Chapter 7 - The Trade
The line went dead.
I dropped the phone on the table, my hands shaking violently.
Damian's face was completely unreadable.
"He wants to trade his life for Mia's," I whispered.
"It is a trap, Damian."
"You cannot go."
Damian began to calmly load extra magazines into his tactical vest.
"I made you a promise, Chloe."
"But this isn't your fight!" I pleaded, grabbing his arm.
"You don't owe me your life."
He stopped moving and looked deeply into my eyes.
"You saved Lily," Damian said quietly.
"You gave me back my world."
"Now it is my turn to give you back yours."
He gently brushed a tear from my cheek with his thumb.
For a second, the dangerous mafia boss completely disappeared, leaving only a man who cared for me.
"I am coming with you," I declared, my voice hardening.
"Absolutely not," Damian snapped.
"She is my daughter, Damian."
"If David sees me, he might hesitate."
Damian stared at me, calculating the risks in his head.
He finally nodded and handed me a small, compact pistol.
"Keep the safety on until you need it," he instructed.
We took an unmarked black sedan to the south side shipyards.
The night air was freezing, carrying the smell of salt and rust.
Warehouse 42 loomed in the darkness like a giant steel coffin.
Damian pushed the heavy doors open, keeping me strictly behind him.
The warehouse was massive and dimly lit by a few flickering overhead bulbs.
In the center of the room, a thick glass enclosure had been constructed.
Mia was locked inside it, crying and banging her small fists against the glass.
I started to run toward her, but Damian grabbed my shoulder.
"Wait," he hissed.
Footsteps echoed from the shadows.
David stepped into the light, holding a heavy shotgun.
But he was not alone.
Walking right beside him was Damian's younger brother, Julian.
May you like
Julian smiled and raised his own weapon directly at Damian's chest.
"Hello, brother," Julian sneered.
