The room was dimly lit, the scent of expensive cigars and whiskey hanging in the air. Dominic leaned back in his chair, his fingers drumming lightly against the edge of the table. Across from him, Valeria sat with her arms crossed, her expression unreadable. Their alliance was still new, fragile, held together by the mutual need to destroy Matteo DeLuca.
But now came the real test—the first strike.
"We take out Carlo Moretti," Dominic said, his voice calm but firm.
Valeria tilted her head slightly. "Not kill him?"
"No," Dominic replied. "Not yet. We make him a liability. We let Matteo take care of the rest."
Valeria's lips curled in understanding. Moretti wasn't just any soldier in Matteo's empire—he was one of the pillars holding it up. Removing him entirely would be an open declaration of war, but forcing Matteo to turn on him? That was the kind of destruction that left lasting cracks.
Dominic slid a folder across the table. Inside were records, financial documents—proof that Moretti had been skimming money from Matteo's operations for years.
"Where did you get this?" Valeria asked, flipping through the pages.
Dominic smirked. "You're not the only one with secrets."
Valeria tapped her fingers on the table, considering. If Matteo saw this evidence, he wouldn't hesitate to eliminate Moretti himself. But the timing had to be perfect. If they pushed too soon, Moretti could find a way to explain himself, and their plan would fail before it even began.
She exhaled. "So, how do we deliver this?"
Dominic leaned forward. "We let Moretti find it himself. That way, when Matteo comes for him, he won't even see it coming."
A dangerous game was beginning.
And they were the ones setting the board.
The Setup
The plan was simple: Plant the forged evidence in Moretti's private system and ensure that Matteo saw it before Moretti had a chance to cover his tracks.
That meant breaking into Moretti's personal office at the docks.
That night, Valeria and Dominic arrived just past midnight. The harbor was still active, workers moving crates under flickering lights, the scent of saltwater and oil heavy in the air. Dominic parked a block away, killing the engine.
"Security?" Valeria asked as they stepped out of the car.
"Minimal," Dominic answered. "Moretti doesn't expect anyone to come after him here."
They moved like shadows, slipping past the oblivious workers. Dominic had done his homework—Moretti's office was tucked inside a warehouse near the docks, its entrance hidden behind stacks of metal containers.
Valeria picked the lock with practiced ease. The door creaked open, revealing a cluttered office, papers stacked haphazardly on a massive wooden desk.
Dominic immediately moved to the computer, inserting a small USB drive. The screen flickered to life.
Valeria stood near the doorway, listening. "How long?"
"Two minutes," Dominic replied, fingers flying over the keyboard.
The plan was working—if Moretti checked his records tomorrow, he'd find discrepancies he wouldn't be able to explain. And by then, Matteo would already have the information.
"Done." Dominic yanked out the USB.
They turned to leave—
And then they heard it.
The distinct sound of a gun being cocked.
A Fatal Mistake
Valeria's hand went straight to her holster, but Dominic raised a hand, stopping her.
"Drop it," a voice ordered.
They turned slowly.
Carlo Moretti stood in the doorway, a pistol trained on them. His thick frame blocked the exit, his expression dark with suspicion.
"Didn't expect to see you here, Dominic," Moretti said, his voice rough from years of whiskey and cigarettes. His gaze flickered to Valeria. "And you—Matteo's favorite little plaything. Didn't think you had the guts to turn on him."
Valeria's fingers twitched at the insult, but she kept her expression neutral.
"Just looking for some old records," Dominic said smoothly. "Nothing personal."
Moretti chuckled. "Nothing personal? You're in my office, going through my files. That's about as personal as it gets."
Valeria's mind raced. Moretti hadn't seen what they had planted yet—he had just caught them here. That meant they still had a chance.
"Walk away, Carlo," Dominic said, his voice dangerously low.
Moretti smirked. "Or what? You gonna shoot me? Then Matteo will know exactly who's behind this."
Valeria took a slow step forward. "You don't need to die tonight, Carlo."
Moretti's smirk faltered. A flicker of uncertainty crossed his features.
Then the warehouse lights flickered—just for a second.
And Dominic moved.
In a blink, he lunged, knocking the gun from Moretti's grip. The weapon clattered to the floor as the two men crashed against the desk, sending papers flying.
Moretti threw a punch, but Dominic ducked, delivering a brutal hit to the older man's ribs. Moretti grunted, staggering back—
And that was all the opening Valeria needed.
She grabbed the gun from the floor and aimed it at Moretti.
The fight stopped instantly.
Dominic stepped back, his breathing steady despite the fight.
Moretti held up his hands. "You gonna kill me, sweetheart?" he sneered.
Valeria tilted her head, finger hovering over the trigger. "Not yet."
Dominic wiped blood from his lip. "Here's what's going to happen, Carlo. You're going to let us walk out of here, and you're not going to breathe a word about this to Matteo."
Moretti snorted. "Or what?"
Dominic grinned. "Or you'll be dead before the sun rises."
The silence stretched.
Moretti's mind was already working, trying to calculate his best move. But he didn't know that he had already lost. The evidence was planted. Matteo would turn on him soon enough.
Finally, Moretti took a step back. "You're making a mistake," he muttered.
Dominic smirked. "No, you made the mistake, Carlo. We're just finishing what you started."
Without another word, he grabbed Valeria's arm, pulling her toward the exit.
They slipped into the night, disappearing before Moretti could make a decision.
But by tomorrow, it wouldn't matter.
Moretti's fate was already sealed.
The First Crack
As they drove away, Valeria finally spoke.
"Think he'll run?"
Dominic's grip on the wheel tightened. "Doesn't matter. By morning, Matteo will have seen the books. Moretti won't be able to talk his way out of this."
Valeria exhaled slowly, staring out the window as the city lights blurred past.
This was the first move.
The first crack in Matteo's empire.
And it wouldn't be the last.