Chapter 23

Isabella Pov

The atmosphere in the hidden base was electric with tension. Even though we knew the truth about Tony, none of us could relax. The revelation of his betrayal had cracked the fragile trust we'd built, and now, every glance and whispered word felt like it carried an undercurrent of suspicion.

"We need to move," Enzo announced, pacing the length of the room. His voice was sharp, his movements restless. "If the Morettis know where we are, they'll be here soon."

"No one disagrees," Vince said, leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed. "But where are we going? We're low on supplies, and every safe house we've used is compromised."

Enzo stopped pacing and turned to face Vince, his jaw tight. "We'll find somewhere. The priority is putting distance between us and this place."

Tony stood in the corner, his face pale and drawn. He hadn't spoken since we confronted him. I could feel his eyes on me, but I refused to look at him.

I was still trying to reconcile the man I thought I knew with the one who'd betrayed us. His excuse-that he was protecting his family-was understandable, but it didn't erase the danger he'd put us in.

"We don't have time to argue," I said, breaking the silence. "We pack up and leave in ten minutes. Anything we don't have ready by then, we leave behind."

Everyone moved at once, gathering what little we had. The urgency in the air was suffocating, but there was no room for hesitation. Every second we stayed here was a second closer to the Morettis finding us.

As I packed my bag, I caught Enzo watching me. His gaze was intense, as if he could sense the whirlwind of emotions I was struggling to contain.

"We'll get through this," he said quietly, stepping closer.

I nodded, though I wasn't sure I believed him.

We left the base under the cover of darkness, our footsteps muffled by the forest floor. The air was thick with the scent of pine and damp earth, but all I could focus on was the sound of my own breathing and the faint crunch of leaves underfoot.

Enzo led the way, his movements confident despite the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. Vince was close behind, scanning the shadows for any signs of danger. Tony stayed at the back of the group, his head down and his shoulders hunched.

The tension was unbearable. Every rustle of leaves, every distant call of a bird, made my heart race. I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched.

"Keep moving," Enzo said over his shoulder. "We're not stopping until we're far enough away."

I glanced at Tony, who was struggling to keep up. Part of me wanted to offer him a hand, but the other part-the part that felt betrayed-held me back.

Suddenly, Vince froze, holding up a hand to signal us to stop.

"What is it?" Enzo whispered.

Vince pointed ahead. In the faint moonlight, I could make out a wire stretched across the path. My stomach dropped.

"A tripwire," Vince said.

Enzo cursed under his breath. "They're already onto us."

We carefully stepped over the wire, but the discovery only heightened the tension. If the Morettis had traps here, they couldn't be far behind.

The next few hours were a blur of movement and fear. Every step felt like a gamble, every shadow like a threat. My legs ached, and my chest felt tight, but I didn't dare complain. Survival was the only thing that mattered.

By the time we stopped, the moon was high in the sky. We found a small clearing surrounded by dense trees, and Enzo deemed it safe enough to rest for a while.

I sank to the ground, my back against a tree, and closed my eyes. The tension in my body refused to ease, but at least I could catch my breath.

Enzo sat beside me, his presence both comforting and unsettling. I could feel the weight of his gaze, but I didn't look at him.

"You've been quiet," he said after a while.

"What's there to say?" I replied, keeping my voice low. "We're running for our lives, and the person we thought we could trust betrayed us."

He didn't respond immediately. Instead, he reached out and took my hand, his touch gentle but firm.

"We'll get through this," he said, echoing his earlier words. "Together."

Before I could respond, a sound broke the silence-a faint rustling in the trees.

Enzo was on his feet in an instant, his gun drawn. Vince and Tony followed suit, their eyes scanning the shadows.

"Stay behind me," Enzo said, positioning himself between me and the sound.

My heart pounded as I strained to see through the darkness. The rustling grew louder, and then a figure emerged from the trees.

It was a man, his face obscured by a hood. He raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, but I didn't trust it.

"Who are you?" Enzo demanded, his voice cold and commanding.

The man didn't answer immediately. Instead, he pulled back his hood, revealing a face that was both unfamiliar and unsettling.

"I have information," he said, his voice calm. "About the Morettis."

Enzo didn't lower his gun. "Why should we believe you?"

The man's gaze shifted to Tony, and a small, knowing smile played on his lips.

"Because I know who your real enemy is," he said.

The tension in the clearing was palpable as his words hung in the air. I didn't know whether to trust him or shoot him, but one thing was certain-this was far from over.