Chương 7 - The Handshake
The silence in the underground vault was deafening, broken only by the sound of water dripping from Lorenzo’s soaked suit.
Celia did not blink, her brown eyes locked fiercely onto his gray ones.
She had spent seven months being terrified of violent men, and she simply refused to do it anymore.
"If you shoot me, you become exactly what Travis is," Celia whispered into the quiet room.
Lorenzo's jaw muscle twitched rapidly.
He looked at the black leather ledger clutched against her chest, then back to her defiant face.
Slowly, agonizingly, Lorenzo lowered the weapon and engaged the safety.
He let out a long, heavy sigh and rubbed his hand over his scarred jaw.
"You are a remarkably stubborn woman, Celia Vaughn," he muttered.
He reached inside his wet jacket and pulled out a completely identical black leather book.
Celia gasped, taking a hesitant step backward.
"What is that?" she asked, eyeing the second book warily.
"A forgery," Lorenzo explained, tossing the fake book onto a nearby table. "I had my accountants create it two years ago in case the Moretti family ever got too close."
He pointed to the real ledger in Celia's arms.
"The real book contains the names of innocent people I protect, along with the corrupt ones I own."
Lorenzo stepped fully into the vault, closing the distance between them.
"If Travis gives that real book to the Morettis, dozens of good people will be murdered by morning."
Celia looked down at the real ledger, realizing the impossible weight of the situation.
"So we give them the fake one," Celia concluded, picking up the forged book.
"Yes," Lorenzo agreed. "But Travis is not an idiot; he will want to inspect the pages before he releases Maya."
"Then what do we do?" she asked, desperation creeping back into her voice.
Lorenzo pulled a secondary, smaller pistol from his ankle holster and held it out to her.
"We kill him," Lorenzo stated plainly.
Celia stared at the cold, black metal of the gun.
She had never fired a weapon in her entire life.
"When I give the signal, my men will eliminate the Moretti backup," Lorenzo instructed. "But I need you to be the one to secure your sister."
Celia slowly reached out and took the heavy pistol, her fingers wrapping awkwardly around the grip.
"I will protect you both, but you have to trust me," Lorenzo said, offering his empty hand.
Celia looked at his hand, knowing that taking it meant crossing a line she could never uncross.
She placed her small hand inside his massive one, sealing their dangerous alliance.
They drove to Navy Pier in absolute silence, the storm raging fiercely around them.
The abandoned warehouse loomed in the darkness, lit only by the headlights of a single parked van.
Lorenzo parked a hundred yards away, and they walked through the rain toward the glowing headlights.
Travis stood in front of the van, holding an umbrella and smiling arrogantly.
He was not alone.
Flanking Travis were six men wearing the official uniforms of the Chicago Police Department.
May you like
Travis had brought the corrupt cops Lorenzo warned her about.
"Look who brought backup," Travis mocked, drawing his own weapon.
