CHAPTER 45
MASSIMO'S POV
Since the shipment was seized, I had completely clocked out of my social life. I preferred being alone. I spoke less—not because I didn't want to, but because I was afraid of what I might say… and who I might direct the anger simmering beneath my skin at.
So I kept to myself.
Eva had tried, countless times, to talk to me. But all she ever got in return was a nod… or a quiet shake of my head.
Nothing more.
I wanted to break through the walls I had built around myself. I wanted to feel something again—something other than this suffocating silence. Christian and Reginald had tried. God knows they had. Pep talks, reassurances… promises.
But their words?
They hit a wall. A solid one.
So that night, Reginald invited Christian and me over for drinks.
We sat there, drowning ourselves in liquor. They carried the conversation, hoping I'd jump in at some point.
"Massimo, you need to let it go," Reginald said, lifting his glass toward me so I knew he meant every word. "It's been months. This isn't healthy, man."
"Reginald's right," Christian added, patting my shoulder. "Look at you… you're aging faster than us, and you're the youngest here. We'll get the shipment back."
I said nothing.
Just drank.
We were halfway through our second bottle when the doorbell rang.
All three of us froze.
Our eyes met instantly.
"Are you expecting someone?" I asked.
Reginald shook his head.
That was all we needed.
We reached for the guns tucked into our waistbands. Paranoid? Maybe. Careful? Always.
We moved into position. I stood behind the door, hidden if it opened inward. Christian stood to the side—fully visible, ready to strike.
The door creaked open.
Christian raised his gun immediately.
"Who the fuck are you?" he demanded.
I stepped out from behind the door—and everything inside me stilled.
"Eva?"
Christian's gaze snapped between us.
"I'm sorry for coming unannounced," Eva said, her voice trembling. "But there's something that's been eating me alive."
Reginald stepped aside and let her in.
We all took our seats, the tension thick enough to choke on.
"Who is this?" Christian asked again, his voice cold.
"I'm Eva Cattanio," she said. "I work for you… well, technically—I was sent to work for you."
Every muscle in the room tightened.
She noticed.
"I have a family," she added quickly. "You need to get them to safety first… before you act on anything I'm about to say."
"You have my word," Reginald said without hesitation.
Eva inhaled deeply, removing her glasses as she sank into the couch.
"I was sent to destroy you," she said, pointing directly at Christian. "To tear your empire apart from the inside."
Silence.
Heavy. Deadly.
"I didn't want to do it," she continued, her voice breaking. "But they threatened my family. That night you found me in the office… I was looking for something to send back to them."
She paused, her hands trembling.
"You didn't suspect anything… but I found information on your biggest shipment." Her voice cracked. "And I sent it."
She buried her face in her hands, sobbing.
"That's how they seized it. Even with your diversion… they still got it."
Rage burned through me.
Through all of us.
Except Reginald.
He remained calm—calculating.
He motioned for Christian, and the two stepped out, leaving me alone with her.
I stared at her.
"Why now?" I asked, my voice sharp. "Why come clean after all this time?"
"I wanted to tell you," she said, stepping toward me.
I raised my hand, stopping her instantly.
"Don't."
She froze.
"I couldn't watch you fall apart," she whispered. "You were losing yourself… drowning in silence."
I shook my head slowly.
"For a moment there… I liked you," I admitted quietly. "I really did."
Her face crumbled.
"I'm still the same, Massimo," she pleaded. "I'm still the Eva you—"
The door opened.
Christian and Reginald walked back in.
Christian's hands were tucked into his pockets, his face unreadable.
"Are you the anonymous source sending us clues?" he asked.
Eva nodded.
"You're lucky you came clean," he said, taking a seat beside me. "If we had found out on our own… it would've been disastrous."
A pause.
"Now tell me—where's the shipment?"
"Closer than you think," she replied. "It was split into smaller containers… and shipped right back to the dock next to yours."
"What?" Reginald frowned. "That's Trejo's territory."
A bitter laugh escaped me.
"So Trejo played us for fools?"
"No," Eva said quickly. "Trejo refused to work directly with Daemonikai. He doesn't even visit the docks anymore—he has no idea what's happening there."
Reginald sat beside her, taking her hand.
Something twisted violently in my chest.
He chuckled softly, clearly aware of my reaction.
"Here's what's going to happen," he said calmly. "You don't tell Daemon anything. Not about this. Not about coming clean. Not until your family is safe. Understood?"
Eva nodded.
"Thank you…" she whispered.
Reginald smiled.
"You might want to let go of my hand before someone loses control."
I rolled my eyes.
He wasn't wrong.
"I'll make some calls," Christian said, heading upstairs. Reginald followed shortly after.
And just like that…
It was me and Eva again.
Alone.
And this time, the silence between us wasn't empty.
It was unfinished.