The ride back to the penthouse felt much longer than it actually was. The silence between them was thick, a weight neither wanted to lift. Caterina's head was a mess after Nico spilled the beans about their new enemies, changing loyalties and the danger closing in on them. It was too much to take in at once but impossible to ignore.

Nico kept his eyes on the road, his hands gripping the wheel a little too tightly, His jaw clenched, like he was fighting back a lots of thoughts. Caterina sat beside him, her hands resting in her lap, staring at the city lights outside, though she wasn't really listening.

“What now?” she asked softly, breaking the silence.

Nico inhaled deeply, glancing at her for a second before looking ahead. “Now, we make a plan. We keep moving, keep pushing forward.”

“I don’t know if that’s enough,” Caterina murmured, doubt clear in her voice. “How do we fight something we don’t even fully understand yet?”

He didn’t have an immediate answer. Honestly, he didn't know much at all. It's been crazy lately, all threats and violence and so many unanswered questions. But the one thing Nico was sure of was that he wasn’t going to let anyone hurt her. Not now. Not ever.

“We’ll figure it out,” Nico said firmly. “I’ve dealt with worse.”

“But you don’t have to do this alone,” Caterina replied, her voice gentle yet careful. “I’m not some helpless girl who needs protecting. I can help you, Nico. I want to.”

Nico grip tightened on the wheel again, but his voice remained calm. “I know you want to help. But this... this is dangerous. I can’t risk you getting hurt.”

“Then let me choose that risk,” she said, her tone sharper now. “You can’t keep pushing me away. I need to be part of this. I need to know what’s happening.”

He didn’t answer right away, but the tension between them was clear. Nico didn’t want to argue with her, not now, but he knew how she was. Caterina was stubborn, a real bulldog when she wanted something. Yeah, she was really gonna stick by him. Nico hated the thought of putting her in danger, but he understood her. She wasn’t the kind to sit back and watch while everything around them crumbled.

They got to the penthouse, Nico parked, quiet as a mouse, both of them all spaced out. Caterina didn’t wait for him to open the door. She climbed out quickly, heading straight for the elevator. Nico trailed behind, all those unsaid things making his steps heavy.

Inside the penthouse, the familiar surroundings no longer brought the comfort they once did. The air felt heavy and Caterina could see the hesitation in Nico eyes. He was trying to be tough, but you could see he was falling apart.

“I need to know what’s happening,” she said again, her voice softer this time, more sincere. “What are we really up against?”

Nico took a moment before answering, his gaze fixed on the city below. “Matteo's lead was solid.  We're dealing with someone who's been lurking around. Quietly picking off smaller families, taking their territories. Vittorio wasn’t just killed by accident he was involved with them. And now they’re coming for us.”

Caterina felt her breath hitch. The puzzle pieces were clicking, but I still couldn't see the whole thing. “Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?”

“I didn’t want to scare you,” Nico admitted, his voice low. “I didn’t want you feeling like there was a target on your back. But the truth is, we’ve been at war for a long time, Caterina. And whoever this new player is, they’re not messing around.”

She nodded slowly, his words sinking in. It wasn't about living anymore. They were fighting to protect everything they'd built, everything they loved.

Caterina took a deep breath, her mind racing with ideas, strategies and the fear eating away at her. “What’s the next move?”

Nico eyes met hers, his expression impossible to read. “We get ready. We prepare for whatever’s coming.”

Caterina finally felt like she was part of the fight, not being pushed aside, for the first time in long. But that didn't mean she'd wait around.

○●○

The next few days just flew by as we planned and prepped. Nico kept her close, but not too close. He was still set on protecting her from the worst of it, but Caterina refused to sit on the side. She wasn’t going to let him carry this burden alone. She had her own stuff to deal with, even if it wasn't like his.

They met with Matteo at least once a day, following down leads and trying to find any clue that could put them one step ahead. But the new threat remained out of reach. Every time they thought they were getting somewhere, bam! Another problem.  The mystery just got weirder.

That night, Nico and Caterina were across from Matteo in the penthouse, and the tension was crazy thick. Matteo's face was serious as he slid a file across the table, it was stamped red, a real emergency.

“It’s worse than we thought,” Matteo said, his voice low. “This isn’t just about territory anymore. They’ve got people everywhere law enforcement, politicians, even inside the families.”

Caterina flipped through the pages, her heart sinking with every new detail. “So they’re already among us?”

“It’s more than that,” Matteo replied. “They’ve been working both sides. They’ve already taken down some of the smaller families from within, breaking them apart, making it easy for them to take control.”

Nico clenched his jaw, but he said nothing. His eyes were glued to the file, his mind racing.

“This isn’t just about fighting anymore,” Matteo continued. “They don’t just want power. They want to destroy everything.”

Caterina leaned back, her mind spinning as she tried to take it all in. “So what do we do now?”

Nico looked at her, and she saw something different in his eyes tiredness and quiet resolve. “Now, we stop waiting for them to make the next move. We take the fight to them.”

Caterina's heart pounded.  The pressure was intense, but she knew there was no turning back. They were in it together.

“I’m with you,” She whispered, her voice calm even though she was a nervous wreck. “Whatever happens, we’ll face it together.”

Nico gave a small nod, his eyes loyal. “Together.”

Looking out at the city lights twinkling like a million tiny stars, Caterina knew this was just the start. This fight's gonna be tough. But as long as they stuck together, maybe, just maybe, they had a shot.