Chapter 2 - The Men Outside Apartment 4C
Mara didn't sleep.
At 7:10 a.m., she was still sitting on her sofa wearing her work clothes.
At 7:14, three black SUVs pulled onto her street.
Mara stood.
“No.”
They stopped directly outside her building.
“No, no, no.”
Four men got out.
Dark suits.
Black coats.
One remained beside the first SUV.
Another entered the building.
Mara grabbed her phone.
Then someone knocked.
Three controlled knocks.
She stared at the door.
“Mara Bennett?”
A man's voice.
She didn't answer.
“My name is Luca. Mr. Bellandi sent me.”
“Tell Mr. Bellandi I'm sleeping.”
A pause.
“At seven in the morning?”
“Yes.”
Another pause.
“He said you'd say something difficult.”
Despite herself, Mara frowned.
“Something difficult?”
“He actually used a less polite word.”
She approached the door but kept the chain attached.
“What does he want?”
“To make sure you're alive.”
“Mission accomplished.”
“Unfortunately, I need to see you.”
Mara opened the door three inches.
A broad man in his forties stood outside.
Close-cropped gray hair.
Expensive suit.
A surprisingly patient expression.
“You've seen me.”
“Good.”
He handed her an envelope.
“What is this?”
“Your wages.”
“My what?”
“The Harbor Lantern burned at five twelve this morning.”
Mara stopped breathing.
“What?”
“Kitchen fire.”
“My manager?”
“Alive.”
“The cook?”
“Alive.”
“Anyone hurt?”
“No.”
She stared at him.
“Victor.”
Luca said nothing.
He didn't need to.
Mara opened the envelope.
Cash.
A lot of it.
She immediately handed it back.
“No.”
“Mr. Bellandi anticipated that.”
“Then why bring it?”
“He hoped you'd suddenly become reasonable.”
“Tell him I'm consistently unreasonable.”
Luca almost smiled.
“He also anticipated that.”
Mara crossed her arms.
“What happens now?”
“You come with me.”
“No.”
“Mara—”
“Absolutely not.”
Luca sighed.
“I was instructed to ask politely.”
“And after that?”
“Continue asking politely.”
She blinked.
“Seriously?”
“Adrian was very specific.”
That surprised her.
“Why?”
“Because you saved his life.”
Mara looked toward the street.
Three SUVs.
Eight men.
Neighbors watching through curtains.
“My landlord is going to love this.”
“Your landlord started eviction proceedings yesterday.”
Her head snapped toward him.
“How do you know that?”
“Mr. Bellandi knows things.”
“That's creepy.”
“Frequently.”
Mara rubbed her forehead.
“I need coffee.”
“There is coffee in the car.”
“Normal coffee?”
Luca gave her a deadpan look.
“After last night, nobody is putting anything in Mr. Bellandi's coffee again.”
Twenty minutes later, Mara was sitting in the back of an armored SUV.
They drove north.
Away from the docks.
Away from her neighborhood.
Eventually iron gates opened onto a massive waterfront estate.
Mara stared through the window.
“You've got to be kidding me.”
Adrian Bellandi was waiting inside.
No suit this time.
Black shirt.
Sleeves rolled to his forearms.
The tattoos on his hands continued upward beneath the fabric.
A cup of coffee sat untouched in front of him.
Mara pointed at it.
“Trust issues?”
“Recently developed.”
“Understandable.”
Adrian motioned toward the chair opposite him.
Mara sat.
“Victor disappeared,” he said.
“That sounds like your problem.”
“It became yours when he burned your workplace.”
Her humor disappeared.
“You know it was him?”
“I know enough.”
“Then call the police.”
Adrian stared at her.
Mara sighed.
“Right. Stupid suggestion.”
“He knows where you work. He knows what you look like.”
“And apparently everyone knows where I live.”
“Yes.”
“Comforting.”
Adrian leaned forward.
“I can protect you.”
“I don't want protection.”
“You need it.”
“I need another job.”
“You need to remain alive long enough to get another job.”
Mara couldn't argue with that.
Adrian slid a photograph across the table.
Victor.
Beside him stood two unfamiliar men.
“This was taken six months ago,” Adrian said.
“Who are they?”
“People who want my territory.”
Mara pushed the photograph back.
“I don't want to know.”
“You already know too much.”
“Then make me forget.”
“I don't hurt innocent people.”
Mara laughed softly.
“You're a mafia boss.”
His expression didn't change.
“Those statements aren't mutually exclusive.”
She studied him.
“You really expect me to stay here?”
“Temporarily.”
“How temporarily?”
“Until Victor is found.”
“And if that takes a month?”
“You stay a month.”
“A year?”
His mouth twitched.
“I'll try to be faster.”
Mara stood.
“No.”
Adrian looked up.
“I saved your life. That doesn't mean you own mine.”
His expression hardened.
“I never said I did.”
“Your men brought me here.”
“They asked.”
“Repeatedly.”
“Yes.”
“That's kidnapping with customer service.”
Luca coughed from across the room.
Adrian almost smiled.
Then a phone vibrated.
Luca checked it.
His expression changed.
“Boss.”
Adrian stood.
“What?”
“We found Victor's car.”
“Where?”
“Airport garage.”
Mara exhaled.
“So he's gone.”
Luca looked at her.
“No.”
“Why?”
“The driver's dead.”
Silence.
“And Victor left something in the front seat.”
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
“What?”
Luca looked directly at Mara.
May you like
“A photograph of her apartment.”
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