Chapter 3 - Someone Was Watching Her
Dean lasted nine days.
On the tenth, Sadie found him standing outside her apartment at three in the morning.
“Dean?”
“Get inside.”
Something in his voice frightened her.
She unlocked the door.
Dean immediately closed the curtains.
“What happened?”
“I screwed up.”
Sadie's stomach dropped.
“You gambled again?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
Dean pulled a flash drive from his pocket.
Sadie stared at it.
“What is that?”
“Insurance.”
“Against who?”
Dean looked toward the window.
“Victor Salerno.”
The name meant nothing to her.
Dean explained.
He had been doing deliveries for a man connected to Gabriel's organization before his debt was forgiven.
One delivery contained financial records.
Dean had copied them.
“Why?”
“Because I thought I could sell them.”
Sadie stared at him.
“You copied mafia records so you could sell them?”
“I was desperate.”
“You're always desperate because you keep doing stupid things!”
“They aren't Gabriel's records.”
“Whose are they?”
“Salerno's.”
Dean lowered his voice.
“He's stealing from Rossi.”
Sadie's anger vanished.
“How much?”
“Millions.”
A noise came from the hallway.
Dean froze.
Three knocks.
Sadie whispered, “Who is it?”
A voice answered.
“Building maintenance.”
“At three in the morning?”
Silence.
Dean went pale.
Sadie grabbed her phone.
Then the door shuddered.
Someone had hit it from outside.
“Fire escape,” Sadie whispered.
They ran toward the window.
The door shook again.
Sadie pushed Dean through first.
The frame splintered behind them.
They climbed down one floor.
A black SUV screamed into the alley.
Sadie stopped.
“Not that way.”
The rear door opened.
Gabriel stepped out.
“Sadie!”
She stared at him.
“How did you—”
“Move!”
She and Dean ran.
Gabriel's men entered the building as Sadie reached the SUV.
Gabriel grabbed her shoulders.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Dean?”
“Fine.”
Gabriel looked at him.
“That condition is temporary unless you start explaining.”
Dean handed him the flash drive.
Gabriel's expression changed.
“Where did you get this?”
“Salerno's office.”
Gabriel became very still.
“You broke into Victor Salerno's office?”
“I was delivering paperwork.”
“And copied his files?”
“Yes.”
Gabriel looked at Sadie.
“Your brother may genuinely be the stupidest man in Philadelphia.”
“For once, we agree.”
Gabriel ordered the driver forward.
Sadie looked through the rear window.
“Where are we going?”
“My house.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“You don't get to order me around.”
“Men just broke into your apartment.”
“Still no.”
Gabriel leaned closer.
“They weren't there for Dean.”
Sadie stopped.
“What?”
“Salerno knows who saved me in that alley.”
Her blood ran cold.
Gabriel's voice lowered.
“He thinks you matter to me.”
“Do I?”
The question escaped before she could stop it.
Gabriel's eyes held hers.
Dean looked away.
Finally Gabriel answered.
“Yes.”
One word.
No smile.
No joke.
Sadie swallowed.
“That seems inconvenient.”
May you like
“You have no idea.”
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