Chapter 3 - The Brother Behind the Bomb
Rachel blocked the penthouse door.
“You’re not going anywhere.”
Adrian stopped.
“Move.”
“No.”
“Rachel.”
“You think I disappeared for seven years so you could walk straight into a war?”
“It already is a war.”
“Then don’t make it worse.”
Adrian looked at her.
“Marco tried to kill you.”
“And?”
“He tried to kill my child.”
“And that means what? You walk into his house and start shooting?”
Sophie looked up from the sofa.
“Mom?”
Rachel forced herself to lower her voice.
“No one is shooting anyone.”
Adrian looked almost amused.
Rachel pointed at him.
“Don’t.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“I know that face.”
“I have several faces.”
“That one means you’re planning something stupid.”
Adrian’s security chief, Victor, looked away.
Rachel noticed.
“You agree with me.”
Victor cleared his throat.
“I work for Mr. Moretti.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
Adrian gave Victor a warning look.
Victor sighed.
“Mrs. Moretti—”
“Bennett.”
“Right. Ms. Bennett.”
Adrian didn’t like that correction.
Victor continued.
“Charging into Marco’s territory would be risky.”
Rachel pointed toward Victor.
“See?”
Adrian turned.
“You’re fired.”
Victor nodded.
“Understood.”
A pause.
“Should I continue planning?”
“Yes.”
Rachel stared at both men.
“You’re impossible.”
Adrian turned back toward her.
“Then give me another option.”
Rachel held up the key.
“We don’t have to attack Marco.”
“What do you suggest?”
“We make him come to us.”
Adrian’s eyes narrowed.
Rachel continued.
“He doesn’t know exactly what’s inside the box.”
“He knows enough.”
“He knows evidence exists. That’s different.”
Adrian listened.
Rachel stepped toward the desk.
“Marco thinks I’m scared.”
“You are.”
“Yes.”
She looked at him.
“But he also thinks I’m alone.”
Adrian’s expression changed.
Rachel continued.
“I tell him I want protection.”
“From me?”
“Yes.”
“You think he’ll believe that?”
“He already knows I ran from you once.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
“That was different.”
“He doesn’t know that.”
Victor nodded slowly.
“She may be right.”
Adrian looked at him.
“I thought you were fired.”
“You rehired me by asking me to continue.”
Adrian stared at him.
Victor remained expressionless.
Rachel almost smiled.
Adrian finally said, “Go on.”
Rachel placed the key on the desk.
“We contact Marco. Tell him I’ll trade the key for new identities for me and Sophie.”
“No.”
“It’s bait.”
“No.”
“Adrian—”
“You are not walking into a meeting with my brother.”
“I don’t have to.”
She looked toward Victor.
“Make him believe I will.”
Victor understood.
“We create a controlled meeting.”
Rachel nodded.
“Exactly.”
Adrian looked between them.
“I hate this plan.”
Rachel crossed her arms.
“That means it’s probably good.”
Two hours later, Marco called.
Rachel sat beside Adrian while the call played through a speaker.
Marco’s voice was smooth.
“Rachel Bennett.”
Rachel forced herself to stay calm.
“Marco.”
“I always admired your survival instincts.”
“I learned from your family.”
Adrian’s expression darkened.
Marco laughed.
“You disappeared very well.”
“Not well enough.”
“No.”
His tone changed.
“The girl ruined that.”
Rachel’s hand tightened.
Adrian noticed.
He placed his hand beside hers.
Not touching.
Just there.
Rachel said, “You want the key.”
“Yes.”
“And I want out.”
“Out of what?”
“Adrian’s life.”
Adrian stared at the phone.
Marco laughed.
“That bad?”
“You know your brother.”
“I do.”
Rachel looked directly at Adrian when she answered.
“He destroys everything he loves.”
Adrian’s eyes narrowed.
Marco paused.
Then said, “Interesting.”
Rachel continued.
“I want passports. Money. A safe place for Sophie.”
“And you give me the key?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
Rachel gave him the location Victor had prepared.
An abandoned art warehouse near the river.
Marco said, “Midnight.”
Rachel answered, “Midnight.”
The call ended.
Adrian stared at her.
“You enjoyed that sentence.”
“What sentence?”
“‘He destroys everything he loves.’”
Rachel gave him a look.
“It was believable.”
“Too believable.”
Before she could respond, Sophie appeared in the doorway wearing hotel slippers.
“Why are you fighting?”
Rachel looked at the clock.
“You should be sleeping.”
“I tried.”
Sophie walked toward Adrian.
“Are you leaving?”
He crouched.
“For a little while.”
“Are you coming back?”
Adrian stopped.
Rachel watched him.
There it was.
The question he had probably never expected to hear.
Adrian said, “Yes.”
“Promise?”
“Yes.”
Sophie held out her pinky.
Victor turned away again.
Adrian stared at the small finger.
“What?”
“You have to pinky promise.”
Adrian looked at Rachel.
She shrugged.
“Those are the rules.”
The most feared man in Chicago hooked his finger around his daughter’s.
“I promise.”
Sophie nodded.
“Okay.”
Then she hugged him.
Adrian froze.
Slowly, he placed one hand against her back.
Rachel looked away.
For seven years, she had convinced herself that keeping Sophie away from Adrian had protected everyone.
May you like
Watching them now, she wasn’t sure anymore.
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