Silence war room as Dante ended the call. The tension in the air was almost suffocating. Clara could feel every pair of eyes on her, waiting for what came next.Dante turned to her, his expression unreadable. “You’ve already put us in the middle of this war, Clara. Now, you’re going to tell us exactly how we win it.”Clara swallowed hard. She knew there was no backing out now. “Orsini doesn’t trust Ivan,” she began. “The Bratva and the Cartel may work together, but it’s a fragile alliance. If we can turn them against each other—”Dante chuckled darkly. “You want to make them tear each other apart.”Clara nodded. “If we do it right, we don’t have to fight a war at all.”Luca, the scarred enforcer, leaned forward. “And how exactly do we do that?”Clara took a deep breath. “The ledger isn’t just a list of transactions. It contains proof of Orsini’s personal dealings—deals he made behind Ivan’s back.” She met Dante’s gaze. “If Ivan gets his hands on it, Orsini is finished. And if Orsini f

The fire at the Eclipse Casino was still smoldering when Ivan made his move.At first, it was whispers. A few of Dante’s informants went dark. A shipment of weapons meant for their allies disappeared. Then came the bodies—three of Dante’s men found executed, a warning carved into their chests:"Debt must be paid in blood."Dante crushed the glass in his hand, whiskey dripping between his fingers. “He wants a war? Fine. We’ll give him one.”Clara, standing by the window, arms crossed, didn’t share his confidence. Ivan wasn’t just retaliating—he was hunting. And she knew exactly who his real target was.Her.That night, Clara returned to her room, exhaustion heavy in her limbs. The moment she flicked on the light, her breath caught.A single red rose lay on her pillow.Her pulse thundered. There was only one person who could’ve left it.Dante appeared in the doorway, gun drawn, scanning the room before his eyes landed on the flower. His jaw tightened.“He was here,” Clara whispered.Dan

“I was wondering when you’d show,” he drawled, tossing the radio aside.Dante didn’t waste time. He lifted his gun and fired.Sergei was fast. He dodged, rolling behind a marble column as bullets shattered stone. The air filled with smoke and the acrid scent of gunpowder.Clara darted left, using the furniture as cover. She could hear Luca and Brown still fighting outside—explosions rattled the walls, screams echoing through the chaos.Sergei’s voice carried through the smoke. “You killed Ivan. You think that makes you king?” A deep chuckle. “You’re just another dog fighting for scraps.”Dante’s jaw clenched. “Funny. That’s what Ivan said before I put a bullet between his eyes.”Sergei roared, charging forward.Dante fired again. A graze to the shoulder, but it didn’t slow Sergei. The man was a monster, lunging with a combat knife.Dante barely dodged. The blade sliced through his sleeve, drawing blood.Clara didn’t hesitate. She raised her gun—Click.Empty.Sergei grinned. “Your luc

Clara sat in Dante’s penthouse, staring at the velvet box on the marble coffee table.Inside, nestled against the dark fabric, lay the most breathtaking diamond she had ever seen.It was a blue diamond, deep as the ocean under moonlight, cut into a perfect pear shape. The facets caught the dim light, refracting it into a mesmerizing play of blues and silvers.Dante leaned against the bar, arms crossed, watching her reaction. “What’s the occasion?” His voice was flat, unreadable.Clara exhaled slowly, closing the box. “Brown.”Dante’s jaw clenched. “Of course it was.”She placed the box on the table, her fingers lingering over the velvet. “It’s called The Azure Widow.”Dante’s eyes narrowed slightly. He knew that name.It was one of the rarest diamonds in the world.A 23.5-carat, internally flawless, vivid blue diamond—a stone so rare that its last recorded auction price had been $58 million. Its history was soaked in blood and betrayal. Once owned by a European aristocrat who was murd

The silence stretched between them, heavy and unyielding. The meal was forgotten. The diamond necklace now felt like a useless trinket, glinting under the dim restaurant lights.Clara exhaled, running a hand through her hair. "Who’s the inside man?"Kenzo shook his head. "Not sure yet. But they’re getting shipments past checkpoints too easily. Someone high up is greasing the wheels."Brown drummed his fingers on the table, deep in thought. "The Colombians don’t make moves like this unless they’re sure they can win." His voice was calm, but Clara knew him well enough to recognize the lethal edge underneath.She turned to Kenzo. "Do we know what port they’re using?"Kenzo hesitated. "We have a strong lead on Port Varela, but it’s not confirmed."Clara let out a humorless laugh. "Of course it’s Varela."That port was supposed to be her turf. Which meant the Colombians weren’t just looking for business.They were looking for war.Brown leaned back, his sharp gaze flicking between them. "T