Chapter 7 - THE LEATHER JACKET
The rain felt like needles against my skin.
A dozen laser sights painted the ground around us.
Daniel stood by the lead SUV, his rifle lowered but ready. His face was a mask of grim resignation.
“Is it true?” Luca asked. He didn’t raise his gun. He just looked at his oldest friend. “You sold me out to her?”
Daniel swallowed hard.
“She found out about the boy, Boss. Six months ago. She hired Mercer to track Elena, and they traced the fake IDs back to me.”
“So you helped her orchestrate this?”
“I had no choice!” Daniel yelled, his voice cracking. “She said if I didn’t help her bankrupt you, she would leak Leo’s location to the Romano family. They would have slaughtered him just to send you a message.”
Elena gasped, clutching Leo tighter.
Vanessa smirked, walking slowly toward Daniel’s men.
“It’s amazing what men will do to protect a child that isn’t even theirs,” she mocked. “Now, put them in the cars. All of them. We’re taking a ride to the docks.”
Daniel didn’t move.
“Daniel,” Vanessa snapped. “Give the order.”
Daniel looked at the little boy in the dinosaur pajamas.
Then he looked at Luca.
“I broke my oath to you, Boss,” Daniel said quietly. “I lied to you. I betrayed the syndicate.”
He racked the slide of his rifle.
“But I never betrayed the boy.”
Daniel turned his weapon directly on Vanessa.
Instantly, the dozen men behind him shifted their aim, locking their sights onto Vanessa and Mercer.
Vanessa’s smirk vanished.
“What are you doing?” she panicked. “They’ll kill you! The Romanos will kill all of you!”
“Let them try,” Daniel said coldly.
He looked back at Luca.
“Your orders, Boss.”
Luca stared at Daniel for a long time. The betrayal was deep, but the loyalty beneath it was deeper.
“Secure them,” Luca commanded.
Daniel’s men moved in. They grabbed Vanessa, slamming her against the hood of the SUV and zip-tying her wrists. They dragged the bleeding Mercer from the ground, tossing him into the back of a van.
It was over.
The threat was neutralized.
Luca finally dropped his gun. It clattered against the wet asphalt.
He turned around and walked back to Elena and Leo.
He didn’t kneel this time. He just stood there, looking down at his son.
Leo was staring at him.
“Are you the bad man?” Leo asked, his tiny voice trembling.
Luca’s breath hitched. A tear mixed with the rain on his cheek.
“I was,” Luca whispered. “But I’m trying not to be.”
He took off his heavy leather jacket.
He didn’t put it over Elena’s shoulders.
He walked over to me.
I was shivering violently, my teeth chattering, my bruised cheek throbbing with a dull, sickening pain.
Luca gently draped the warm leather jacket over my shoulders. It smelled like his cologne and gunpowder.
“You saved my son’s life tonight, Olivia,” he said softly. “You threw that wrench. You stepped in front of a gun.”
“I just wanted to help,” I whispered.
He reached out, his thumb gently brushing the edge of the purple bruise on my cheek.
“You’re never going to be hurt again,” he promised. “Not by Vanessa. Not by anyone.”
Elena watched us, her expression unreadable.
She stood up, holding Leo.
“We have to go, Luca,” she said quietly. “The police will be here soon. The gunfire was too loud.”
“You’re not running anymore,” Luca said, turning back to her. “I’m putting you in a secure penthouse. Daniel will guard you personally. No one will ever touch him.”
Elena hesitated.
She looked at Daniel, who gave her a slow, reassuring nod.
“Okay,” she whispered.
Suddenly, my phone buzzed in my pocket.
I pulled it out.
It was a text from Mrs. Carter, the housekeeper back at the mansion.
Olivia. The police are here. But they aren’t looking for Vanessa. They have an arrest warrant for Luca.
My stomach plummeted.
May you like
I looked up at Luca.
“Vanessa didn’t just plan to kidnap Leo,” I said, panic rising in my throat. “She set you up.”
