Chapter 3 - The Broken Perimeter
The tension between them hung heavy over the next few days. Leo, drowning in syndicate matters and trying to hunt down the resurrected Romano faction, was barely sleeping. Yet, realizing he was suffocating the woman he loved, he compromised. He agreed to let Bella visit the city under the tightest security clearance, personally led by Marco.
The city smelled of rain and exhaust, a stark contrast to the clean ocean air of the estate. When Bella walked into the old café, the little bell above the door chimed merrily. Mr. Bianchi, the elderly owner who had been like a father to her, looked up from the counter. His face lit up, his eyes crinkling with tears.
"Bella! Mia piccola!" the old man cried, rushing out from behind the counter to wrap her in a tight hug.
"Oh, Mr. Bianchi, I missed you so much," Bella whispered, burying her face in his flour-dusted apron.
For an hour, the world felt normal. She helped him wipe down tables, listened to him complain about his bad hip, and laughed as he teased her about the massive diamond on her finger. But the peace was abruptly shattered.
A loud crash echoed from the front of the shop. The glass display window shattered inward, raining shards over the pastries. Marco was on his feet in a millisecond, drawing his weapon and shoving Bella behind the heavy oak counter.
"Get down!" Marco roared as gunfire erupted.
The deafening noise of automatic weapons filled the small café. Dust, plaster, and glass flew everywhere. Through the chaos, Bella heard Mr. Bianchi cry out in pain. She looked over and saw him clutching his shoulder, blood quickly staining his white apron.
"Mr. Bianchi!" Bella screamed, trying to crawl toward him, but Marco held her down, returning fire through the broken window.
"We are compromised! Fallback team, move in now!" Marco shouted into his earpiece.
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Through the shattered window, Bella saw three men in black tactical gear approaching. One of them held up a canister. Before Marco could react, the canister was lobbed through the window, releasing a thick, sweet-smelling white gas.
Bella tried to cover her nose, but the fumes quickly filled her lungs. Her vision began to blur, the world spinning violently. The last thing she saw before darkness claimed her was Marco desperately fighting off two attackers, and a shadow looming over her, murmuring, "The Don's prize is ours."
