Chapter 6 - THE TORN TRAIN TICKET
Caroline stood in the doorway of the rusted train depot office.
Her four heavily armed men fanned out, training their laser sights on Luca, Emily, and Marco.
Luca slowly stood up.
He pushed Emily and Sophie securely behind his back.
He didn't look at the guns.
He looked at Caroline.
“How did you get out of the basement?”
Caroline smirked, adjusting her coat over her bandaged wrist.
“You pay your guards well, Luca. But the Commission pays better. You aren't the only one with loyal men.”
She stepped into the dim office.
“You really thought I was working alone? Marcus was just the beginning. The Commission wanted you removed for years. When Isabella killed Marcus, they decided to use me to take the inheritance from the inside.”
“You're a rat,” Marco spat from the corner.
Caroline ignored him.
She looked at Emily.
“I have to admit, the maid was a surprising variable. You really went out of your way for a child that isn't yours.”
Emily tightened her grip on Sophie.
“She’s a little girl. You're a monster.”
“I’m a pragmatist,” Caroline corrected.
She pulled a folded piece of paper from her pocket.
It was a train ticket.
“A one-way ticket to Montreal,” Caroline said. “Under a fake name. Millions in offshore accounts waiting. All I need is the final letter Isabella wrote. The one with the bank codes she stole from Marcus.”
Luca frowned.
“Bank codes?”
“Don't play stupid,” Caroline snapped. “Isabella found out Marcus was skimming money from the Commission. She hid the account numbers in that last letter. Give it to me, and I'll leave the country. Keep it, and we kill all of you.”
Luca remained perfectly calm.
“You're lying.”
“Am I?”
“Isabella’s letter didn't contain bank codes, Caroline. It contained a warning.”
Caroline’s confident smile faltered.
“What?”
Luca reached into his jacket.
Caroline’s men tensed, raising their weapons.
But Luca didn't pull out a gun.
He pulled out the folded, blue envelope.
“Isabella warned me that you would try to steal her child. She warned me that Marcus wasn't trying to sell Sophie. He was trying to take her because you couldn't have children.”
The air left the room.
Caroline’s face drained of all color.
“Shut up.”
“You didn't want the Commission’s money,” Luca continued, his voice echoing with absolute authority. “You wanted my daughter. You told Marcus to bring her to you.”
Emily gasped, pulling Sophie even closer.
“You're insane,” Caroline whispered, her hands shaking.
“Isabella knew,” Luca said. “She knew you were obsessed with my family. She knew you fabricated the entire story about the Commission.”
He held up the letter.
“There are no bank codes here, Caroline. The men standing behind you? They think they're getting paid millions. But you have nothing.”
Caroline turned around sharply.
Her four mercenaries were looking at her.
Doubt had crept into their eyes.
“He’s lying!” Caroline shouted at them. “Shoot him! Take the letter!”
The lead mercenary hesitated.
“We don't get paid until we see the codes, Caroline.”
“Shoot him!”
But the damage was done.
The hesitation was all Luca needed.
He didn't drop the letter.
He let it fall to the floor.
As the mercenaries' eyes instinctively followed the blue paper, Luca drew a hidden pistol from the small of his back with terrifying speed.
He fired twice.
The lead mercenary dropped.
Marco moved simultaneously, taking out the second man with a precision shot.
The remaining two mercenaries realized they had been betrayed by Caroline and outgunned by Luca.
They didn't stay to fight.
They turned and bolted out the door into the freezing rain, scrambling for their vehicle.
Caroline was left standing alone in the center of the room.
Her backup was gone.
Her brother was dead in the mud outside.
And her lie was completely exposed.
She looked at Luca, terror finally breaking through her arrogant facade.
She lunged toward the floor, desperately grabbing for the blue envelope.
But before her fingers could touch it, Emily stepped forward and slammed the heel of her boot directly onto Caroline’s hand.
Caroline screamed, snatching her hand back.
Emily didn't back down.
She looked down at the woman who had terrorized a little girl, threatened her family, and tried to destroy a legacy.
“You don't touch her letters,” Emily said, her voice shaking but filled with iron.
Marco stepped forward and grabbed Caroline by the collar of her trench coat, hauling her to her feet.
“She’s all yours, Boss.”
Luca picked up the blue envelope.
He looked at Caroline.
“The Commission didn't send you. But they will want to know why you used their name to hire mercenaries in my city.”
Caroline began to hyperventilate.
“Luca, please. They’ll kill me.”
“You should have thought of that before you threatened my daughter.”
Luca looked at Marco.
“Call the Commission's mediator. Tell them we have a gift for them.”
Marco nodded and dragged a sobbing Caroline out into the rain.
Luca turned around.
The terrifying mob boss vanished.
He dropped to his knees in the dirt again, holding his arms out.
Sophie ran into them, crying freely now.
“Daddy! I was so scared!”
“I know, Principessa,” Luca whispered, kissing her cheeks, her forehead, her hair. “I know. But it’s over. The bad lady is gone forever.”
He looked up at Emily.
She was standing by the desk, shivering violently in her ruined dress, her wrists bruised and bleeding.
Luca stood up, keeping Sophie in one arm.
He walked over to Emily.
He didn't say a word.
He took off his heavy, expensive wool coat and wrapped it securely around her shoulders.
It smelled like rain, gunsmoke, and sandalwood.
Emily pulled the coat tight, the warmth bringing tears of relief to her eyes.
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“Let's go home,” Luca said softly.
TITLE: THE MISSING WEDDING RING
