Then he asked quietly—
“Why are you helping me?”
Isabella didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, she studied his face like she was searching for something.
“Because,” she said finally, “you’re not like the others.”
Leo almost laughed.
“You don’t know me.”
“I know enough.”
Before Leo could respond—
A slow clap echoed through the alley.
Both of them froze.
“Well,” a familiar voice said.
“That’s a touching little meeting.”
Leo turned sharply.
Tony Capo stepped out from the shadows.
Three armed men followed behind him.
Tony looked delighted.
“Marcus is going to love this.”
Leo’s hand moved toward his gun.
Tony noticed immediately.
“Easy there,” he said with a grin. “Wouldn’t want to make this messy.”
He glanced at Isabella.
“You really shouldn’t sneak out at night, sweetheart.”
Her expression went cold.
Tony continued smugly—
“Marcus trusts me to keep an eye on things.”
Leo felt anger rising in his chest.
Tony gestured between them.
“And look what I found.”
His smile widened.
“The boss’s woman… meeting one of his soldiers in a dark alley.”
One of Tony’s men laughed.
Tony pulled out a pistol.
“Imagine how happy Marcus will be when I bring you both to him.”
Leo stepped slightly in front of Isabella.
Tony’s grin sharpened.
“Aww,” he mocked. “Look at that.”
“You’re even playing the hero.”
He cocked the gun.
“Unfortunately for you, heroes die early in this business.”
Leo tensed.
Then Isabella spoke calmly.
“Tony.”
Tony tilted his head.
“Yes?”
She pulled something from her coat.
A small recording device.
Tony’s smile vanished.
“You should listen to this,” she said softly.
She pressed the button.
Tony’s voice crackled through the device.
“Yeah, I took the crate.”
“Marcus will blame Leo anyway.”
“By the time he figures it out, I’ll already have his job.”
The alley went silent.
Tony’s face turned pale.
Leo stared at him.
Slowly.
Dangerously.
Tony recovered quickly.
He laughed loudly.
“Fake.”
Isabella raised an eyebrow.
“Lucy recorded it yesterday.”
Tony’s eyes flickered.
“You lying—”
Leo moved.
Fast.
Before Tony could react, Leo slammed his fist into his jaw.
Tony crashed into the brick wall with a grunt.
The other men rushed forward.
Leo grabbed the nearest one, twisted his arm, and slammed him face-first into the pavement.
A second man swung a bat.
Leo ducked and drove his elbow into the man’s ribs.
Crack.
The bat clattered away.
Tony staggered to his feet, blood dripping from his lip.
“You son of a—”
Leo punched him again.
Tony collapsed.
Within seconds, all four men were on the ground.
Breathing.
But defeated.
Leo grabbed Tony by the collar and hauled him up.
“Why?” Leo demanded.
Tony laughed weakly.
“You really think Marcus values you more than me?”
Leo didn’t answer.
Tony leaned closer.
“You’re just muscle, Leo.”
Then—
Footsteps echoed behind them.
Slow.
Deliberate.
Everyone turned.
Marcus Cohen stood at the entrance of the alley.
Several armed guards surrounded him.
His expression was unreadable.
Tony’s face lit up with relief.
“Boss!”
Marcus didn’t look at him.
His eyes were fixed on Leo.
Then Isabella.
The silence stretched unbearably.
Finally Marcus spoke.
“I see you’ve been busy tonight.”
Tony pointed at Leo desperately.
“They were meeting behind your back!”
Marcus glanced down at the recording device still in Isabella’s hand.
Then he looked at Tony.
“Were you planning to tell me,” Marcus asked calmly, “that you stole my shipment?”
Tony froze.
Marcus’s voice remained soft.
But deadly.
“You disappoint me.”
Tony’s face drained of color.
Marcus gestured to his men.
“Take him.”
Two guards grabbed Tony immediately.
Tony struggled.
“Boss—wait—!”
Marcus ignored him.
“Lock him in the basement.”
The guards dragged Tony away.
His screams faded into the distance.
Marcus turned back to Leo and Isabella.
His gaze lingered on them both.
Long enough to make Leo’s skin crawl.
“You two,” Marcus said slowly, “are lucky.”
Leo didn’t respond.
Marcus stepped closer.
“You found the thief.”
His eyes moved to Isabella.
“And you helped expose him.”
She held his gaze calmly.
Marcus smiled faintly.
But the smile didn’t reach his eyes.
“However,” he continued quietly, “I don’t like secrets.”
Leo felt the warning in every word.
Marcus looked between them one last time.
“Be careful,” he said softly.
Then he turned and walked away.
The guards followed.
The alley fell silent again.
Leo exhaled slowly.
Isabella did the same.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Leo said quietly—
“He knows.”
Isabella nodded.
“Yes.”
Leo looked toward the dark street where Marcus had disappeared.
“He didn’t punish us.”
“Not yet.”
Their eyes met again.
Fear.
Relief.
And something else.
Something neither of them dared name.
Because in Marcus Cohen’s world—
A single wrong step meant death.
And tonight they had taken two.