Chapter 5 - THE TRAITOR WITHIN
The rain pounded against the tarmac, but the world had gone entirely silent. Carlo, the man who had driven us here, the man who had stood beside Luca for two decades, was holding a gun to an eight-year-old’s head. Luca froze. The gun in his own hand trembled as he stared at his oldest friend. “Carlo,” Luca whispered, the betrayal carving hollows into his face. “What are you doing?”
“Taking what I’m owed,” Carlo replied, his face a mask of cold stone. He looked at Dominic, who had lowered the ledger, looking equally shocked. Answer One, Open Two. Carlo wasn't working for Dominic. The security chief had been playing his own game this entire time. But how deep did his betrayal go? “You thought you were so smart, Dominic,” Carlo sneered at the exiled brother. “Using Vanessa to steal the ledger. I let you do all the heavy lifting. But the Commission doesn’t want a disgraced brother running the Chicago outfit. They want someone stable. Someone who knows the business from the ground up.”
“You’re a bodyguard,” Dominic spat, stepping forward. “You’re nothing!” Carlo shifted his aim for a fraction of a second and fired. The gunshot echoed like thunder. Dominic cried out, falling to the wet pavement, clutching his bleeding thigh. The leather ledger slid across the tarmac, coming to a stop near my feet. Sophie screamed, squeezing her eyes shut.
“I’m the new Boss,” Carlo said coldly, stepping over Dominic’s writhing body. He grabbed Sophie by the arm and dragged her toward the waiting private jet. “I’m taking the ledger, and I’m taking the girl as insurance until the offshore funds clear.” “Carlo, stop!” Luca yelled, taking a desperate step forward. Carlo spun around, leveling his weapon at Luca’s chest. “Drop your gun, boss. I won’t ask again.” Luca didn't hesitate. He dropped his custom pistol onto the wet concrete and kicked it away. “Take me. Leave her out of this. You know the rules, Carlo. Women and children are off-limits.” “The rules changed when you started going soft, Luca,” Carlo said.
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I was standing near the dropped ledger. I was terrified, my entire body shaking in the freezing rain. But I looked at Sophie. The little girl was crying, reaching her free hand out toward her father. I couldn't let him take her. I bent down, grabbing the heavy leather ledger. I didn't run away. I ran straight at Carlo. “Let her go!” I screamed, swinging the thick, heavy book with all the strength I possessed. The corner of the ledger smashed directly into Carlo’s wrist. He cursed, his grip loosening on Sophie.
“Run, Sophie! Run to your dad!” I yelled. Sophie broke free and sprinted toward Luca, who caught her in his arms, shielding her body with his own. But my bravery cost me. Carlo grabbed me by the throat, slamming me back against the fuselage of the jet. The breath was knocked out of my lungs. He pressed the hot barrel of his gun under my chin. “You stupid little maid,” Carlo hissed, his breath smelling of stale coffee and malice. He didn't look at Luca. He began dragging me backward, up the stairs of the private jet. “Let her go, Carlo!” Luca roared, setting Sophie down behind the armored tire of the SUV. “I need a hostage,” Carlo yelled back. “And she’ll do just fine.” As Carlo dragged me into the cabin of the jet, a sudden, blinding pair of headlights swept across the runway. Another car was tearing toward us. It slammed to a halt, and the door flew open. It was Vanessa. She had escaped the wine cellar. But she wasn't running toward Dominic. She was pointing a silver revolver directly at the jet. “Carlo!” Vanessa screamed. “You promised me nobody would get hurt!”
