The realization settled over me like a suffocating shroud, but I refused to let it bury me. Standing on the sidewalk, locked out of my own life, I knew waiting for Donatella Romano to decide my fate was a fool's game. I had to force her hand. I had to bring the war directly to the enemy's gates.
I turned back to the idling armored Cadillac and climbed inside.
"Long Island," I told the driver, my voice devoid of the tremor that shook my bones. "The Falcone Estate."
The drive was a silent blur of shifting shadows. We arrived at the towering iron gates of my family's compound just past midnight. The ivy-covered stone walls, topped with jagged glass, felt less like a sanctuary and more like a fortress designed to keep me out. The salty tang of the ocean breeze mixed with the scent of manicured lawns—a beautiful lie masking the hostility within.
Two Falcone Soldiers, rifles slung casually over their shoulders, stepped out of the gatehouse. Gia rolled down her window, her hands gripping the edge of the door.
"Miss Anya Falcone is here," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.
The guards peered through the iron bars, their eyes raking over my bloodied, ruined dress and pale face. One of them let out a harsh, guttural laugh, spitting on the asphalt.
"The Falcone family only has one daughter, and that's Miss Sofia," the guard sneered. "The Underboss gave strict orders. Get lost before we process you like the trash you are."
The commotion buzzed through the gatehouse intercom. Minutes later, headlights swept down the long, private driveway. A sleek Rolls-Royce stopped just inside the gates. My mother, Isabela Falcone, stepped out, flanked by two massive bodyguards. She wore a flawless black mourning suit, looking every inch the grieving mafia queen.
When she spotted the Romano crest on the Cadillac, a flicker of genuine panic crossed her elegant features. But Isabela was a master of the game. She didn't look at me. Instead, she walked right up to the iron bars, directing her tear-filled eyes at the Romano Soldiers in the front seat.
"Please," she choked out, her voice dripping with a mother's manufactured agony. "Forgive this intrusion. My daughter... she is unwell. The grief of losing her brother Angelo has shattered her mind. She is a liar, a jealous, deranged girl trying to tarnish a war hero's legacy. She has done these crazy things before. It breaks my heart to see her like this."
As she turned her head slightly, her gaze finally met mine through the bulletproof glass. The tears were gone. In their place was a cold, venomous hatred. It was a calculated, vicious strike to protect her perfect lie of a family. Any lingering illusion I had of a mother's love died right there, turning to ice in my veins. I didn't flinch. I needed Donatella's men to see exactly what I was up against.
The lead Romano Soldier in the passenger seat raised a hand to his earpiece, listening intently to a brief transmission. His expression remained unreadable. Then, he opened his door, stepped out, and tapped his knuckles against my window.
I rolled it down.
"Miss Falcone," he said, his tone entirely devoid of emotion. "Donna Romano does not involve herself in the private sorrows of other families. Our duty was to ensure your safe arrival. It is now complete."
He gestured to the street.
I didn't argue. I offered a curt nod, pushed the heavy door open, and stepped out into the biting night air. Gia scrambled out after me, clutching her canvas bag tightly to her chest.
The doors slammed shut. The armored Cadillac and the trailing escort car reversed, their tires hissing against the asphalt as they sped away into the darkness. Donatella had withdrawn her shield, leaving me to the wolves to see if I would survive the bite.
We were completely alone, standing in the shadows of the Falcone fortress. Gia was shivering violently, her eyes wide with terror as she looked at the guards smirking behind the iron bars. I stared at the closed gates, feeling the familiar, icy calm of the Enforcer settle over my racing heart.
"Come on, Gia," I murmured, my voice steady in the freezing night. "Our war is only just beginning."
