Chapter 9 - THE TRAITOR IN DANTE’S HOUSE
Marco fired.
Dante shoved me down.
The bullet tore into the wall above my head.
Chaos exploded.
Dante’s men reached for weapons.
Marco grabbed Rosa and pressed a gun beneath her jaw.
“Nobody move!”
Dante froze.
Rosa didn’t.
She elbowed Marco directly in the stomach.
I loved her instantly.
Marco doubled over.
Dante crossed the room in two strides and drove him into the wall.
The gun fell.
Another guard grabbed it.
Dante punched Marco once.
Then again.
“Where is my son?”
Marco spat blood.
“Go to hell.”
Dante reached for him.
I grabbed Dante’s arm.
“Stop.”
He looked at me like I had lost my mind.
“If you kill him, he can’t tell us anything.”
Dante’s breathing was hard.
But he stepped back.
Marco laughed.
“She controls you already.”
Dante’s expression changed.
Marco saw it.
So did I.
“Interesting,” Marco said.
Dante punched him again.
“Dante.”
“Last one.”
I almost smiled.
Marco finally talked.
Caruso had men inside the freight terminal.
Matteo was being held somewhere nearby.
Michael was there too.
“Why betray Dante?” I asked.
Marco looked at me.
“His father killed mine.”
Dante went still.
“Your father died in prison.”
“Because yours put him there.”
“This is revenge?”
Marco laughed bitterly.
“This whole city runs on revenge.”
I hated how true that sounded.
At eleven thirty, we prepared.
Bulletproof vest.
Wire.
Tracking device.
A tiny earpiece.
Dante personally strapped the vest around me.
His hands lingered near my waist.
“You’re shaking.”
“I noticed.”
“We can still change the plan.”
“No.”
“Elena.”
“Dante.”
His eyes lifted.
“This is not courage.”
“I know.”
“It’s stupidity.”
“Probably.”
“If something goes wrong—”
“It won’t.”
“That isn’t how life works.”
I looked at him.
“Then if something goes wrong, you fix it.”
He stared at me.
“That’s your job, isn’t it?”
His mouth almost moved.
“Apparently.”
We drove to the terminal separately.
I carried the flash drive.
Dante’s people surrounded the area.
But nobody knew exactly where Matteo was.
At midnight, I walked alone into the freight terminal.
My footsteps echoed.
Metal containers rose around me.
A single light burned overhead.
Vincent Caruso stepped from the darkness.
Silver hair.
Expensive coat.
Warm smile.
He looked like somebody’s favorite grandfather.
That was unsettling.
“Elena Ramirez.”
“You kidnapped a child.”
“Straight to business.”
“I’m tired.”
“I imagine so.”
“Where’s Matteo?”
“Safe.”
“I want to see him.”
Caruso smiled.
“You have your father’s temper.”
“You knew him?”
“Very well.”
I tightened my grip on the drive.
“He stole from you?”
Caruso laughed.
“No.”
“Then who stole the money?”
His smile disappeared.
“Dante’s father.”
My heartbeat changed.
“That’s not what the ledger says.”
“The ledger says whatever Antonio Moretti wanted history to believe.”
Caruso stepped closer.
“Gabriel discovered Antonio was skimming money from everyone.”
“Then why run?”
“Because he knew Antonio would kill him.”
My mind raced.
“What does this have to do with me?”
“Your father copied everything.”
“The flash drive.”
“Yes.”
Caruso held out his hand.
“Give it to me.”
“Matteo first.”
He smiled.
Then a door opened.
Michael walked out.
Holding Matteo.
My heart slammed against my ribs.
Matteo saw me.
“Elena!”
“Hey, buddy.”
His face was wet with tears.
But he was alive.
I looked at Michael.
“You.”
His eyes were desperate.
“I’m sorry.”
“You keep saying that.”
“I can fix this.”
“No. You can’t.”
Caruso extended his hand.
“The drive.”
I held it up.
“Matteo walks to me first.”
Caruso considered.
Then nodded.
Michael released him.
Matteo ran.
I crouched and opened my arms.
He collided with me.
I held him tight.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Good.”
I whispered near his ear.
“When I tell you, run toward the red door.”
He nodded.
Caruso’s smile faded.
“The drive.”
I threw it across the floor.
His man bent to pick it up.
“Now!”
Matteo ran.
Gunfire exploded.
I dropped.
Dante’s men stormed the terminal.
Caruso disappeared behind a container.
Michael grabbed my hand.
“This way!”
I followed because bullets were hitting metal around us.
We ran behind stacked crates.
Then Michael stopped.
He pulled a gun.
Not at Caruso.
At me.
“I really am sorry, Elena.”
My blood went cold.
“You never planned to save me.”
His eyes filled with tears.
“No.”
May you like
He raised the weapon.
“I planned to sell you twice.”
