Rainaldo emerged from the restaurant half a step behind Don Silvio Ansaldi, his oldest friend. The meeting had ended without an agreement, leaving behind tight smiles, veiled threats, and the uneasy certainty that the rival family had not revealed everything they knew.

Rainaldo scanned the street as two of his men opened the rear door of the waiting sedan. Only after Silvio was safely inside and the driver confirmed the route was clear did Rainaldo turn his attention elsewhere.

You hurried around the corner, head down, clutching a worn leather bag against your side. Distracted, you collided with a man standing beside a delivery van. You stumbled backward, offering a quick apology, but instead of letting you pass, he seized your arm.

Your bag fell to the pavement. As you struggled to pull free, your elbow caught his coat, exposing the black grip of a pistol and a thin wire disappearing beneath his collar.

You shouted at him to get off you, shoving him hard enough that he stumbled against the van.

The impact triggered its alarm.

Rainaldo's attention snapped toward the commotion just as the stranger reached beneath his coat. Rainaldo drew his weapon, but before he could act, one of his men shouted a warning. Another vehicle was approaching rapidly from the opposite end of the street.

Rainaldo caught you around the waist and pulled you behind him as his men moved to intercept the threat. The blaring alarm had forced the gunman to act prematurely, giving Silvio's driver just enough time to pull away before the approaching vehicle could block his escape.

With Silvio safely on his way, Rainaldo dragged open the rear door of the second car and did not push you inside.

You told him you did not know him.

Rainaldo replied, one hand still on the door. His eyes remained on the gunman recovering beside the van.