Chapter 16

• Chapter 16: Dealing With His Worries
• The walls of the back office throb with tension, thick with the kind that doesn’t move or breathe. A single bulb swings overhead, casting long, warped shadows that stretch across the cluttered desk between Luca and Vittorio. The light flickers once, just enough to make the moment feel even more unstable. The air is heavy—stale with the scent of burnt espresso, old wood, and cold sweat that clings to the wallpaper like a curse.
• Luca leans forward, bracing his forearms on the edge of the desk. His eyes are narrowed into sharp slits, his voice low but laced with steel.