“Do you trust Ivan?” Jade asked, breaking the silence as they turned onto a quieter road.

Lucas kept his eyes on the road, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. “As much as you can trust a guy like him. Ivan’s always been about survival. He’s not going to stick his neck out too far, but if he gave us Marco’s name, it means he knows we’ll be in for a fight.”

Jade nodded, her mind spinning through scenarios. “So, how do we approach Marco without him alerting Damon?”

“That’s the tricky part,” Lucas admitted. “Marco’s cautious. He won’t meet with just anyone, especially if he suspects we’re onto him. We’re going to need a way in.”

Jade thought for a moment. “What if we play into his ego? From what you’ve said about Damon, I’m guessing Marco doesn’t love being second in command. Maybe we can convince him that he’s the one with the real power.”

Lucas raised an eyebrow, glancing over at her. “You think we can make him turn on Damon?”

“Maybe not turn,” Jade said slowly, “but at least make him feel like he’s in control of the situation. If we stroke his ego, he might let something slip.”

Lucas considered her words for a moment, nodding slightly. “It’s risky, but it might be our best shot. Marco likes to feel important—if we can make him think he has the upper hand, we could get the information we need.”

“Where does he usually operate?” Jade asked.

“He’s got a few places he frequents,” Lucas replied. “But there’s one spot he always goes to—The Viper Lounge. It’s a bar on the east side of the city, not too far from Damon’s main operations. We’ll find him there.”

Jade felt a flicker of unease. The closer they got to Damon’s world, the more dangerous this became. But there was no turning back now.

As they pulled up to Jade’s apartment to prepare, Lucas suddenly tensed, his eyes narrowing. “Wait.”

Jade looked around, confused. “What is it?”

Lucas parked the car and motioned for her to stay low. He reached into the glove compartment, pulling out a small handgun, which only heightened Jade’s anxiety.

“Stay here,” Lucas whispered, stepping out of the car cautiously.

Jade’s heart raced as she peered out the window. A dark figure stood near the entrance of the building, partially hidden by the shadows. The figure hadn’t moved, but something about their stance was off—too still, too intentional.

Lucas approached the figure slowly, his weapon held discreetly at his side. Jade’s pulse quickened as she strained to hear their conversation.

The figure turned, and Jade caught a glimpse of a familiar face. Her stomach lurched with recognition.

“Matteo?” Lucas’s voice was cold, laced with suspicion. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Matteo, one of Lucas’s former mafia associates, stood there, his hands raised in a non-threatening gesture. His expression was tense, but not aggressive.

“Lucas,” Matteo said in a low voice. “I’ve been looking for you.”

Jade felt a knot form in her stomach. Matteo was one of the names Lucas had mentioned before—a dangerous man, tied to his old life. If he was here now, it couldn’t be good.

Lucas’s grip on his gun tightened. “Looking for me? Or following orders from my father?”

Matteo shook his head. “I’m not here on your father’s behalf. I came to warn you.”

Jade’s heart skipped a beat. Warn them? About what?

Lucas narrowed his eyes, clearly skeptical. “Warn me about what?”

“Damon knows,” Matteo said, his voice low and urgent. “He knows you’ve been digging around. Word is, he’s not going to wait for you to make a move. He’s planning to take you out first.”

Lucas’s jaw clenched, his eyes flashing with anger. “How does he know?”

Matteo hesitated, glancing toward the building as though checking for anyone else. “I don’t know how, but he’s already mobilizing some of his men. You need to get out of here—now.”

Jade’s blood ran cold. This was worse than she had imagined. Damon wasn’t just watching them; he was one step ahead.

“Why are you helping me?” Lucas asked, his tone sharp. “Last time I checked, you weren’t exactly on my side.”

Matteo looked conflicted, but his voice was steady. “I owe you for what happened with your father. You saved me back then. This is me repaying the debt.”

Lucas seemed to study Matteo for a long moment before lowering his gun slightly. “If you’re lying—”

“I’m not,” Matteo interrupted, his expression serious. “I don’t want anything from you, Lucas. Just get out of here before it’s too late.”

Jade felt the weight of the situation crash over her. Damon wasn’t going to wait for them to confront Marco. He was already making his move.

Lucas turned to her, his eyes hard with determination. “We need to move now. Pack a bag—just the essentials.”

Jade nodded, her pulse racing as she rushed into her apartment, grabbing a few key items. This was spiraling faster than she had expected, and the danger felt more real with every passing second.

When she returned, Matteo was gone, and Lucas was already at the door, his face grim.

“We’ll have to change our plan,” Lucas said, his voice tight. “We can’t go after Marco right now. If Damon’s already on to us, he’ll be watching Marco too. We need to get off the grid—at least for a little while.”

Jade’s heart sank. They were supposed to be taking control of the situation, but now it felt like they were on the run.

“Where do we go?” Jade asked.

“There’s a place,” Lucas said, his voice barely above a whisper. “A safe house I used to use when things got bad with my father’s men. Damon won’t know about it.”

Jade nodded, grabbing her bag. “Let’s go.”

As they left the apartment and hurried toward the car, Jade couldn’t help but glance over her shoulder, the feeling of being watched creeping over her.

Damon was closing in, and their time was running out.