Semua Bab UNDRESSED BY THE MAFIA LORD: Bab 311 - Bab 320

The room went quiet."That's extremely dangerous," Luca said carefully. "Recruiting current staff members means they know what we're planning. They become loose ends.""Only if we need to tie them off," Dante replied coldly. "And they only need to be loose ends if they pose a threat. Which they won't, because they'll understand that cooperation is in their best interest.""How do we convince them of that?" Carmine asked."Money," Dante said simply. "Fear. Leverage. Some combination of the three. People are motivated by wants and needs. Find out what the staff members want and need. Exploit it."Luca nodded slowly, understanding the logic even as his expression suggested he didn't love it."I'll have detailed dossiers on all current penthouse staff by tomorrow," Carmine said. "Financials, family connections, criminal records, vices. Everything we need to find leverage.""Good," Dante said. "And I need real-time intelligence on Dimitri's movements. Where he goes. Who he meets with. His

"We will," Dante replied. "In a few days. After we have Eve. After Dimitri's been broken. Then we can discuss what comes next with Isabella.""And what about the war with Dimitri? You really think he'll surrender Eve just because we ask?""I think he'll do whatever it takes to keep her alive," Dante said. "And that's where we have him. We don't need to kill him. We just need to make him understand that losing Eve is worse than any other fate we could inflict."Luca nodded slowly, accepting the plan even as his instincts screamed that something about this was going to go wrong.But Dante had led them through worse. Had survived things that should have killed him. Had turned every setback into an opportunity.And now, with Isabella waiting in Rome and Eve about to be extracted and Dimitri distracted by his war with his own father, maybe this time the impossible would actually work.Maybe this time, Dante would finally win.***Twenty-four hours until extraction.Dante stood on the roof

"I have sources," Dante said simply. "I know everything about your life, Isabella. I know when you eat. I know when you sleep. I know who you talk to and what you say to them. I know everything."Isabella felt a chill run down her spine."That's... that's not okay, Dante. That's not...""That's love," Dante interrupted. "That's what it means when a man cares about you the way I care about you. He knows you. He watches you. He keeps you safe by being aware of every detail of your existence.""That's not love," Isabella said quietly. "That's control.""It's both," Dante said, standing. "Come. I need to show you something."He took her hand and led her through the safe house, to a room with multiple computer monitors displaying security feeds and intelligence reports."This is our operations center," Dante said, pointing to various screens.He pulled up a file on one of the monitors.The penthouse. Dimitri's building. Eve's daily routine."What is this?" Isabella asked, though she alread

Eve's expression didn't change, but he saw her hands clench slightly."Okay," she said carefully. "So what do we do about it?""We prepare," Dimitri said. "We strengthen security. We change protocols. We position defensive assets. And we wait for him to make a move.""And if he does?" Eve asked."Then he walks into a trap I've already set," Dimitri said with absolute confidence. "He thinks he's going to catch us off guard. He thinks he's going to exploit the element of surprise. But we're going to be ready. We're going to be waiting for him."Eve moved closer and took his face in her hands."I trust you," she said. "I trust that you're not going to let anything happen to me. But Dimitri, I need you to promise me something.""What?" he asked."Promise me that when Dante makes his move, you're not going to do something reckless trying to protect me. Promise me you're going to be strategic. Promise me you're going to think about your safety as much as mine."Dimitri wanted to promise. Wa

"I mean necessary leverage," Luca corrected. "Dante wants Dimitri to understand things. Wants him to understand what it feels like to have the person you love more than anything be completely out of reach. Wants him to understand that power isn't infinite. That even the strongest men have limits.""And what makes you think Dimitri will negotiate?" Eve asked, her mind racing. "What makes you think he won't just come in guns blazing and kill everyone?""Because you're worth more to him alive than dead," Luca said simply. "And we're going to make sure he understands that. Every hour you're with us, we're going to send him a message. A photo. A video. A reminder of what he's lost. And each message will include a deadline. Demands. Instructions for what Dimitri needs to do to get you back.""He'll never surrender," Eve said with absolute certainty. "He'll never give Dante anything. And he'll burn this city down to find me.""I know," Luca said, and there was something almost sad in his voi