The Devil's Touch

**CHAPTER 7**

*Lorenzo’s POV*

I stormed into the storage room, heart pounding in a way it hadn’t in years. Relief flooded through me the moment I saw Elena, unharmed but shaken, standing next to him.

Dante Moretti.

The infamous name echoed in my head, stoking a fury I barely managed to suppress. Seeing my daughter standing beside one of the most dangerous men in our world made my blood boil. But now wasn’t the time for blame.

“Elena!” I barked, my voice sharper than I intended. She turned to me, her face a mixture of relief and defiance. My stubborn girl.

“Dad,” she said, rushing into my arms. I held her tightly, the fear I’d buried clawing its way to the surface. She shouldn’t have been here. She should have been safe, far away from this blood-soaked world.

My eyes shifted to Dante, who stood silent and unyielding. “You’ve done enough, Moretti,” I said, my tone laced with warning. “She’s coming with me.” But the time that they were about to go out of the room,The gunshoot was coming onto our place,

His gray eyes narrowed, assessing me with the cold precision of a predator. “The chaos isn’t over yet,” he replied evenly. “Leaving now is a mistake.”

“I’m not leaving my daughter in your hands,” I snapped.

He didn’t flinch, his gaze steady. “I don’t care what you think of me, Torres. She’s safer with me for now.”

Before I could argue, another burst of gunfire echoed down the hall. Elena stiffened in my arms, and instinctively, I pulled her behind me. Dante was already moving, his gun drawn as he stepped into the doorway.

“They’re closing in,” he said grimly. “If you want her out of here alive, you’ll follow my lead.”

I hated it. Hated that he was right. Hated that I had no choice but to trust him. But as more screams erupted from the main hall, I nodded reluctantly.

“Fine,” I growled. “But you stay in front.”

---

*Elena’s POV*

The tension between my father and Dante was suffocating, even in the midst of chaos. They were like two wolves circling each other, their mutual distrust palpable. But as bullets shattered the air around us, I didn’t care who led—I just wanted to get out alive.

“Stay close to me,” my father said, his voice firm as he gripped my arm.

Dante shot him a sharp glance. “I already told her that.”

“This isn’t a competition!” I snapped, my frustration bubbling over. “Can we focus on not getting killed?”

Neither of them responded, but I caught the flicker of a smirk on Dante’s face. Typical.

We moved as a unit, darting from shadow to shadow as Dante led us toward an exit. The halls were eerily quiet, the silence broken only by the occasional distant gunshot. My heart thundered in my chest, every step feeling like a gamble.

---

*Lorenzo’s POV*

I kept my eyes on Elena, my hand on the gun tucked into my jacket. She was scared but steady, her chin high despite the danger. She reminded me of her mother in that way—brave, even when the odds were stacked against her.

But this wasn’t bravery I wanted from her. She shouldn’t have been here. This wasn’t her fight.

Dante’s presence grated on me. He moved with the confidence of a man who’d seen this kind of chaos too many times before. And as much as I hated to admit it, he was good at this. Too good.

We reached a small corridor near the back of the estate, and Dante held up a hand, signaling us to stop. He peered around the corner, his posture tense.

“They’ve got the exit covered,” he muttered.

“Then we’ll find another way,” I said, stepping forward.

“There is no other way,” he snapped, his voice low but commanding. “Not unless you want to walk straight into a firing squad.”

I glared at him, the weight of my decision pressing down on me. Every fiber of my being rebelled against relying on this man, but my daughter’s life was on the line.

“What’s the plan, then?” I asked grudgingly.

Dante’s lips curved into a faint smirk, one that didn’t reach his eyes. “We create a distraction.”

---

*Dante’s POV*

Lorenzo Torres was as stubborn as I’d expected. The man was all bark and no bite—a relic of a time when honor still meant something in this world. But his daughter was different. She had a fire in her that couldn’t be extinguished.

And for some reason, I couldn’t let her die tonight.

“We’ll draw their attention,” I said, motioning to Enzo, who had caught up with us. “You take Elena and head for the side exit once we’ve cleared the way.”

“I’m not leaving without her,” Lorenzo growled.

“You don’t have a choice,” I shot back. “Do you want her to die because you couldn’t swallow your pride?”

He glared at me, but I saw the moment he relented. He hated me, but he hated the idea of losing her more.

“Elena, stay close to your father,” I said, my tone softer. “When I give the signal, run. Don’t look back.”

She hesitated, her emerald eyes locking onto mine. “What about you?”

I smirked. “I don’t die that easily.”

Before she could argue, I stepped into the open, gun raised as I fired a few warning shots. The sound echoed through the corridor, drawing the attention of the Montessi men.

“Go!” I barked, my voice cutting through the chaos.

Lorenzo grabbed Elena’s hand, pulling her toward the exit as Enzo and I covered their retreat.

As the sound of their footsteps faded, I felt a strange sense of relief. She was out of harm’s way—for now. But something told me this wouldn’t be the last time our lives intersected.