Chapter 3 - The Photograph on the Table
The following afternoon, Sofia found Luca waiting outside Bellini's.
She stopped.
"Do mafia bosses normally wait on sidewalks?"
Luca's expression didn't change.
"Who said I'm a mafia boss?"
"Three cooks, two customers, Mia, and the internet."
"Reliable sources."
"What do you want?"
"Five minutes."
"I'm working."
"This concerns Noah."
Sofia's smile vanished.
"What about my brother?"
Luca handed her the photograph.
She stared at it.
Noah sat across from an older man in a dark suit.
"Who is that?"
"Anthony Vescari."
"Never heard of him."
"He's worked with me for fifteen years."
"Why is he meeting Noah?"
"That's what I need to know."
Sofia immediately pulled out her phone.
Luca caught her wrist gently.
"Don't."
She looked at his hand.
He released her immediately.
"Sorry."
"Why can't I call him?"
"Because if Anthony realizes we're investigating him, he disappears."
Sofia's voice hardened.
"My brother isn't part of your world."
"I know."
"Do you?"
"Yes."
"Then keep him out of it."
"I intend to."
She looked at the photograph again.
"When was this?"
"Yesterday."
"Noah told me he had a job interview."
"What kind?"
"Data security internship."
Luca exchanged a look with Marco, who stood several feet away.
"What?" Sofia demanded.
Marco answered.
"Anthony has been stealing confidential business information."
Sofia stared at him.
"And you think Noah helped?"
"No," Luca said immediately.
"Then what?"
"I think Anthony is using him."
Sofia's phone suddenly rang.
Noah.
She looked at Luca.
He nodded.
"Answer normally."
Sofia answered.
"Hey."
"Hey, Soph. Are you working?"
"Yeah."
"Can I ask you something weird?"
She looked at Luca.
"Sure."
"Do you know anyone named Luca Moretti?"
Silence.
Luca's expression sharpened.
Sofia forced herself to breathe normally.
"Why?"
"The company interviewing me wants me to install some software tonight."
"What software?"
"They said it's a cybersecurity test."
"On what?"
Noah hesitated.
"A server."
"What server, Noah?"
Another pause.
"Moretti International."
Sofia closed her eyes.
Luca held out his hand.
She gave him the phone.
"Noah."
"Who is this?"
"Luca Moretti."
Silence.
Then:
"Oh, God."
Luca's tone remained calm.
"Listen carefully. You haven't done anything wrong."
"I swear—"
"I know."
"They told me it was authorized."
"I know."
"What do I do?"
"Nothing. Don't install anything."
"But—"
"Go home. Stay there."
"Why?"
"Because the man who recruited you isn't offering you a job."
Sofia grabbed the phone back.
"Noah, go home. Now."
"Okay."
"Call me when you're inside."
She ended the call.
Then she faced Luca.
"If anything happens to him—"
"It won't."
"You can't promise that."
"Yes, I can."
"Because you're Luca Moretti?"
"No."
He stepped closer.
"Because Anthony made the mistake of involving someone who matters to you."
Sofia stared at him.
"Why does that matter to you?"
Luca didn't answer.
Marco did.
"Because apparently you've become the only person our boss listens to."
Luca turned.
"Marco."
"What? Everyone's noticed."
Despite everything, Sofia almost smiled.
Then Luca's phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
"Moretti."
Anthony's voice came through.
"You found the photograph."
Luca's expression darkened.
"Where are you?"
"Doesn't matter."
"You involved an innocent kid."
"I offered him an opportunity."
"You used him."
Anthony laughed.
"You've become sentimental, Luca."
Luca looked at Sofia.
"Maybe."
Anthony became quiet.
"That waitress is making you careless."
Sofia saw Luca's eyes change.
Cold.
Controlled.
Dangerous.
"Anthony."
"Yes?"
"If you say her name again, this conversation becomes much less friendly."
Anthony laughed once.
Then the line disconnected.
Sofia stared at Luca.
"That sounded like a threat."
"It was advice."
"There's a difference?"
"Usually."
She shook her head.
"I don't belong in this."
"No."
"Neither does Noah."
"No."
"Then fix it."
Luca looked at her.
"You trust me?"
"Not yet."
"Fair."
"But I trusted the man who ate my soup."
Something in Luca's expression softened.
"That may be enough."
That evening, Noah returned home safely.
Anthony disappeared.
But before midnight, Luca received another message.
A photograph.
Sofia leaving Bellini's.
Taken from across the street.
Beneath it were five words.
Now you have something to lose.
Luca stared at the screen.
Then he called Marco.
"Put two men outside Sofia's apartment."
"Already done."
"She cannot know."
"Why?"
"Because she'll argue."
Marco laughed.
"You're learning."
Luca looked at Sofia's photograph again.
Anthony had made a serious mistake.
He thought Sofia was Luca's weakness.
He didn't understand.
May you like
She was the first reason Luca had found in years to stop living like he had nothing worth protecting.
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