Chapter 162: 162 ~ Jace
Getting rid of Giulietta wasn’t something I celebrated.
It wasn’t even something I enjoyed.
It was just... necessary.
She’d crossed a line too many times. She was spreading lies, taunting Mira through mutual contacts, whispering in men’s ears that I was losing control. She thought her position as the only daughter of my grandparents made her untouchable.
She was wrong.
Tomas had warned me to keep my hands clean for now. "You’ve spilled enough blood, boss," he said. "Let this one fade quietly."
So I took his advice.
Giulietta’s end came in an untraceable manner.
I got a dinner invitation. It came with a warm smile from an old acquaintance who owed me a favor.
There was a glass of wine in her hand and inside that glass of vintage red, the slow kind of poison that doesn’t kill you instantly.
It gives you time to think. To panic. To pray.
Three days later, Tomas came in with that look on his face the one that said it’s done.
"She’s gone," he said simply.
I just nodded. "Good."
No triumph. No anger. Just... closure.
One more ghost buried. One less snake slithering around my family’s name.
But after that, silence.
A kind of silence that wasn’t peaceful. The kind that told you something was brewing beneath the surface.
Massimo hadn’t made a move. No calls. No sightings. No word from his men.
And that was what made me uneasy.
"Maybe he’s laying low," Tomas suggested one morning.
"Massimo doesn’t lay low," I replied. "He plots."
The truth was, I hated waiting.
Every night I looked out the villa window and saw the fog curling around the hills, it felt like a cage. I needed movement. I needed control.
So I decided to make one last move of my own.
"We’re leaving," I said finally.
Tomas blinked. "You’re sure?"
"Yes. We’ve been hiding for too long. I want Mira back in Los Angeles."
"You think it’s safe?"
"As safe as it’ll ever get. I’ll make it safe." I said, reassuring myself more than him.
That was the end of that conversation.
When I told Donna Carmela, she didn’t flinch. She’d recovered faster than any doctor thought possible. It was typical of her. But I didn’t want her back in New York just yet.
She looked at me with those knowing eyes that always seemed to see right through me.
"Good," she said. "You think clearer in your own city. And if Massimo comes for you, it should be on your ground, not his."
I nodded. "That’s exactly my plan."
"Then don’t hesitate," she added. "Hesitation is what almost got me killed."
Her tone was soft, but the words hit deep. I hadn’t forgotten the night she was shot.
"I Mira happy about this?" she remarked.
Speaking of Mira... telling her we were leaving wasn’t easy.
She’d found a strange peace in that villa. With helping Donna recover, working quietly from her laptop, staying out of the chaos.
When I told her, she looked surprised. "Back to L.A.?"
"Home," I said simply.
"Are you sure it’s time?"
"I’m sure," I replied. "Giulietta’s gone. Massimo’s silent. I want us to breathe again."
She bit her lip. I could tell she was holding back another question, maybe something about whether this peace would last.
But I didn’t let her dwell on it. I pulled her closer, brushed her hair back, and said, "We’re done hiding."
She smiled faintly, though I could see the worry still hiding in her eyes.
It killed me that I couldn’t tell her the full truth that every ounce of quiet we had was temporary. But maybe she knew that already.
By the time we packed, the house looked hollow.
Boxes stacked in the hallway. My mom’s things loaded into one of the cars. The guards were moving like clockwork.
The flight to L.A. was quiet. Mira leaned her head on my shoulder halfway through, asleep before we hit the clouds. I watched her sleep her lips parted slightly, her fingers curled against my arm and I thought about all the things I’d done to keep her safe.
Would she still love me if she knew every detail? Every kill? Every deal?
I didn’t have the answer, and I wasn’t sure I wanted it.
When the plane landed, the skyline of Los Angeles cut through the morning fog like a painting.
Home.
As soon as we reached the penthouse, Tomas and the guards went into their usual formation, securing floors, testing entry points and setting up surveillance.
My mom took the master guest room, already complaining that the air here was too dry.
And Mira... she walked straight to the balcony in our bedroom.
The sunlight spilled over her like a halo as she stood there, her hair swaying in the light breeze.
"I almost forgot how beautiful it looks from here," she whispered.
"Get used to it," I said, wrapping my arm around her waist. "We’re not leaving again."
She smiled, leaning into me. "You promise?"
"Yeah."
For the first time in a long while, I almost believed it myself.
We spent the rest of the day unpacking, settling in, laughing over little things that didn’t matter.h.
For a few hours, it almost felt normal.
Almost.
When night fell, I sat on the balcony again, watching the city lights blur beneath the haze.
The noise of L.A. sirens, music, engines... it all blended into one heartbeat.
Mira came out quietly, wearing one of my shirts again.
"Can’t sleep?" she asked, kissing my bare back as she tried to wrap her arms around me for a second. Keyword - tried.
"Not yet." I answered.
She sat beside me, pulling her knees close. "You’ve been quiet all day."
"Just tired," I lied.
Her hand found mine. "I know that look. Something’s bothering you again."
I hesitated, then looked out at the skyline.
"Massimo’s been quiet too long," I said finally. "That’s not a good sign."
"Maybe he’s done," she said hopefully.
"He’s not the type to stop," I replied with the shake of my head. "He’s the type to wait."
Her grip on my hand tightened. "Then we’ll be ready for him."
I looked at her then really looked. Her courage. Her softness. The strength she didn’t even know she had.
And for a fleeting second, the world didn’t feel so heavy.
I leaned in and kissed her forehead. "Go to bed. I’ll join you soon."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
She went inside, leaving the door slightly ajar.
I stayed there a while longer, staring at the city lights until the reflection in the glass caught my attention the faint red dot blinking on the far rooftop opposite ours.
I didn’t move or flinch. I just watched.
And when it disappeared, I reached for my phone.
"Tomas," I said quietly.
"Yes, boss?"
"We’ve got company."
The silence on the line was sharp.
"How close?"
"Close enough."
It seemed the peace was already over.