Chapter 15 - The Secret in the Stitches
|
The warmth in Aleandro's eyes vanished as quickly as it appeared, replaced by a serious, focused intensity. He reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a small, metallic object.
He held it out to Elena. It was a micro-USB drive.
"Mia told me you hid a secret inside her rabbit," Aleandro said softly. "I had Marco carefully extract this from the lining while she was sleeping. We stitched it back up perfectly, she didn't even notice. What is on this drive, Elena?"
Elena looked at the drive, a shiver running down her spine. The nightmare of that night rushed back to her.
"I was cleaning the study," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "Silvio was using your computer. He thought he was alone. I saw him copying files onto that drive. Financial records. Port schedules. Security rotations."
Aleandro’s jaw tightened. Silvio hadn't just been stealing cargo; he was stealing the entire blueprint of the Moretti empire to hand over to the New York Commission.
"When he realized I was standing there, he panicked," Elena continued. "He grabbed me, but I managed to snatch the drive off the desk and shove it into my apron pocket. When he locked me in my room before dragging me out, I quickly cut a hole in Mia's rabbit and hid it. I knew if he found it on me, he would kill me instantly."
Aleandro stared at her, profound admiration washing over him. This quiet, unassuming widow had single-handedly thwarted a massive corporate espionage plot with nothing but a sewing needle and sheer, desperate courage.
"You saved my empire, Elena," Aleandro said, his voice thick with reverence. "If New York had obtained these security rotations, they could have slaughtered my men in their beds. You are the bravest woman I have ever met."
A hot flush crept up Elena's neck. She looked away, entirely unaccustomed to such fierce, unprotected praise, especially from a man like him.
"I just wanted to protect my daughter," she whispered.
"And I want to protect you," Aleandro replied, taking a step closer. The distance between them vanished, the air suddenly thick and electric with unspoken tension. He reached out, his calloused fingers gently brushing a stray lock of dark hair behind her ear.
The touch sent a jolt of heat straight to her core. Elena looked up into his gray eyes, expecting to see the cold mafia boss, but finding only a deep, consuming hunger that mirrored her own suppressed feelings.
"Aleandro," she breathed, entirely forgetting his title.
He leaned in, his lips hovering inches from hers. But before he could close the distance, the heavy oak doors of the suite were thrown open.
May you like
Marco stood in the doorway, breathing heavily, his face pale.
"Boss," Marco gasped, completely ignoring the intimate moment he had just interrupted. "We have a massive problem. New York didn't wait for Silvio’s files. They just hit the northern shipping yard. It’s an all-out assault."
