Chapter 5 - The Glass Fortress
Chapter 5 - The Glass Fortress
The sun rose over Boston not with a golden glow, but with a dull, bruised grey that matched the mood inside the house. The rain had returned, a steady, rhythmic tapping against the reinforced glass windows of the library where Luca had told me to wait.
I hadn't changed out of my clothes from the night before. My jeans were damp, my shirt smelled of stale bar smoke and rain, and my hands were stained with dried blood. I sat on the edge of a velvet sofa, watching the security monitors built into the wall.
The news was already reporting the murder behind Preston Academy. They were calling it a "gang-related incident," completely omitting the fact that a fourteen-year-old girl was missing from her morning classes. The headmaster of the academy had already issued a statement reassuring parents that the campus was safe.
The heavy oak door opened, and Luca stepped inside. He looked exhausted, the dark shadows under his eyes showing that he hadn't slept a single second. He carried a silver tray with two cups of black coffee and a small plate of pastries.
"She’s awake," Luca said, setting the tray on the table in front of me. "Maria gave her some breakfast. She’s still quiet, but her fever is down."
"Thank you," I whispered, reaching for a cup of coffee. The warmth of the ceramic felt incredible against my frozen fingers. "Luca... what happens now? Your men... they wanted to trade her."
Luca sat in the armchair opposite me, leaning his head back against the leather. He looked up at the ceiling, his jaw tight. "My men look at the numbers, Mia. They see a war that costs money and lives. They don't see the truth."
"And what is the truth?" I asked, looking at his profile.
Luca turned his head, his dark eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my breath catch.
"The truth is that Jimmy Chen has been planning this for two years. The murder of my captain wasn't an accident; it was an execution designed to provoke me. If I turn your sister over, it shows the entire city that I am weak—that the Ravellini family can be bullied by a crew of street dealers. Your sister didn't bring me a curse, Mia. She brought me the weapon I need to finish this."
He reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper, sliding it across the table toward me. It was a copy of a witness report from the Boston PD, dated less than an hour ago.
"The precinct captain already filed this," Luca said. "They found Sofia’s debate club ribbon in the alley. Her name is on the suspect list for obstruction of justice. They’re going to her school right now to search her locker."
I dropped my coffee cup, the dark liquid spilling across the polished wood table. "No... no, they can't! She didn't do anything!"
"I know," Luca said, standing up and walking over to me. He reached out, his long fingers catching my chin, forcing me to look up into his steady, unyielding face. "That’s why we change the game. I’ve already sent a team to your apartment to pack your things. You and Sofia are no longer citizens of the South End, Mia. You are moving into my private estate in Rhode Island tonight. It’s a literal fortress—reinforced concrete, private security, and completely off the grid. You will stay there until Jimmy Chen is buried."
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"And you?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper, my heart fluttering at the closeness of his chest. "Are you coming with us?"
Luca’s thumb brushed gently against my jawline, a rare, fleeting moment of tenderness that made the entire room feel warm. "No. I have to stay in Boston. A king doesn't run from his castle when the wolves are at the gate. I’m going to clean the city, Mia. For my captain. And for you."
