Leo trusted Bella. He trusted her intelligence, her instincts, her ability to think on her feet. He had seen her handle impossible situations before: the basement, the hacker, the way she had dismantled their enemies with nothing but her mind and a laptop. She wasn’t fragile. She wasn’t weak.

So when she walked out dressed in all black, he didn’t say a word.

She wore a fitted black t-shirt that hugged her frame but allowed her to move freely. Her pants were dark, comfortable, made of some stretchy material that wouldn’t restrict her legs. Her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, sleek and tight, not a single strand out of place. A black mask covered the lower half of her face, hiding her pink lips and soft cheeks.

Her tablet was tucked under her arm.

She looked like a shadow. She looked like danger. She looked like something that shouldn’t exist in his world, but did.

"Are you really sure?" Leo asked. His eyes flashed with something he couldn’t name: pride, fear, love, all tangled together. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Bella gave him a thumbs up. Her eyes crinkled above the mask, sparkling with a light that made his heart beat faster. He felt it, a wild, uncontrollable pounding in his chest, like a drumroll before a storm.

"I’m sure," she said.

Leo reached into his jacket and pulled out a gun. It wasn’t like the others in his collection. This one was new, sleek, compact, almost elegant. The metal was matte black, the grip textured to fit perfectly in a palm. There were no complicated switches or unfamiliar mechanisms. Just a button and a trigger.

"I’ve been working on this," he said, holding it out to her. "Traditional guns are heavy and complicated. This one is lightweight. You press this button to disengage the safety, then pull the trigger. That’s it."

Bella took the gun.

Her fingers wrapped around the grip. The metal was cool against her skin, smooth and solid. She felt the weight of this beauty.

Her heart sped up.

The gun was beautiful. Sleek lines, perfect balance, a dangerous elegance that didn’t belong in her soft, fair hand. She had never wanted to hold a weapon like this before.

But now, looking at it, feeling it, she understood why Leo loved them.

It was power. Pure, distilled, deadly power.

"What do you think?" Leo asked, watching her face.

She looked up at him, her eyes bright.

"It’s perfect."

And then her bad angel appeared.

She was perched on the arm of the couch, legs crossed, wearing a cute mini black dress with red high heels. Two small red horns curved from her dark hair, and her lips were painted the color of blood. She grinned, sharp and wicked.

"Hello~" she sang, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. "Leo darling gave you a gun. How about we find Krystal first and test it out on her?"

Bella’s eyes widened.

Her good angel appeared on the other side, dressed in flowing white, a golden halo hovering above her head. She looked horrified.

"No, Bella! Don’t listen to her! We’ll end up behind bars!"

The bad angel threw her head back and laughed, a cruel, melodic sound. "Behind bars? Hahaha! What are we scared of? Our sexy hubby is the Mafia king! He’ll cover anyone we kill!"

She blew a kiss toward Leo, who was oblivious, still watching Bella with concern.

"Imagine it," the bad angel purred, leaning close to Bella’s ear. "Krystal’s smug face. That smirk. Puff! Gone! Forever~"

Bella’s grip tightened on the gun.

"One shot," the bad angel whispered. "Just one. And all your problems disappear."

The good angel wrung her hands. "Bella, please. Think about Leo. Think about your future. Think about..."

"Think about how satisfying it would be," the bad angel interrupted, her eyes glittering.

Bella looked down at the gun in her hand. Then at Leo’s worried face. Then at the two angels, one on each side, waiting for her decision.

She took a breath.

"I’m not going to shoot Krystal," she said to herself.

The bad angel pouted. "Spoilsport."

The good angel sighed with relief.

"Yet," Bella added.

The bad angel’s grin returned.

The good angel groaned.

Leo raised an eyebrow. "Are you okay? You seem... distracted."

Bella shook her head, clearing her thoughts. "I’m fine. Just thinking."

"About?"

She looked at the gun again, then at him. "About how much I love you."

He blinked, surprised by the sudden confession. Then his expression softened.

"Come back safe," he said. "That’s all I ask."

She tucked the gun into her waistband, hidden beneath her shirt. The metal was cold against her skin, a reminder of what she was about to do.

"I will," she said.

She turned and walked out the door, and Leo followed.

⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹

Downstairs

Jay and Jace were waiting in the living room, both looking at her with a mixture of admiration and fear.

"You look terrifying," Jay said.

"Good," Bella replied.

Jace handed her a small earpiece. "Keep this in. We’ll be listening. If anything goes wrong..."

"You’ll know."

She put the earpiece in and adjusted her mask.

And finally, after saying goodbye to them, Bella left alone with the team.

The group of guards moved like shadows behind her, their footsteps silent, their eyes sharp. They were experienced men who had been with the Moretti family for years. But tonight, they were taking orders from a woman half their age, dressed in black, her face half hidden behind a mask.

They followed without question.

Bella climbed into the lead car, her tablet in her lap, her gun hidden beneath her shirt. The door closed with a soft thud, and the convoy pulled away, disappearing into the dark city streets.

⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹

Leo stood at the window, watching the taillights fade.

Jay paced behind him, his injured arm tucked close to his body, his face flushed with frustration. Jace leaned against the wall, his hand pressed to his side, his expression grim.

The moment the cars were out of sight, Jay exploded.

"Bro! What’s wrong with you?" His voice was sharp and angry. "Why did you agree to Bella Bell’s request? She’s not trained for this. She’s never done anything like this."

Leo didn’t turn around. "I know."

"Then why..."

"She wanted to go."

"That’s not a good enough reason!" Jay threw his good hand up in the air. "She could get hurt. She could..."

"She won’t."

"You don’t know that."

Leo finally turned. His gray eyes were calm, steady, almost serene. "I trust her."

Jay stared at him. "You trust her? That’s your reasoning?"

"Yes."