2025-03-31 02:05:46Wealth and power radiated in every corner of Sanchez’s grand hall, but to Elena, it felt like a gilded prison.Alejandro hosts another extravagant party, a well calculated display of his control over her fate. Her father,Capello,lingered near the bar, silent reminder of his betrayal looms as he avoids her gaze.
Alejandro was already behind Elena who tried to disappear into the crowd. “Enjoying the night?”His voice, smooth yet laced with menace, sent a chill through her. She turned away, but his grip tightened around her wrist. “Don’t walk away from me.” “I don’t belong to you.” She yanked free, her pulse pounding. His eyes darkened. “You will. Accept it, or I’ll make you.” Before she could react, she spotted Dino. Dino’s Silent Fury Dino stood at the edge of the room, his presence commanding even in the shadows. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes burned with quiet rage as he locked onto Alejandro. Alejandro hesitated, loosening his grip. Even he feared Dino. Dino’s voice was calm but sharp. “The lady said no.” Alejandro scoffed but stepped back, his smirk fading. Before tension could escalate, Sanchez entered. The room fell silent. His gaze swept over them before settling on Dino. “Causing trouble?” Dino remained still. “Just looking out for the family.” Sanchez chuckled darkly. “How noble.” His hand clapped Alejandro’s back. “My son can handle himself.” Turning to Dino, he murmured, “Strength without power is useless. Challenge Alejandro again, and the consequences will be beyond you.” Dino’s jaw clenched, but he held his silence. As Sanchez walked away, Alejandro lingered, grinning. Then he followed. Elena exhaled shakily. Dino turned to her. “Are you okay?” She nodded, though her hands trembled. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.” A Moment of Peace—Shattered Dino led Elena to a secluded balcony overlooking the courtyard. “Thank you,” she whispered. He leaned against the railing. “You don’t have to thank me.” She studied him. “You keep standing up to him.” “I always will.” A long silence stretched between them before she asked, “Then why do you stay?” Dino’s grip tightened on the railing. “Because I won’t leave you to face this alone.” Elena’s breath hitched, but before she could respond— Gunfire ripped through the night. Dino moved instantly, shielding her. Below, masked men spilled from a black SUV, rifles raised. “Get inside,” he ordered. A bullet shattered a nearby window. “Dino—” “Now!” He pulled her inside as alarms blared. Sanchez’s guards scrambled, but Dino didn’t wait for orders. He grabbed a fallen guard’s gun and took position at the entrance. Alejandro stormed into the hall. “What the hell is happening?” Dino ignored him. The intruders were already inside. Rivals? Assassins? It didn’t matter. He fired. One man dropped. The second spun, shooting wildly. Dino ducked, his movements precise. He fired again. Another collapsed. Sanchez’s men finally retaliated, forcing the attackers back. Alejandro was nowhere to be seen. Dino reloaded, scanning for Elena. She was crouched behind cover, gripping a pistol from a fallen guard. Good. She wasn’t defenseless. A commanding voice barked from outside. “¡Vámonos! Fall back!” The attackers dragged their wounded, retreating into the SUV. Silence fell. Then, sirens. Sanchez stormed in, fury in his eyes. “Who were they?” Alejandro demanded. No one answered. Sanchez’s gaze flicked to Dino, suspicion evident. Dino met his stare, unflinching. This wasn’t random. Someone was sending a message. And Sanchez wasn’t sure if it was meant for him—or Dino. Earlier That Night Neon lights pulses the city as Elena sprinted through darkened streets, breath ragged. A relentless Alejandro was behind her . She is running barefoot, ignoring the sting of asphalt.She tore of heels as it slowed her down. She ducked into an alley, pressing against the cold brick wall. Had she lost him? Then—footsteps. “Elena…” Alejandro’s voice was taunting. “You don’t think you can actually get away, do you?” Heart pounding, she looked up. A rusted fire escape. She climbed, arms burning. Alejandro turned the corner, eyes scanning. Then—he looked up. “Elena,” he called, his smile sharpening. She scrambled faster. A gunshot rang out. The bullet struck inches from her hand. Alejandro lowered his gun, smirking. “That was a warning, princesa.” Elena ignored him. She reached the rooftop, legs trembling, but stopped short. The gap to the next building was too wide. Trapped. The rooftop door burst open. One of Alejandro’s men stepped out, gun raised. Elena braced herself. She would fight. Then—a flash of movement. The thug grunted, staggering forward. A hand clamped over his mouth before dragging him into the shadows. Dino. Elena’s breath caught. He emerged, dark eyes locking onto hers. “Elena,” his voice tight. “Come with me.” She didn’t hesitate. Dino took her hand, leading her toward another fire escape. They climbed down swiftly, vanishing into the night. Back on the rooftop, Alejandro stood at the edge, watching them disappear. He licked his bloodied lip, eyes gleaming. “She thinks she’s safe with him,” he murmured. A slow, wicked smile spread across his face. “Let’s show her just how wrong she is.
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Burn Loot Chapter 10
Dino led Elena through a maze of dimly lit backstreets, his movements swift and sure. He had spent years navigating the city’s underbelly, and now, that knowledge was keeping them alive. The night air was thick with tension, every sound amplified as if the city itself was holding its breath.After what felt like an eternity, they reached a rundown garage on the outskirts of town. The metal shutters were rusted, the paint peeling from years of neglect. To anyone else, it looked abandoned—but for Dino, it was a safehouse he had set up months ago, anticipating a day like this.Once inside, Elena collapsed onto an old, threadbare couch. Her body trembled, her breaths shallow. Dino knelt in front of her, scanning her face.“Did he hurt you?”She shook her head, but tears burned her eyes. “He almost caught me.”Dino exhaled slowly, his hands clenching into fists. The thought of Alejandro touching her, caging her like a possession, made his blood boil.“He won’t get another chance,” he promi
Burn Loot Chapter 11
Dino tightened his fists, his breath steady as he crouched behind an overturned car. The night air smelled of gasoline and sweat.They had been cornered by Alejandro's men in an abandoned warehouse near the port. Five men armed to the teeth. They weren’t leaving anything to chance this time.“Elena, stay low,” Dino whispered.Her pulse pounding in her ears. Elena nodded. The warehouse had become a battlefield.A shot rang out, sparking off the metal near Dino’s head.He moved.He rolled forward in a blur, grabbed a rusted metal pipe, and struck one of the gunmen across the jaw. The man crumpled before he could even react.The others turned.Another shot. Dino twisted.He didn’t stop despite feeling a burning pain across his upper arm as a bullet grazed him. He lunged at the next man, slamming his knee into his gut, then cracking his elbow against his skull.Two down. Three to go.Dino ducked as a thug charged, swinging a crowbar, grabbed the man’s wrist, and yanked. The crowbar clatte
Burn Loot Chapter 12
There was an echo of gunshots through the burning warehouse.Dino’s heart slammed against his ribs.Elena gasped, clutching her side. But no blood.Instead, one of Alejandro’s men had a bullet hole bloomed in his chest, staggered, eyes wide in shock. Then he collapsed.Dino’s gaze snapped to the entrance.A dark silhouette stood there. Sergio.Gun still raised, smoke curling from the barrel.“Elena, run!” Dino shouted.Alejandro snarled, firing twice.Dino lunged, shoving Elena out of the way. He felt the heat of the bullets whip past his ear. Too close.No time to think.The building groaned, about to collapse. As the fire roared louder, licking the ceiling.Alejandro was still blocking the exit; a second was all Dino needed. The timely distraction of Sergio had bought them that.---Dino didn’t hesitate.He launched forward, tackling Alejandro to the ground. Fists flying.Alejandro grunted, twisting beneath him, trying to bring the gun up.Dino slammed his elbow down hard.Alejandro
Burn Loot Chapter 13
Across the dimly lit room, Capello’s expression remained unreadable; he wasn't hurt because he was putting on a bulletproof earlier, but Elena—her face was a storm of emotions.She clenched her fists. “He’s toying with us.”Dino nodded. “But he slipped up. He wants me to stop digging, which means there’s more to uncover.”Capello exhaled heavily and sat down, rubbing a hand down his face. “You’re walking into dangerous waters, Dino.”Dino stepped forward, his voice firm. “I need the truth. No more half-answers.”Capello locked eyes with him. “The truth is, your mother knew too much. She wasn’t just paying Sanchez to keep you alive—she had something on him. Something big enough that he needed her gone.”Elena sucked in a breath. “And you knew?”Capello hesitated before nodding. “I suspected. But by the time I started asking questions, she was already dead.”Dino’s fists clenched. His mother hadn’t just been murdered. She had been silenced.Sergio walked in just then, holding another fo
Burn Loot Chapter 14
Dino sat in the dimly lit safehouse, his fingers tapping against the armrest of his chair. The name Enzo Moretti echoed in his mind. A ghost from the past—one he had never heard of, yet somehow tied to his mother’s fate.Elena paced in front of him, arms crossed. “I ran the name through our databases. No public records, no social security number. It’s like he never existed.”Sergio leaned against the wall, arms folded. “Which means he’s either dead… or very good at hiding.”Dino exhaled sharply. “Then we make him come to us.”Elena frowned. “How?”Dino’s eyes darkened. “By rattling Sanchez’s cage.”A Baited TrapHours later, Dino and Sergio sat inside an unmarked black SUV parked across from one of Sanchez’s lesser-known clubs—a hub for his illegal migration business.Sergio adjusted his earpiece. “Are you sure about this?”Dino’s gaze remained fixed on the club entrance. “We go in, make some noise, and force Sanchez to react. If Moretti is connected, he’ll show up.”Sergio grinned. “
Burn Loot Chapter 15
The night air carried the acrid scent of gunpowder as gunmen closed in from the trees.Bullets ripped through the wooden walls of the cabin, shattering glass and sending splinters flying.Dino pressed Elena against the floor, shielding her as Sergio fired back. “We’re sitting ducks here!” Sergio growled.Enzo Moretti, his face pale, clutched his side where a bullet had grazed him. “Sanchez won’t stop! He knows I know too much.”Dino’s jaw clenched. “We move. Now!”A Fight in the DarkSergio lobbed a smoke grenade through the broken window. As thick gray fog consumed the cabin, Dino pulled Elena up and guided her toward the back door.Enzo struggled to keep up, his breath ragged.A gunman appeared in the clearing—Dino took him down with a swift elbow to the throat, twisting his gun away before knocking him unconscious. Another came from behind. Dino spun, delivering a brutal side kick to his ribs, then a finishing blow to the temple.Elena grabbed a discarded pistol, her hands steady a
Burn Loot Chapter 16
The first gunshot shattered the night.Dino lunged, pulling Elena to the ground as the window exploded in a rain of glass. Sergio flipped the table for cover, gun already in hand.More gunfire. Tires screeched outside. Shadows moved beyond the broken window. Sanchez’s men had found them.Dino grabbed a pistol from the floor, eyes flashing to Sergio. “We hold them off. Get Enzo out!”Enzo, still weak from his wound, tried to move, but Elena was already at his side, gripping his arm. “We need to go now.”Another shot ripped through the air, just missing Sergio’s head. He fired back, hitting one of the gunmen.Dino turned toward Elena. “Go! I’ll cover you!”Elena hesitated, eyes locked onto his. But then she nodded, gripping Enzo tighter as she ducked low and moved toward the back exit.Sergio provided cover fire, taking down another attacker. Dino grabbed a second gun from the fallen man, his mind clear, body moving on instinct.One shot. Two. A swift kick to disarm another enemy.But t
Burn Loot Chapter 17
The tension in the air was thick. The moment Capello’s message came through, Dino knew this wasn’t just a meeting—it was a trap.Elena sat stiffly in the passenger seat, her fingers curled into fists. Her father had betrayed her mother. He had watched as Sanchez silenced her, and now he wanted to see Elena.Dino’s grip tightened around the wheel. “We’re not going.”Elena turned to him, her voice steady but laced with pain. “I have to.”“No, you don’t.” Dino’s jaw clenched. “Capello’s been playing both sides for years. We show up, and we’re dead.”Sergio, seated in the back, exhaled. “Dino’s right. We need to get to that locker first. Your mother risked everything to hide that evidence.”Elena’s eyes burned. “You think I don’t know that? But if I don’t go, he’ll send people after us.” She looked at Dino. “This is my father. I need to look him in the eye and see if there’s any part of him worth saving.”Dino shook his head. Capello had already proven who he was.But Elena had made up he
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Chapter 40
Dino moved through the darkness like a phantom.Alejandro’s compound was a fortress—a sprawling estate lined with motion sensors, armed guards, and surveillance cameras. Breaking in undetected was impossible. But slipping in like a ghost? That was a different game.Dino had studied the blueprints. A hidden maintenance tunnel ran beneath the estate, leading to an old service entrance. It had been abandoned for years.Alejandro thought it was forgotten.He was wrong.Dino crouched behind a cluster of trees, his earpiece crackling with Tomas’s voice.“You’re clear to move. The guards just changed shifts.”Dino didn’t hesitate. Silent. Precise. Deadly.He sprinted across the open ground, reaching a rusted metal hatch embedded in the earth. With a practiced motion, he yanked it open and dropped down into darkness.The tunnel smelled of damp earth and decay. A perfect place for ghosts.And tonight, Dino was one.---Elena’s DesperationElena sat on the cold floor of her room, staring at the
Chapter 39
Dino’s hands were still clenched into fists.The night air was thick with tension, the scent of gunpowder lingering in the alley. Sergio’s betrayal burned deep, but there was no time to process it. Elena was still trapped, and Alejandro was still pulling the strings.Dino reached for his phone, dialing the only person he trusted right now.Tomas.The call connected instantly.“Talk to me.”Dino’s voice was sharp. “Sergio’s flipped. He led me into an ambush.”A pause. Then Tomas exhaled. “Damn. You good?”Dino wiped the blood from his lip. “I’m breathing. But Alejandro has Elena, and now I know one thing for sure.”“What?”Dino’s jaw tightened. “He’s expecting me.”There was a silence before Tomas spoke again, his tone edged with caution. “Then we make him think he’s right.”Dino’s eyes darkened. “I want every resource tracking Alejandro’s movements. I don’t care what it takes.”Tomas hesitated. “Dino, this isn’t just about Elena anymore. If Alejandro has Sergio, who else has he turned
Chapter 38
The gunshot echoed through the night.Dino didn’t flinch. Years of training had sharpened his reflexes, his instincts honed to react before thinking. He dropped low, rolling behind a parked SUV as the bullet smashed into a side mirror, shattering it into glittering shards.He could hear footsteps advancing—confident, measured. His attacker wasn’t afraid.“Come out, Dino.” The voice was smooth, taunting. “Hiding won’t change the inevitable.”Dino’s mind raced. Who was this? He had recognized the face in that fleeting moment, but it didn’t make sense. The betrayal was too close, too personal.Peering from behind the SUV, he caught a glimpse of the figure—a familiar silhouette in the moonlight.Sergio.Dino’s breath tightened. His most trusted man.His closest ally.Betrayal had never burned this deep.“Why?” Dino’s voice was steady, but inside, his blood boiled.Sergio exhaled a humorless chuckle. “Because I was never really yours to begin with.”Dino shifted slightly, his fingers curli
Chapter 37
Dino sat across from Sanchez in the dimly lit study, the air between them charged with unspoken threats. A chessboard sat between them, though neither had touched the pieces.Sanchez studied him with the sharp eyes of a predator. “You understand what’s at stake, don’t you?”Dino didn’t blink. “I wouldn’t be here otherwise.”A slow, approving smile spread across Sanchez’s face. “Good. Then you won’t hesitate when I give you your first task.”Dino’s fingers flexed beneath the table. He had expected this. Now came the real test.Sanchez leaned forward, his voice dropping. “There’s a man in Naples causing problems for me. I want you to get rid of him.”Dino kept his face neutral. “You have plenty of men for that. Why me?”Sanchez chuckled. “Because I want to see if you have the stomach for real power.”A direct hit.Sanchez was testing his willingness to kill in cold blood.Dino’s mind raced. If he refused too quickly, Sanchez would suspect him. If he accepted too easily, he might be forc
Chapter 36
The silence hung like smoke—thick, cloying, poisonous.Sanchez’s offer still echoed in the air, and everyone was waiting for Dino to flinch. To hesitate. To betray that flicker of doubt.He didn’t.His hand moved with purpose, and as he clasped Sanchez’s, time seemed to freeze. The gesture was simple, but the implications rippled like a shockwave.This was no alliance.This was a war declaration—signed in the presence of devils.Their handshake was short. Measured. Calculated.Cold.It wasn’t just Dino accepting a test. It was Sanchez daring him to fail.“You’ll be tested,” Sanchez said, his voice low and smooth. “Every moment. Every room you walk into. Every word you speak.”“I wouldn’t expect less,” Dino replied. The faintest smirk pulled at his lips, but his eyes were ice.Sanchez studied him for a moment longer. The silence was broken only by the soft drip of Alejandro’s blood onto the marble floor.Alejandro’s breath came in ragged bursts; fury coiled beneath his skin like a ratt
Chapter 35
The handshake was a declaration.Dino watched as Capello sealed his deal with Sanchez, his fingers gripping Elena’s wrist like she was nothing more than a bargaining chip.For a split second, the world around Dino faded.He had come here to end this.But Capello had changed the rules.Elena’s eyes met Dino’s, wide with confusion, then betrayal. He was here. Why wasn’t he stopping this?Because if he moved too soon, everyone would die.Dino clenched his jaw. Not yet.Not until he knew exactly what game was being played.---A Son BetrayedAlejandro was still on the ground, panting, clutching his bleeding shoulder.His father—**his own flesh and blood—**had turned on him.The warehouse lights flickered as Sanchez’s men repositioned, their guns lowering now that the hierarchy was restored.Sanchez turned away from Alejandro as if he were nothing more than an afterthought.“You’ve served your purpose,” he murmured.Alejandro’s breathing shook.“Screw you,” he spat, voice hoarse. “I bled f
chapter 34
The night air was thick with tension.Dino crouched behind an abandoned car, his heartbeat steady despite the chaos unfolding before him. His earpiece crackled to life.“We have a problem.”Vincent’s voice was sharp and controlled.Dino had already seen it. Capello had arrived.Not as a hostage. Not as a victim.But as a player. Armed, standing tall, his men flanking him.Dino exhaled slowly.This wasn’t part of the plan.Capello wasn’t a fighter—he was a businessman. Yet here he was, stepping onto a battlefield like a man with nothing left to lose.Dino’s eyes flicked to the warehouse where Sanchez and Alejandro were locked in their silent power struggle.And inside? Elena.Still in danger.Dino couldn’t afford distractions.But Capello’s presence changed everything.---Inside the WarehouseAlejandro’s fingers curled into a fist, his wounded arm throbbing.“You’re making a mistake,” he hissed.Sanchez chuckled, his eyes gleaming. “Am I? Or are you finally realizing you were never me
Chapter 33
The warehouse was silent—except for the faint hum of electricity in the flickering overhead lights.Alejandro stood frozen, his usual smirk wiped clean from his face.Across from him, the one man he never expected to see again stepped forward.Sanchez.His father.A man everyone believed was either dead or permanently exiled from the criminal world.Alejandro’s grip tightened around his gun. His fingers twitched, but he didn’t raise it yet.“You should be rotting in some gutter,” Alejandro spat, his voice sharp.Sanchez chuckled, slow and deliberate, stepping further into the room. His men fanned out behind him, weapons raised, taking control of the space.“I taught you better than this, Alejandro,” Sanchez mused. His deep, gravelly voice sent a shiver down Elena’s spine. “You’re slipping.”Elena watched every movement between the two men, her mind racing.This was new. Unexpected.Alejandro had always been ruthless. But Sanchez? He was the monster who created him.Alejandro took a sl
Chapter 32
The air inside the dimly lit warehouse was thick with tension. The scent of gasoline and burnt wood still clung to Alejandro’s clothes from the docks.He sat on the edge of his desk, slowly rolling a cigar between his fingers, his face unreadable. He wasn’t just angry. He was calculating.Elena knelt on the floor, wrists tied behind her back, her breathing slow but steady. She refused to show weakness.Alejandro took a slow drag of his cigar, exhaling smoke as he studied her.“You know, querida,” he murmured, “Dino thinks he’s winning.”Elena didn’t answer.Alejandro chuckled, pushing off the desk. He crouched in front of her, gripping her chin roughly, forcing her to look at him.“He’s wrong.”Then he gestured toward the shadows near the doorway.Footsteps echoed.Elena’s stomach twisted as a figure stepped forward.A man—tall, lean, wearing a dark suit—his face eerily familiar.Her breath caught.Capello.Her father.Elena’s world tilted.She shook her head, refusing to believe it.