Chapter 5 - The Woman in the Red Coat
By morning, I had convinced myself I needed to leave.
Dante’s world had saved me from Nolan for one night.
That didn’t mean it was safe.
I packed the borrowed clothes Teresa gave me.
Then I opened my bedroom door.
A woman in a red coat stood at the end of the hall.
Elegant.
Forty.
Dark hair.
She looked enough like Dante that I knew instantly.
“My daughter,” Dante said behind me.
I turned.
He was walking up the stairs.
The woman smiled without warmth.
“Sofia Moretti.”
She extended her hand.
I didn’t take it.
“You accessed my grandmother’s trust?”
Her smile disappeared.
Dante stopped beside us.
“Sofia.”
“What?”
“I told you not to approach her alone.”
“I live here.”
“You haven’t lived here in six years.”
Something passed between them.
History.
Anger.
Sofia looked back at me.
“I didn’t access your trust.”
“Someone named Moretti did.”
“Yes.”
She paused.
“My brother.”
Dante’s jaw tightened.
“Luca.”
I had heard the name before.
Everyone had.
Luca Moretti had disappeared three years earlier after a federal investigation into organized crime and political corruption.
Rumor said he fled the country.
Other rumors said Dante had made his own son disappear.
“Why would Luca care about my grandmother?”
Sofia laughed bitterly.
“Because your grandmother once saved our family.”
Dante’s face became unreadable.
Sofia continued.
“Thirty years ago, Margaret Carter owned the warehouse where my father held his first legitimate shipping operation.”
“She refused to sell when rival investors pressured her.”
“She gave him time to build something legal.”
Dante looked at his daughter.
“That is enough.”
“No.”
Sofia stepped closer to me.
“You deserve context before you decide whether my father is your rescuer.”
I looked at Dante.
He didn’t stop her.
“Luca learned Margaret’s land would become valuable.”
Sofia continued.
“He wanted to use it as leverage.”
“Dad stopped him.”
“So Luca disappeared?”
Silence.
Then Dante answered.
“I sent my son away.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know anymore.”
That sounded impossible.
Before I could press him, Marco appeared downstairs.
“Dante.”
His tone changed everything.
We followed him into the security room.
A black SUV was parked outside the outer gate.
Nobody got out.
Then my phone rang.
Nolan.
I answered this time.
“Where are you?”
His voice sounded different.
Too calm.
“I’m safe.”
“No, Evelyn.”
He laughed softly.
“You’re in the worst possible place.”
I stared at the security monitor.
The SUV’s rear door opened.
A man stepped out.
Older than Nolan.
Tall.
Silver scar along his jaw.
Sofia whispered one word.
“Luca.”
My blood went cold.
Nolan spoke again.
“You wanted protection?”
“Well, congratulations.”
May you like
“You just walked directly into the family that started this.”
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