's words. Meeting with Dominic Ferraro felt like walking into a lion's den, but at the same time, we couldn't ignore the possibility that he might be the key to bringing Castellano down.
"We have to be careful," I said, my voice steady despite the fear gnawing at my insides. "If we do this, we can't let our guard down. Castellano won't hesitate to use this against us."
William's eyes were dark with worry, but he didn't protest. I knew he understood the stakes as well as I did. This wasn't a fight we could win by playing it safe. We had to take risks, but we had to be smart about it.
Ethan crossed his arms, his gaze shifting between the two of us. "I'll handle the details. The meeting is set for tomorrow night at a neutral location—one of Lucas's warehouses. We'll have backup on standby in case things go sideways."
"Good," William said, though I could hear the reluctance in his voice. "I'll be there."
I shot him a pointed look. "You're not going anywhere until the doctor clears you."
William opened his mouth to protest, but Ethan cut him off. "She's right, William. You're not in any condition to be running into a potential trap. I'll go with Alice. We'll handle it."
For a moment, William's gaze flicked to mine, the battle in his eyes clear. He hated the idea of being sidelined, of letting someone else take the lead, but even he knew he wasn't strong enough yet to handle a dangerous confrontation.
After a long pause, he nodded reluctantly. "Fine. But if anything feels off, you get out of there. Don't take any unnecessary risks."
I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest. The plan was set, but the fear of what lay ahead gnawed at me like a persistent ache. Dominic Ferraro could be our chance to finally take down Castellano, but he could just as easily be the final nail in our coffin.
Ethan left to make the final arrangements, leaving William and me alone in the quiet hospital room. The tension between us had shifted, from the intensity of the situation to something more personal—something that had been building for weeks but neither of us had addressed.
I could feel William watching me, his gaze heavy as I stood at the window, staring out at the city skyline. The morning sun had risen fully, casting a soft glow over the buildings, but I couldn't shake the feeling that we were running out of time.
"Alice," William's voice was soft but commanding, pulling me out of my thoughts. I turned to face him, my heart skipping a beat at the intensity in his eyes. "There's something I need to say before tomorrow."
I swallowed, my pulse quickening. "What is it?"
His eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, the weight of everything else disappeared, leaving only the two of us in the room. "I know I've been… difficult," he admitted, his voice rough with emotion. "I've tried to keep you at arm's length, but it's not because I don't care. It's because I care too much."
I blinked, my heart swelling at his words. I had seen glimpses of his feelings for me, but this was the first time he had spoken them aloud, the first time he had allowed himself to be vulnerable with me.
"I've been trying to protect you," he continued, his voice low and strained. "But I realize now that keeping you in the dark isn't the way to do that. I don't want to lose you, Alice. Not to Castellano. Not to anything."
I crossed the room, my heart pounding as I stood beside his bed, my fingers trembling as they brushed over his. "You won't lose me," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "I'm not going anywhere."
For a long moment, we just stood there, our hands intertwined, the unspoken promise hanging between us like a lifeline. No matter what happened, no matter how dark things got, we would face it together.
But as much as I wanted to savor the moment, reality loomed large over us. Castellano wasn't going to wait, and neither could we.
"I need you to be careful tomorrow," William said, his voice tight with worry. "Dominic Ferraro is dangerous, and if this is a trap—"
"It won't be a trap," I interrupted gently, though even I wasn't entirely sure of that. "We'll be cautious."
William's grip tightened on my hand, his eyes searching mine for reassurance. "I trust you," he murmured, the words carrying more weight than I could have imagined.
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. "We'll make it through this."
But even as I said the words, a chill ran down my spine.
Because something told me that the meeting with Dominic Ferraro would be more dangerous than any of us had anticipated.