Chapter 5 - The Price on Maya's Head
By sunrise, the Bellanos knew her name.
Maya Bennett.
Twenty-nine.
Waitress.
No criminal record.
No connection to the Moretti organization.
Until Vincent.
"They'll come after you," Luca said.
Maya sat in the back office drinking terrible vending-machine coffee.
"That's encouraging."
Vincent stood in the doorway.
"You leave the city today."
"No."
"Maya."
"No."
"This isn't negotiable."
She stood.
"Everything with you is apparently not negotiable."
"This is different."
"Why?"
"Because there's now a price on your head."
Maya stopped.
"How much?"
Vincent stared at her.
"That's your question?"
"I'm curious."
"One hundred thousand."
Maya blinked.
Then looked offended.
"That's it?"
Luca coughed to hide a laugh.
Vincent stared at her.
"You think this is funny?"
"No."
She stepped closer.
"But I'm tired of people deciding my life for me."
Vincent lowered his voice.
"You don't understand what these men will do."
"I understand exactly what they tried to do last night."
"You were lucky."
"So were you."
That stopped him.
Maya pointed toward his chest.
"You walked through my door because you needed help."
"I know."
"And I gave it."
"I know."
"Now you're standing here acting like I'm some helpless idiot you need to ship out of town."
"I'm trying to keep you alive."
"Then ask me what I want."
Vincent fell silent.
Nobody demanded that Vincent Moretti ask.
They waited for decisions.
Maya waited for respect.
Finally, he said,
"What do you want?"
"I want my life back."
Vincent nodded.
"Then I'll get it back for you."
"Without locking me in a mansion?"
A pause.
"Without locking you in a mansion."
"Without bodyguards following me into the bathroom?"
"I can promise the bathroom."
"Vincent."
"Fine."
She extended her hand.
"Deal?"
Vincent looked at it.
Then took it.
"Deal."
Neither released immediately.
Luca looked away.
Maya slowly withdrew her hand.
"Don't make that weird."
"I didn't say anything."
"Your face did."
"What did my face say?"
"Something expensive and annoying."
Vincent smiled.
Then Luca's phone rang.
His expression changed.
"Boss."
Vincent turned.
"What?"
"We found Marco."
"Where?"
"Old shipping terminal."
Vincent reached for his jacket.
Maya stepped toward him.
"You're going?"
"Yes."
"To kill him?"
Vincent stopped.
He looked at her.
The old Vincent would have said it wasn't her concern.
Instead:
"No."
Luca looked surprised.
Vincent continued.
"I'm ending this."
Maya studied him.
"There's a difference?"
"There needs to be."
He walked toward the door.
Maya called after him.
"Vincent."
He turned.
She tossed him something.
He caught it.
Her Honda keys.
"Bring it back."
Vincent looked at the keys.
Then at her.
"You trust me with your car now?"
"No."
Maya smiled.
"But apparently I trust you with something more expensive."
May you like
For once, Vincent Moretti had no answer.
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