Chapter 4 - Blood Doesn't Make a Man Loyal
Michael was waiting when we returned.
He stood in my study with a drink in his hand.
Thirty-one years old.
Same dark hair.
Same father's eyes.
Different soul.
“You locked down the estate,” he said.
I threw Gabriel's letter onto the desk.
Michael looked at it.
Then at me.
“What's this?”
“You tell me.”
He read the first page.
His face changed.
Barely.
But I saw it.
Maria saw it too.
“You knew him,” she said.
Michael looked at her.
“Who are you?”
“Gabriel's widow.”
The glass slipped slightly in Michael's hand.
There.
That was enough.
I stepped between them.
“Did you kill Gabriel?”
“No.”
“Did you work with Vincent?”
“No.”
“Michael.”
“I said no.”
Maria suddenly spoke.
“Gabriel called me before he died.”
Michael froze.
She was bluffing.
I could tell.
Michael couldn't.
“He said your name.”
Michael's face collapsed.
“That's impossible.”
Maria whispered, “Why?”
“He was already dead when I got there.”
Silence.
Michael realized what he'd said.
I moved toward him.
“Got where?”
“Daniel—”
“Got where?”
Michael backed against the desk.
“The parking garage.”
Maria covered her mouth.
“You were there?”
Michael looked at her.
“I didn't kill him.”
“Then what happened?”
Michael lowered his head.
“Vincent told me Gabriel was stealing. He asked me to help scare him.”
I stared at my brother.
“You helped Vincent?”
“I was twenty-seven.”
“You were old enough to know better.”
“I thought we were getting stolen money back!”
Maria stepped forward.
“And Gabriel?”
Michael's voice cracked.
“He ran. He got into his car. Vincent followed him.”
“What happened?”
“I left.”
Maria slapped him.
Marcus moved instinctively.
I raised a hand.
Nobody stopped her.
“You left?”
Michael didn't defend himself.
“I was scared.”
“My husband died because you were scared.”
“I know.”
“No. You don't.”
Sofia suddenly appeared in the doorway.
“Mommy?”
Maria immediately stepped away.
I turned sharply toward the guard behind Sofia.
“Why is she here?”
“She slipped past us, Boss.”
Sofia looked around.
“Why is everybody mad?”
Maria hurried to her.
“We're not mad, sweetheart.”
“Yes, you are.”
Then the windows exploded.
I dropped.
Marcus shouted.
Everyone hit the floor.
No graphic chaos. Just shattered glass, alarms, and men moving fast.
I crawled toward Maria and Sofia.
“Stay down!”
Sofia screamed.
Maria covered her.
Security shutters descended.
Marcus spoke into his radio.
“Vehicle leaving north road!”
I looked toward Michael.
He was bleeding slightly from a cut caused by flying glass.
“Vincent?” he asked.
“Who else?”
Then Maria screamed.
“Sofia?”
The little girl wasn't responding.
My heart stopped.
I grabbed her.
“Sofia.”
Nothing.
“Sofia!”
Her eyes fluttered.
She had fainted from fear.
Then she opened them.
“Mr. Daniel?”
I exhaled.
Maria began crying.
Sofia touched my cheek.
“You're scared.”
“No.”
“Yes, you are.”
I almost laughed.
“Maybe a little.”
She wrapped both arms around my neck.
Across the room, Michael stared at me.
I knew what he was seeing.
My weakness.
My father's warning returned.
Never let anyone see what can hurt you.
But something had changed.
I looked at Maria.
Then Sofia.
Maybe my father had been wrong.
Maybe having something worth protecting didn't make a man weak.
May you like
Maybe it finally gave him something worth fighting for.
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