Chapter 4 - The Golden Cage
Norah sat awkwardly in a plush, velvet armchair that likely cost more than her entire apartment building.
She was currently locked inside the master bedroom of Gabriel Hayes' heavily fortified penthouse.
The transition from the blood-soaked roof in the South End to this sterile, luxurious cage had been a complete, terrifying blur.
Leo and the heavily armed backup team had dragged Gabriel’s unconscious body to a waiting armored ambulance.
They had aggressively shoved Norah into the back of a separate SUV, completely ignoring her demands to be let go.
Now, she was trapped in a room with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the glittering, oblivious city.
The heavy mahogany doors finally clicked open, and Leo stepped into the room.
His usually immaculate suit was covered in dried blood and soot, but his expression remained completely stoic.
"How is he?" Norah asked immediately, standing up from the armchair.
"The bullet passed cleanly through the shoulder muscle," Leo answered flatly, crossing his massive arms.
"Our private surgeon removed the fragments and stitched him up."
"He will live."
Norah let out a massive sigh of relief, the tension leaving her shoulders for the first time in hours.
"Good."
"Then I am leaving," Norah declared firmly, walking toward the open doorway.
Leo casually stepped sideways, his massive frame completely blocking her exit.
"You are not going anywhere, Norah."
"The boss gave explicit orders before he passed out."
"You are to remain in this penthouse under heavy, twenty-four-hour guard."
Norah glared at the giant enforcer, refusing to be intimidated.
"I am not a prisoner, Leo."
"I have nursing exams next week, and Benny is probably terrified out of his mind."
Leo’s expression softened slightly, a rare crack in his intimidating armor.
"Benny has already been heavily compensated for the damage to his diner, and he has been relocated to a safe house in Florida."
"As for your nursing exams, they will simply have to wait."
He stepped closer, towering intimidatingly over her.
"Marcus is actively hunting you, Norah."
"You saw his face, and you are currently the only person in this city who can prepare food the boss will actually eat."
"If you walk out that door, you will be dead before you reach the subway."
Norah felt a cold chill run straight down her spine.
She was completely trapped in a deadly mafia war she wanted absolutely nothing to do with.
"Fine," Norah conceded angrily.
"But I need fresh clothes and a shower."
Leo nodded once and turned to leave.
"The closet is fully stocked, and the bathroom is through that door."
"I will have my men bring up fresh groceries from a secure, heavily vetted supplier in an hour."
"The boss will be hungry when he finally wakes up."
Leo closed the heavy mahogany doors, and the loud, metallic click of a deadbolt sliding into place echoed through the room.
Norah walked into the massive, marble bathroom and turned on the steaming hot shower.
She scrubbed the dried blood and grease from her skin, crying silently in the warm water.
When she finally emerged, she opened the massive walk-in closet.
It was filled with expensive designer dresses and silk robes, none of which she felt comfortable wearing.
She finally found a simple, soft cashmere sweater and a pair of dark leggings.
She walked back into the bedroom just as the lock on the door clicked open again.
Gabriel stood in the doorway, his arm in a heavy black sling, looking incredibly pale but intensely focused.
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"I need you to cook for me again, Norah," Gabriel said, his voice deadly serious.
"But this time, I need you to add something specific to the recipe."
