The Don’s Soulmate

31. Carlotta

Chapter 31

Carlotta

My heart pounds as I pace the living room floor, glancing anxiously at the clock. Sofia will be here any minute now. Today is the day of the heist, and I still don't know exactly how she plans to get me out of this house. But I trust her and Ettore to have figured out a plan – I have to.

The door opens and Sofia sweeps in, radiant as always. "Ready to shop for some bridal shoes?" she asks breezily, her voice carrying just the right amount of excitement to throw off any suspicion, but her eyes flicker between me and the guards watching over me, reminding me to play my part.

"Of course," I squeal, trying to match her enthusiasm. Sofia grabs my arm and we make our way towards the door, but I hear footsteps behind me.

Why are the guards following us out? I panic at the thought. We’re going to meet Ettore. With them at my heels, I can’t.

Sofia leans in close and whispers under her breath, looking straight ahead, "When I asked Ugo for permission, he insisted on having security follow us. But we have a plan." My stomach drops at the news, but I nod, understanding that we must play along for now.

We step outside, surrounded by guards who maintain a discreet distance as they escort us to the car. As we drive to the store, flanked by a convoy, my mind races with thoughts of how we'll manage to escape under their watchful eyes.

I can’t ask. Even the driver could be a spy.

Upon reaching the store, Sofia and I stand outside. I bend down, to tie the laces for my sneakers together and stand with a jump, clapping my hands in excitement. To Sofia, I say, rather loudly, "While we’re here, I think I'm going to look for some sexy lingerie for the honeymoon." The guards exchange nervous glances and mumble that they will wait outside the store.

“We’ll be a while,” Sofia winks at them, and we enter, arm in arm.

I head straight for a rack of winter coats, and we huddle behind them, away from the guards’ watchful eyes, in case they peek in. “Sofia, how the hell are we going to shake them off?” I ask, worried beyond belief. “And Ettore. Where are we to meet Ettore?”

Just then, I feel a pair of hands slide around my eyes, covering them shut. For the first time in my life, this motion, familiar from my teenage life, doesn’t leave me questioning who.

I feel him etched in the embers of my soul. I can smell him, his body wrapped around me, and the world disappears into a starless night.

“Ettore?” I whisper, heart racing, hands clenching on his. He releases his hold on me, and I turn, still holding his hands, all my fears eradicated.

“Thought I’d leave you to figure this all out, cara mia?” he looks down at me with such tenderness, that I feel foolish for even thinking our escape would be a problem for me to solve. When has he ever left me in trouble?

In fact, he’s always saved me from it, and here he is doing that, once again. Ettore's gaze traces over my face, his piercing blue eyes searching mine as if seeking reassurance that I'm truly here, in this moment, with him. A sense of calm settles deep within my being.

His presence wraps around me like a shield, strong and unwavering, offering me a sense of security that I've never known before. I just know that by his side, it’ll all work out. Tonight, life, death.

His thumb brushes gently against my cheek, and in a strange way, I can hear his thoughts in my mind. He’s telling me not now, not here.

I look away, stepping back next to Sofia, whose sharp eyes miss nothing.

“So, how do we lose the dogs outside?” Sofia asks.

Ettore’s line of sight darts behind us and he looks back with a nod. “It’s clear. Follow me out the back.”

He grabs my arm, leads me towards the back exit with Sofia at my heels. Ettore hands an employee three crisp hundred-dollar bills. We slip out unnoticed onto a deserted street behind the store and a sleek black car pulls up beside us, its engine purring like a predator ready to pounce. Ettore opens the door for me, his touch lingering on my waist before I slide into the backseat, Sofia following suit.

The car speeds away from the store, leaving behind the guards who are none the wiser to our disappearance.

“Where are we going?” I ask, completely in the loop.

“We drop Sofia off first,” Ettore says. “Then, to the location. Outskirts of town. Forest cover. We won’t be seen, and if the transaction goes south, there won’t be any witnesses.”

“Wait,” I say, confused. “We’re dropping Sofia off first?”

"Carlotta, we decided it's safer if only you go with him," she murmurs softly. "Ettore can’t shield us both if trouble comes. One of us is bound to get hurt."

I swallow hard, knowing she's right. With a final hug at the lot where her spare car is parked, she exits.

We begin to drive again. For a while, we’re both sitting in silence. I have too many questions, knowing nothing about what might happen tonight. And yet, I don’t dare ask, for there’s one thought running through my mind: we might not make it out alive.

"I hired a fake ‘buyer.’ Ugo agreed to the deal," Ettore says, breaking the silence. He doesn't look at me, his focus on the navigation system, cross-checking his driver before a mistake is made. "Tonight, he'll hand over the artwork in exchange for cash – counterfeit cash."

"Counterfeit?" I ask, surprised at the audacity of his plan. "And he won't know?"

"Of course not. It's perfect," Ettore replies, a sinister smirk playing on his lips. "We're also offering him a substantial amount in cryptocurrency, which will be transferred during a fake encrypted transaction. Once we leave with the artwork, the transaction will reverse and he’ll never get the money."

“How much, again?”

“Two hundred million,” Ettore replies.

I can’t even fathom that amount of cash off the books. Ettore senses my confusion, and explains. “The cash is stored in trunks, with the top layers being authentic. However, the counterfeits beneath are the most superior in the world. And then, there’s some gold.”.”

"Gold?" I question, trying to understand all the moving parts.

"Fake as well," he answers, chuckling darkly. "In fact, it's painted lead bars. They won't know until it's too late."

I sit back, realizing the full extent of Ettore's cunning plan. The stakes are high, and if anything goes wrong, we'll be at the mercy of Ugo's wrath. But it's too late to turn back now. I'm in this for better or worse, and my fate is entwined with Ettore's. I feel it in my bones.

The night grows darker and the car comes to a sudden halt. We're at the edge of a dense forest, the trees looming overhead like silent sentinels. The moon is high, casting eerie shadows, making me see things that don’t exist.

"Stay close to me," Ettore instructs under hushed breath, as he helps me out. "We can't risk being spotted."

I nod, swallowing hard as we step out of the car. The driver remains behind, ready to make a quick escape if needed. Ettore takes my hand, his grip firm but not unkind, and leads me deeper into the woods.

We move quickly, our footsteps muffled by the thick carpet of leaves beneath us. Once or twice, I nearly trip over branches I don’t see, but he’s always there, holding me up.

"Are you scared?" he asks, his voice barely a whisper.

"Of course I am," I admit, my voice trembling. "Aren't you?"

He chuckles darkly. "Petrified.”

I look up, surprised. Isn’t he used to such things?

As though reading my mind, he continues. “Had I been alone, there would be nothing to fear. With you, to get you out unharmed, I feel nothing but wretched dread.”

His words should comfort me, but the thought of this strong, incredible man being so utterly dependent on the outcome of my safety heightens my anxiety. What have I gotten myself into? If something happens to me, what would come of him?

Suddenly, I realize, I live for him.

squeeze his hand, feeling the warmth of his touch seep into me, grounding me to the moment, the night, this connection I can’t quite describe. The world might betray me, but Ettore? Never.

As we continue deeper into the forest, I try to focus on the sound of my own breath and the steady rhythm of my heart. It's a futile attempt to calm my nerves, but it's all I have.

Finally, Ettore stops in front of a large tree, its gnarled roots twisting like serpents around its base. On his command, we crouch behind it, looking out from either side. "This is our vantage point," he says, pointing towards a small clearing in the distance. "We'll be able to see everything from here without being spotted."

"Are you sure?" I ask, doubt creeping into my voice. It feels too exposed, too open.

"Trust me, we’re far up" he says, his eyes locking onto mine and I believe him.

"Okay," I whisper, bracing myself for what’s about to unfold.

A sudden rustle of leaves and the distant roar of engines break the silence of the forest, drawing my attention to the clearing. Adrenaline courses through me as I watch the "buyer" Ettore has set up arrive with his team in a convoy of intimidating SUV’s, the wheels of which throwing dust in their wake. They look like they mean business, no time to waste.

"Here they come," Ettore mutters under his breath, his grip tightening on the binoculars he's using to survey the scene.

Ugo and his men drive in from the opposite direction moments later. My heart races, fear and anticipation warring within me as I witness the two sides converging. I take a shaky breath as the men emerge from their vehicles, sizing each other up. Ugo's bulk dominates the space as he strides forward to confer with the buyer's representative. Even from this distance, his crude gestures and scowling face are unmistakable.

"Watch closely, Carlotta," Ettore instructs, handing me the binoculars. "You'll be able to see everything from here."

After terse words are exchanged, Ugo's men drag forward heavy cases and pry them open to reveal stacks of bills. The buyer's team inspects the cash with care, then give a nod of approval. My heart pounds louder at this first success.

"Good," Ettore says, satisfaction evident in his tone. "Now keep an eye on the gold."

I shift my focus to the other side of the exchange, where another trunk is being opened to reveal gleaming bars of gold. So bright, such glimmer, that I swear I can see them glisten from all the way here. I hold my breath, praying that the brass is painted well. To my relief, it passes inspection as well, and I can feel Ettore's body relax slightly beside me.

"Everything's going as planned," he murmurs, his blue eyes, mesmerizing under the moonlight, never leaving the scene. "Now we just need to wait for them to load the art onto the truck."

Ugo's men carefully place the stolen masterpieces onto a waiting vehicle. The sight of those priceless works of art being treated like common contraband makes me sick to my stomach, but I know that it’s in safe hands now. Ettore’s men will treat them with more respect.

"Once they're gone," Ettore says, his voice barely audible, "we'll make our move."

As the last piece is carefully load it into the buyer's truck, I feel a swell of excitement at this clandestine glimpse into worlds beyond my own. Suddenly, a twig snaps behind us, and Ettore's body tenses immediately.

“Spies!” a man yells into the night from behind.

Ettore and I exchange glances. Fuck. We've been discovered, and from how Ugo roars into the sky, I can tell he heard the message loud and clear from his guard.

My breath catches as sudden shouts erupt from the tree line. Ugo's roving guards have spotted us!

Ettore reacts in an instant, shoving me down and shielding my body with his. Gunshots crack through the air from the clearing as both sides scramble for cover. Ugo, firing. Ettore’s men, returning. I clench my eyes shut, willing my racing heart to slow.

"Stay down!" Ettore hisses. I peer up to see his hand already gripping a sleek pistol. His sharp gaze scans the surrounding forest as he plans our escape, trying to find the guards we might be in danger from.

"Thought you could pull a fast one on us, huh?" sneers the guard as he emerges from the tree line, gun aimed at Ettore’s heart. Panic rises within me, and I clutch Ettore's arm tighter, fighting to take the bullet, but he holds me back.

"Let her go, Mancini," another one appears, his voice cold and unforgiving. "This doesn't concern her. Return the boss’s wife."

"She’s not his wife,” Ettore roars, standing to defend me, his own gun now pointed at the head guard. “And everything about this concerns her.”

"Or what? You'll kill us all?" the man taunts, his laughter echoing through the forest.

"Trust me," Ettore growls, his eyes never leaving the man's face, "you don't want to find out."