The moment they stepped inside, Luca grabbed Isabella gently but firmly by the arm.
She met his eyes and the storm inside them was impossible to miss.
"Isabella." His voice was low, rough. "You can't go to that meeting at midnight."
Sophia blinked. "Luca."
"No." Luca cut her off, never taking his eyes off Isabella.
"What Seraphina said… what she implied about your mother… that was a manipulation tactic."
"Maybe," Isabella said. "Maybe not."
Luca breathed out sharply at a man on the edge.
"She is Alessandro's daughter," he hissed.
"She is trained to lie. To deceive. To break alliances. She could be leading you straight to him."
Isabella's jaw tightened.
"And you think I don't know that?"
Luca flinched at the quiet sharpness in her tone.
"She's the only one who has given me anything real since Damian disappeared," Isabella continued.
"If I don't go… we lose our chance."
Luca's voice cracked without warning, something Isabella had never heard from him.
