Chapter 12 - Confrontation at Dawn|
By six in the morning, the rain had stopped, leaving a cold mist hanging over the city.
The heavy front door of the Oak Park safe house opened, and Luca stepped inside. His shirt was rumpled, his dark hair messy, but his eyes were bright with cold triumph.
Marco walked up to him immediately. "Status?"
"Vincent Bellini lost three of his main docks before sunrise," Luca reported calmly. "The board of directors stripped him of his voting power an hour ago when they realized he started an unsanctioned conflict."
Luca walked into the living room, stopping when he saw Rosa sitting peacefully on the sofa, drinking a cup of warm tea I had made for her.
"Are you hurt, Mama?" Luca asked, kneeling on one knee beside her couch.
"I'm eighty-four years old, Luca. A little bumping around in a car isn't going to break me," Rosa said with a smile. "What about you? Is it over?"
"The Bellinis are finished in Chicago," Luca said firmly. "Vincent is leaving for Florida by noon, and Vanessa is going with him."
Luca stood up and turned to look at me. I was standing near the kitchen counter, still wrapped in my coat.
"You saved my family twice in one night, Emma," Luca said, walking over to me.
"I just did what felt right, Mr. Moretti," I replied softly.
May you like
"Call me Luca," he said, reaching out to gently touch my shoulder. "From now on, you're not just an employee in my house. You're part of this family."
I looked up into his dark eyes, realizing for the first time that beneath the terrifying reputation of Chicago's most feared man was a person who desperately valued loyalty, honesty, and genuine affection.
