Chapter 4 - The Price of Betrayal
Gabriel Rossi's house looked less like a home than a fortress pretending to be one.
Sadie stood in the marble foyer.
“This is ridiculous.”
Gabriel removed his coat.
“What's ridiculous?”
“Your house has guards inside the house.”
“Those are the guards you can see.”
She stared at him.
“That wasn't reassuring.”
“It wasn't intended to be.”
Dean was taken upstairs under protection while Gabriel and Sadie entered his study.
Marco connected the flash drive to an isolated computer.
Numbers filled the screen.
Marco's face hardened.
“Victor's been moving money for eight months.”
“How much?” Gabriel asked.
“Eleven million.”
Sadie whispered, “That's a lot.”
Gabriel glanced at her.
“Yes.”
Marco opened another file.
His expression changed.
“What?”
Marco turned the monitor.
Photographs appeared.
Gabriel entering restaurants.
Gabriel leaving meetings.
His vehicles.
Then Sadie.
Walking to work.
Buying groceries.
Standing outside her apartment.
Sadie's stomach twisted.
“He's been following me.”
Gabriel's entire demeanor changed.
The calm disappeared.
“Marco.”
“I'll handle it.”
“No.”
Gabriel stared at Sadie's photograph.
“I'll handle Victor.”
Sadie stepped forward.
“Absolutely not.”
Gabriel turned.
“What?”
“You don't get to disappear and start some war because someone took pictures of me.”
“He sent men into your apartment.”
“And I want him arrested.”
Gabriel almost smiled.
“You want me to call the police?”
“Yes.”
“Sadie, half the detectives in South Philly know my name.”
“Then find the half who aren't corrupt.”
Gabriel studied her.
“You think differently than people around me.”
“That's because the people around you are terrified of disagreeing.”
Marco coughed.
Gabriel looked at him.
“Something funny?”
“Nothing whatsoever.”
Sadie folded her arms.
“Use the records. Give them to federal investigators anonymously.”
Gabriel's expression darkened.
“We don't involve authorities.”
“Then Salerno stays your problem forever.”
“He won't stay anything forever.”
“Gabriel.”
He stopped.
It was the first time she had spoken his name without anger.
Sadie stepped closer.
“You told me people like you don't forget debts.”
“I don't.”
“Then consider this advice payment.”
“For what?”
“That kiss.”
His mouth twitched.
“You're charging me retroactively?”
“Interest.”
Gabriel stared at her for several seconds.
Then he laughed.
Marco looked genuinely stunned.
Sadie pointed at the computer.
“Expose him.”
Gabriel's smile faded.
“And if that isn't enough?”
“Then we figure out the next step.”
“We?”
Sadie realized what she'd said.
Gabriel moved closer.
“You should be running from me.”
“I've considered it.”
“And?”
“You'd probably send an SUV.”
“Several.”
She shook her head.
“You're impossible.”
Gabriel lowered his voice.
“And yet you're still here.”
Before she could answer, Marco's phone rang.
He listened.
Then his face changed.
“Gabriel.”
“What?”
“Dean's gone.”
Sadie spun around.
“What do you mean gone?”
“He left through the service entrance twenty minutes ago.”
Her phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered.
“Dean?”
Victor Salerno's voice came through.
“Not quite.”
Sadie's face drained.
“Where's my brother?”
“Alive.”
Gabriel took the phone.
“Victor.”
“Gabriel.”
“What do you want?”
“The drive.”
“You know that's not enough.”
Victor laughed.
“No. I want the girl too.”
Gabriel's expression became ice.
“Careful.”
“She embarrassed my men in that alley.”
“They were your men?”
Sadie suddenly understood.
Victor had ordered the attack three weeks earlier.
Gabriel's voice dropped.
“You made a mistake.”
“Bring Sadie and the drive to the old Bellmont Hotel tomorrow at noon.”
“And if I don't?”
“You'll be an only child by lunch, Miss Hayes.”
The call ended.
Sadie looked at Gabriel.
“I'm going.”
“No.”
“He's my brother.”
“No.”
“You don't decide.”
Gabriel crossed the room.
“I nearly died because of Victor Salerno. I'm not delivering you to him.”
“You're not delivering me.”
Sadie held his gaze.
May you like
“You're coming with me.”
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