Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

V incenzo

When I had woken up today, I hadn't expected my whole cover to be blown by a simple case of curiosity killed the cat, especially from my daughter's best friend of all people.

What the fuck was I going to do?

In the old days and if she were a man, I would have made a person like her disappear, but she was a woman and she meant something to Bella and to me, so that wasn't an option.

Fuck me. What do I do?

I leaned forward and put my elbows on the desk, staring at the multiple screens in my camera room displaying live feeds from around the perimeter of my property. My fingers drummed impatiently on the desk as I cycled through the captured footage, searching for something, anything really.

The security system was supposed to be foolproof. It should have alerted me that someone was in the house. It hadn't alerted me when she had arrived and not even when the door to my armory was forced open.

That room Jenna stumbled into was never meant to be accessible by anyone, not even my own daughter.

I'd kept what was inside it a secret from everyone because that's what I'd had to do.

I clicked through each camera feed, my gut churning with unease. I needed to know if someone had tampered with my system or if it had simply malfunctioned.

I needed answers and I needed them now.

I picked up the phone and dialed one of my security team members, Tony, who was patrolling the neighborhood.

"Tony, I need you to double-check all entry points around the perimeter. Make sure everything is secure."

"Got it, boss," Tony replied, his voice steady. He was as reliable as a soldier could get and I trusted him with my life.

I continued scanning the footage, rewinding to earlier in the day. On one of the cameras facing the back entrance, I finally saw something—a shadowy figure approaching the house. They moved with practiced stealth, expertly avoiding most of the cameras, but they slipped up near the kitchen window. The time stamp showed it was shortly before Jenna arrived.

My blood ran cold as I watched the figure manipulate the door, slipping inside quickly and efficiently. They knew what they were doing. This wasn't a random break-in.

Someone had targeted my home.

Had targeted me.

I picked up the phone again and dialed another number, this time calling Damon, my head of security. "Damon, we have a situation. Someone breached the perimeter and got into the house. I need you to pull the team together and secure Isabella. I want twelve guys on her, nothing less."

"Understood, boss. I'll handle it," Damon replied without hesitation.

"And Damon," I added, my voice dropping lower, "make sure no one knows about this. We can't afford any panic."

"Consider it done."

I hung up the phone and leaned back in my chair, my mind racing. Bella's safety was my top priority. I couldn't let anything happen to her. And Jenna… she had seen too much. I had to figure out how to handle this without drawing more attention to the situation.

I stared at the monitor, watching the footage again, trying to glean any details about the intruder. Their movements, their build, anything that could give me a clue. Whoever they were, they had gotten in and out without triggering any alarms. They knew my security, and that meant they knew me.

I didn't like that one bit.

I had always been careful, always kept my secrets hidden, but now someone was challenging that. I had to find out who and why and I had to do it quickly before they made another move.

I picked up my phone and dialed a number from memory. It rang twice before a familiar voice answered.

"Logan."

Logan Matthews was a tech specialist in the FBI's Cyber Crimes Unit, a man with an uncanny ability to see what others missed. He was the best in his field, and I trusted him implicitly, plus he owed me for saving his life years ago.

"Logan, it's Vincenzo," I said, my tone urgent. "I need your help."

There was a brief pause, then a sigh on the other end. "What's going on, Vincenzo?"

"Someone got into my house earlier today, in broad daylight. They knew my security system, got in and out without triggering any alarms. I need to find out who it was and how they did it."

Logan was quiet for a moment, processing the information. "Alright, send me the footage. I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks, Logan. I owe you one."

"I'll take a look at it right now," Logan replied, a hint of a smile in his voice.

I quickly sent over the footage, then waited as Logan began his analysis.

A few minutes later, Logan's voice came back on the line. "Alright, I'm looking at the footage. Whoever this is, they're good. Really good. They knew exactly where your cameras were and how to avoid them."

"Can you enhance the footage? Get a clearer look at their face?" I asked, leaning forward in my chair.

"I can try. Hold on." I heard the clicking of keys and the hum of a computer in the background. "Okay, I've enhanced the image as much as I can. It's still grainy, but I can make out some details."

"Any distinguishing features?"

Logan zoomed in on the footage. "They're about six feet tall, athletic build. From the way they move, I'd say they have some training—military or law enforcement, maybe. They're not just some random thug."

I frowned, processing this new information.

"Anything else?" I pressed.

"I'm running the footage through some additional filters," Logan said. "But it's going to take some time. I'll call you as soon as I have something concrete."

"Thanks, Logan. I appreciate it."

"No problem, Vincenzo. Just be careful. If they knew your security, they might know more than we think."

"I will," I assured him. "Talk soon." I ended the call.

Whoever this intruder was, they were skilled and well informed. It wasn't just a random break-in; it was targeted. And that meant whoever was behind it had a specific reason for coming after me.

I glanced back at the monitor, the enhanced footage still playing. My gut told me this was only the beginning. I had to stay one step ahead, protect my family, and uncover who was behind this before it was too late.

I rubbed my temples, trying to dispel the headache forming at the base of my skull. Jenna's discovery had thrown a wrench into everything.

What was I going to do about her?

She had seen too much, and while I believed her when she said she wouldn't tell anyone, it was a risk I couldn't afford to take.

Just as I was pondering my next move, my phone pinged. I pulled it out and opened the camera app, expecting another perimeter update. Instead, my heart skipped a beat when I saw live footage of Jenna inside the armory room.

Her hand was down her shorts.

What the fuck? Was she thinking about me? I hadn't meant to threaten to spank her, but my palm itched to do exactly that, especially after seeing what she was doing right now.

I swallowed hard, my gaze transfixed on her for what seemed like an eternity.

The gentle light in the room highlighted her delicate features. She was wearing a pair of hot pink jogging shorts and a fitted black t-shirt, simple yet accentuating her youthful frame. Her long, dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, slightly tousled from earlier.

She tossed her head back with a moan that sent a surge of arousal straight to my dick.

I zoomed in, unable to tear my eyes away. There was an innocence about her, a vulnerability that tugged at something deep within me. She was incredibly beautiful, her features a subtle blend of youth and blossoming womanhood. Her hazel eyes, filled with lust, darted around the room.

Was she worried about getting caught? Did she want me to catch her? Did I want to too?

My phone pinged again, pulling me out of my thoughts. It was a message from Damon. "Perimeter secure. Men in position. Isabella is safe."

I breathed a sigh of relief and swiped his message off my screen. My gaze remained fixed on the screen, on Jenna.

Now what the fuck was I going to do?

She was young and inexperienced, yet there was something breathtaking about her. The way she carried herself, the subtle confidence mingled with her curiosity—it was intoxicating.

It made me want her even when I shouldn't .

A wave of protectiveness surged through me. She didn't belong in my world. She deserved better—better than the risks, the fear, the constant threat of violence. She deserved a life free from the shadows that darkened my own.

But fuck, watching her right now made my cock as hard as a piece of steel. I wanted to charge in there and finish what she started, to see the face she made when she climaxed, to see what her body looked like after she came undone.

But I couldn't.

Not just because of the breach, but because she was Bella's best friend.

I had no right to touch her, and yet I couldn't stop thinking about what it would be like to feel her soft skin beneath my hands, to taste her lips, and to hear her breathless moans. Everything about her was pulling me in and I didn't want to let go.

I had to stay focused, to remain in control, but when she let out a low moan, I lost it.

I needed to go to her.

Now .