Chapter 11 - GLASS ON THE FLOOR
The sound of shattering glass dragged Alejandro Moretti back three years.
For one second, he was not inside the delivery van.
He was beside Kiara’s car.
Smoke.
Glass.
A pink ribbon.
Tiny shoes on asphalt.
Then Bruno’s voice cracked through the earpiece.
“Window hit. Lena down. Moving now.”
Alejandro tore the van door open before his driver could stop him.
Pain ripped through his chest.
He ignored it.
Across the street, people screamed inside the diner. A car alarm wailed. Glass glittered on the sidewalk like ice. The black car at the curb accelerated toward the corner.
Alejandro raised one hand.
Two Moretti vehicles moved from opposite ends of the block.
Not fast.
Precise.
Predatory.
The black car had almost reached the intersection when a city garbage truck pulled out unexpectedly, blocking the lane.
Rosa’s cousin drove sanitation.
Rosa had made calls.
The black car swerved, clipped a parked sedan, and spun halfway across the street.
Men poured from the Moretti vehicles.
Alejandro did not watch them.
He crossed to the diner.
Every step hurt. Breathing hurt. Existing hurt.
But when he reached the broken window, he saw Lena on the floor beneath the booth table, arms over her head. Blood ran from a shallow cut on her temple. Darren crouched beside her, shaking uncontrollably.
Bruno was already inside, gun drawn, shielding them from the door.
“Shooter?”
“From the car. Warning shot or bad angle.”
Alejandro looked at Lena.
“Emma?”
Her eyes flew open.
“Emma?”
“She is safe,” Bruno said quickly. “Still at the apartment. I confirmed.”
Lena sagged with relief.
Alejandro knelt beside her despite Bruno’s sharp protest.
“You’re bleeding.”
“It’s glass.”
“Can you stand?”
“Yes.”
She tried.
Her knees failed.
Alejandro caught her.
For a second, Lena Carter was pressed against the chest of the man whose enemies had nearly killed her twice in one night. She should have pulled away.
She did not.
Darren stared at them.
Something ugly crossed his face even through the fear.
“You,” he said to Alejandro. “This is your fault.”
Alejandro slowly turned his head.
Darren shrank back.
But Lena spoke first.
“No, Darren. This is yours.”
His face twisted.
“I didn’t shoot!”
“No. You just sold a lie about your daughter to a man who would.”
Darren’s mouth opened.
Police sirens approached.
Nora Fields appeared at the broken doorway with her camera operator behind her. Her face was pale, but her camera was on.
Bruno swore under his breath.
Lena noticed.
Then she understood.
The world had seen Darren enter.
The world had seen the window shatter.
The world would see whatever happened next.
Rafael’s trap had a second layer.
If Alejandro threatened Darren on camera, Rafael would have what he needed.
A violent mafia boss intimidating a frightened father.
Lena gripped Alejandro’s sleeve.
“Don’t.”
He looked at her.
She shook her head once.
Do not become the story he wrote for you.
Alejandro’s jaw tightened.
Then he released Darren and stood.
When police entered, weapons raised, Alejandro lifted both hands slowly.
“I am unarmed,” he said.
Every camera caught it.
Bruno did the same, though it clearly pained him.
Darren saw the chance.
“He threatened me,” he shouted. “He brought me here. He—”
Lena stood, swaying.
“No.”
The single word cut through the chaos.
Nora’s camera turned to her.
Lena wiped blood from her temple with the back of her hand.
“Darren came here because I asked him to tell the truth.”
A police officer looked at her.
“Ma’am, are you Lena Carter?”
“Yes.”
“Do you need medical attention?”
“Yes,” Alejandro said.
“No,” Lena said at the same time.
Alejandro gave her a look.
She ignored it.
“I have a recording,” she said. “Darren admitted Rafael Moretti paid him to lie.”
Darren’s face collapsed.
“You said you wouldn’t—”
“I never said that.”
“You tricked me!”
“No,” Lena said. “You finally told the truth where someone could hear it.”
The officer took her phone.
Darren lunged for it.
Bruno moved faster.
He caught Darren’s wrist, twisted just enough to stop him, then released him before the cameras could turn it into violence.
The police officer stepped between them.
“Sir, hands where I can see them.”
Darren began shouting.
“She’s lying! She’s always lying! She kept my kid from me!”
Nora Fields spoke from behind the camera.
“Mr. Pike, did Rafael Moretti pay you?”
Darren froze.
The camera zoomed.
His silence was answer enough.
Then a second officer approached from outside.
“We’ve got one suspect from the vehicle. Two fled.”
Alejandro looked toward the street.
The black car sat crumpled near the curb. One man was being forced against the hood. The others were gone.
Bruno leaned close.
“The one they caught has Benedetti ink.”
Alejandro’s eyes darkened.
Before he could answer, Lena’s phone rang in the police officer’s hand.
Everyone looked at it.
Unknown number.
The officer held it up.
Lena stared.
Alejandro said, “Answer it.”
The officer hesitated.
Lena took the phone and pressed speaker.
For three seconds, there was only breathing.
Then Rafael’s voice filled the shattered diner.
“Well done, Lena. You made yourself useful.”
Alejandro went still.
Nora’s camera remained on.
Lena’s heart pounded so hard she could hear it.
“What do you want?”
Rafael laughed softly.
“What everyone wants. A trade.”
“For what?”
His voice lowered.
“For the child.”
Lena’s blood turned to ice.
Alejandro stepped closer.
Rafael continued.
“You left Emma with an old baker and two guards. Did you really think I would not know?”
Lena could not breathe.
Alejandro looked at Bruno.
Bruno was already calling the apartment.
No answer.
Again.
No answer.
Lena swayed.
Rafael whispered through the speaker.
May you like
“Do not worry. She still has her rabbit.”
The line went dead.
