Chapter 5 - Dinner With the Traitor
Bellini's had been emptied by the time Luca arrived.
Anthony Vescari sat at the same window table Luca had chosen three nights earlier.
Sofia tried to follow Luca inside.
"No."
She stopped.
"You said you'd ask."
Luca turned.
"I'm asking you to stay here."
"I'm saying no."
"Sofia."
"That's my workplace."
"Anthony may be dangerous."
"So may you."
Luca stared at her.
She folded her arms.
"I'm coming."
Marco muttered, "She's worse than you."
Luca ignored him.
"Stay behind me."
Sofia nodded.
They entered.
Anthony smiled.
"Luca."
"Anthony."
His gaze moved to Sofia.
"And the famous waitress."
Luca's voice became cold.
"Look at me."
Anthony laughed.
"Still protective."
"Why Noah?"
"Because I needed access."
"You could've recruited dozens of professionals."
"Professionals ask questions."
Sofia stepped forward.
"My brother asks questions."
Anthony looked at her.
"Eventually."
"You offered him a fake job."
"I offered him money."
"That's not the same thing."
Anthony smiled.
"You really don't understand our world."
Sofia answered calmly.
"No. But I understand cowards."
Anthony's smile disappeared.
Luca almost looked amused.
"You see why I like her."
Sofia glanced at him.
"Not helping."
Anthony leaned back.
"You've changed."
"No."
"Three months ago, you would've handled this differently."
"Three months ago, you hadn't involved innocent people."
"Your father would be disappointed."
Luca's expression hardened.
"My father trusted you."
"Your father was weak."
Silence.
Marco shifted.
Sofia looked at Luca.
She saw anger rise in him.
But Luca didn't move.
Anthony smiled.
"Nothing?"
Luca slowly sat across from him.
"No."
Anthony frowned.
Luca continued.
"You expected anger."
"I expected Luca Moretti."
"You're looking at him."
Luca placed a phone on the table.
Anthony's own voice played through the speaker.
Dates.
Payments.
Names.
Confidential information.
Anthony's face drained of color.
"You recorded me?"
"No."
Luca leaned back.
"Your fake server did."
Anthony looked toward the door.
Several federal financial investigators entered with attorneys from Moretti International.
Sofia blinked.
Anthony stared at Luca.
"Police?"
"Financial crimes division."
"You called authorities?"
"You stole from legitimate corporations, manipulated contracts, attempted cyber intrusion, and recruited a college student under false pretenses."
Luca's smile held no warmth.
"You wanted to destroy my business."
"So I'm destroying you with paperwork."
Marco laughed.
Anthony stood.
"You think this makes you better than me?"
"No."
Luca remained seated.
"But it means nobody gets hurt because you betrayed me."
Anthony was escorted away.
The restaurant became silent again.
Sofia looked at Luca.
"I expected something more dramatic."
"Disappointed?"
"A little."
"I can flip a table."
"Please don't."
Luca laughed.
Then his expression became serious.
"It's finished."
"Noah?"
"Cleared completely."
"His college?"
"Unaffected."
Sofia narrowed her eyes.
"You didn't secretly pay anything, did you?"
Luca looked innocent.
"No."
"Luca."
"No."
Marco suddenly became interested in the ceiling.
Sofia looked at him.
"Marco?"
"I know nothing."
"Luca."
He sighed.
"I may have arranged an interview."
"For what?"
"A legitimate cybersecurity internship."
"You promised not to interfere."
"I didn't get him the job."
"Then?"
"I made sure someone read his résumé."
Sofia stared at him.
"Ask."
Luca closed his eyes briefly.
"Right."
He looked at her.
"May I arrange for your extremely qualified brother's résumé to be considered by a company that desperately needs young cybersecurity engineers?"
Sofia tried not to smile.
"Yes."
"Thank you."
"You're learning."
"Slowly."
Outside, the rain had started again.
Luca looked toward the table by the window.
"The first night I came here, I thought betrayal proved something."
"What?"
"That trusting people was stupidity."
Sofia leaned against the bar.
"And now?"
"Now I think I was trusting the wrong people."
She looked at him.
"That's annoyingly mature."
"Don't tell Marco."
"Your secret is safe."
Luca smiled.
Then he hesitated.
For once, Luca Moretti seemed nervous.
"Sofia."
"Yeah?"
"May I ask you something?"
"You just did."
He sighed.
"Have dinner with me."
She looked around.
"We're in a restaurant."
"Not while you're working."
"A date?"
"Yes."
"With Luca Moretti?"
His smile disappeared slightly.
"No."
She stepped closer.
"With the lonely guy who didn't eat his ravioli?"
Luca understood.
"Yes."
Sofia smiled.
May you like
"That guy I might say yes to."
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