Chapter 11 - THE WAREHOUSE
Sophia lunged for the emergency button.
Vanessa’s man grabbed her first.
A cloth went over her mouth.
The room tilted.
The last thing Sophia heard was Vanessa whispering:
“You really should have taken the fifty thousand.”
When Sophia woke, her wrists were tied to a metal chair.
A warehouse.
Cold air.
Oil.
Salt from the river.
Vanessa stood ten feet away.
Anthony was tied to another chair.
His face was bruised.
“Dad.”
“I’m okay.”
“No, you’re not.”
Vanessa sighed.
“This is touching.”
Sophia glared at her.
“You drugged Elena.”
“I paid people.”
“That’s the same thing.”
“No. Legally, it’s very different.”
“You’re insane.”
Vanessa smiled.
“People only call women insane when we stop asking permission.”
“Pretty sure kidnapping still counts.”
Vanessa crouched in front of Sophia.
“You think this is about jealousy.”
“You threatened me because Dante touched my face.”
“I threatened you because Dante was changing.”
Sophia stared.
Vanessa continued.
“He was supposed to marry me, merge the families, and keep the machine running.”
“The machine?”
“Money. Contracts. Judges. Politicians. The same system that made him rich enough to rescue you.”
Sophia’s jaw tightened.
“He doesn’t want you.”
Vanessa laughed.
“Oh, he does. That’s the problem.”
She stood.
“Dante Moretti has spent his entire life doing what duty required. Then you showed up with your cheap coat and your grandmother’s soup and suddenly he started asking whether duty was worth anything.”
Sophia said nothing.
Vanessa leaned closer.
“You made him weak.”
“No.”
Sophia looked straight into her eyes.
“I reminded him he had a choice.”
Vanessa slapped her.
Anthony shouted.
“Don’t touch her!”
Vanessa turned.
“You are the funniest part of this story, Anthony.”
He looked away.
“You sold your daughter’s safety for cards.”
His eyes filled.
“I know.”
“And now you want to play father?”
Anthony looked at Sophia.
“I failed you.”
“Dad—”
“No.”
His voice shook.
“I kept saying addiction was stronger than me because that sounded better than saying I chose it.”
Sophia’s throat tightened.
“I chose the table. Every time.”
Vanessa rolled her eyes.
“Beautiful. Therapy session over.”
A door opened.
One of Vanessa’s men entered.
“Moretti’s here.”
Her smile returned.
“Perfect.”
Dante walked into the warehouse alone.
No visible weapon.
No Enzo.
Vanessa clapped slowly.
“Romantic.”
Dante looked at Sophia first.
Only Sophia.
“You hurt?”
“I’m fine.”
His eyes moved to the red mark on her cheek.
Something cold entered his face.
Vanessa noticed.
“Oh, please.”
Dante held up a leather case.
“The ledger.”
Vanessa smiled.
“Put it down.”
He did.
“Release them.”
“Not yet.”
“Vanessa.”
“You never said my name like that when we were engaged.”
“We’re not engaged anymore.”
Vanessa’s smile disappeared.
Sophia stared at him.
Vanessa whispered, “What?”
“I ended the agreement with your father this afternoon.”
“You can’t.”
“I did.”
“You’ll start a war.”
“Maybe.”
“You’ll lose contracts.”
“Probably.”
“You’ll lose half your political protection.”
“Yes.”
Her face twisted.
“For her?”
Dante looked at Sophia.
“No.”
Sophia’s heart sank.
Then he said, “For me.”
A gunshot exploded.
The warehouse lights went black.
Sophia screamed.
Anthony threw himself toward her.
More shots cracked through the darkness.
Then Sophia heard Dante shout one word.
May you like
“ENZO!”
And the warehouse erupted.
