Blood oath chapter 5
POV: Isla Moretti
There was something suffocating about standing between two men who could kill me at any moment.
Scarface—whose real name I still didn't know—had forced me to make the call, setting up a meeting with my mysterious employer. Luca, on the other hand, was watching me like I was a chess piece he was waiting to move.
It was a twisted game, and I was the only one who didn't know the full rules.
Scarface leaned against the metal table in the dimly lit warehouse, arms crossed over his expensive suit. "You did well, Moretti. Now, you're going to make sure this deal plays out exactly the way we want."
I smiled, but there was no warmth behind it. "And if it doesn't?"
Scarface's smirk widened. "Then you won't live long enough to regret it."
Luca's voice cut through the tension like a blade. "She won't fail."
I glanced at him, searching for any sign of sarcasm, but his face was unreadable. He was betting on me—whether it was because he trusted me or because he had backup plans, I couldn't tell.
Scarface pushed off the table and straightened his cuffs. "We'll be watching, so don't try anything stupid." He turned on his heel and walked out, his men following behind him like shadows.
The second they were gone, I exhaled slowly.
Luca didn't move.
He was still watching me, arms crossed, head tilted slightly. Like he was studying me.
"What?" I finally asked.
He smirked. "You look like you're thinking of running."
I met his gaze. "If I was running, I'd be gone already."
Something dark flickered in his eyes. "Then you're smarter than you look."
I didn't answer. There was no point.
Luca turned to Matteo, who had been leaning against the wall, silent but listening. "Get everything set up. I want eyes on the meeting point from every angle."
Matteo nodded. "On it." He glanced at me. "You should change before we head out. You still look like a hostage."
I rolled my eyes and followed him out of the warehouse.
---
The Setup
The meeting was set for midnight at an abandoned shipping yard near the river.
It was the perfect place for a deal—or an ambush.
Luca's men were everywhere. Rooftops, alleyways, vehicles parked in the shadows. If this went sideways, they would be ready.
I stood next to Luca near a stack of rusted shipping containers, trying not to let the weight of the situation settle on me.
I was walking a razor's edge.
If my employer suspected a trap, they'd kill me first.
If Luca thought I was playing both sides, he'd put a bullet in me before I could explain.
I wasn't afraid of dying.
I was afraid of not knowing which side would kill me first.
Matteo adjusted his earpiece and murmured, "No movement yet."
Luca glanced at me. "You ready?"
I forced a smirk. "What choice do I have?"
His lips twitched, almost like he wanted to laugh. "None."
I exhaled slowly. "Then let's get this over with."
Minutes later, headlights cut through the darkness.
A sleek black SUV rolled to a stop a few yards away.
The door opened.
A man stepped out.
I had never seen him before.
Which meant he wasn't the one who hired me.
Shit.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in a sharp black suit. He moved with the confidence of someone who knew exactly what kind of power he held.
His eyes locked onto mine.
"You're late," he said.
I forced a smirk. "Traffic."
He didn't look amused. "Where's the ledger?"
I held my ground. "We'll get to that."
His jaw tightened. "That wasn't the deal."
I shrugged. "The deal changed."
He took a step forward. "You think this is a game?"
I didn't answer. I just held his gaze.
Then his eyes flicked past me—toward the shadows where Luca stood.
And something in his expression shifted.
"You brought company," he murmured.
I tensed. He knew.
Before I could react, his hand moved—
Gun.
I twisted to the side as the shot rang out, the bullet missing me by inches.
Chaos erupted.
Luca's men fired back.
I dove behind a crate as bullets shredded the air. My pulse thundered, but I forced myself to stay calm.
Luca moved like a predator, his shots precise, calculated.
The man who had arrived for the meeting was already retreating, his men covering him as they scrambled toward the SUV.
I had one chance.
I grabbed my gun and aimed—
Bang.
The bullet caught one of his men in the leg. He stumbled, collapsing onto the pavement.
But the leader?
He made it to the SUV. The tires screeched as they sped away.
Silence settled over the shipping yard.
Luca holstered his weapon and walked toward me. "Not bad."
I exhaled, my adrenaline still high. "Not bad? We just lost the only lead we had!"
Luca smirked. "No, we didn't."
Matteo appeared, holding up a small black device.
"A tracker," he said. "Slipped it onto their car before they took off."
Relief flooded me, but I didn't let it show.
Luca's eyes darkened as he studied me. "Looks like you live another day, Moretti."
I rolled my eyes. "Lucky me."
But deep down, I knew the truth.
My luck was running out.