Chapter 34

• Rafael sat at the edge of the couch, his jaw tight as he stared at the phone in his hand. The offer Matteo’s second-in-command had made earlier replayed in his mind like a haunting melody. It was a deal that promised safety for his children but came wrapped in layers of danger and deceit. He hated the thought of even considering it, but his options were thinning by the second.
• The weight of the decision pressed on him, but he knew he couldn’t keep it to himself. Maya deserved to know. She would fight him on it—he expected that—but hiding it wasn’t an option. He needed her trust, even if it meant breaking her heart with the reality of what they were facing.
• When Maya entered the room, her hair slightly disheveled from a restless night, she immediately noticed the tension in Rafael’s posture. “What is it?” she asked, her tone sharp but edged with concern.