Chapter 6 - RACHEL’S CONDITION
Rachel did not care about trusts.
She did not care about Bellini succession.
She did not care which elderly gangster had said what eight years earlier.
Her concern was three feet tall and currently coloring a giraffe purple.
“You’re leaving it.”
Luca looked at her.
They sat in the secure brownstone kitchen.
Emma was nearby with Marco.
“Leaving what?”
Rachel laughed once.
“Don’t insult me.”
“The organization.”
Luca remained silent.
She leaned closer.
“You want to be Emma’s father?”
“Yes.”
“Then you do not get to spend half your life creating enemies and the other half calling armed guards fatherhood.”
“It isn’t that simple.”
“It never is with you.”
“Rachel.”
“No.”
Her eyes filled.
“I loved you once.”
Luca stopped breathing.
“Enough to almost convince myself I could live with what you were.”
She shook her head.
“Then I got pregnant.”
“I remember.”
“And suddenly every gun you kept near a door looked different.”
“I know.”
“No, Luca.”
She pointed toward Emma.
“You’re only beginning to know.”
He looked at his daughter.
Emma had drawn purple spots on the giraffe.
Marco protested.
“Giraffes aren’t purple.”
Emma answered:
“Mine is.”
Luca almost smiled.
Rachel continued.
“You thought money made us safe.”
“I thought anonymity did.”
“And now?”
Luca looked at her.
“Now I think I used danger as an excuse not to change.”
Rachel’s expression shifted.
He continued.
“My father tried to leave.”
“What?”
“Before he died.”
She listened as Luca explained.
Not every detail.
Enough.
When he finished, Rachel asked:
“So what are you going to do?”
Luca thought of ports.
Men.
Old promises.
Debts.
Criminal alliances.
His father’s grave.
Then Emma ran into the kitchen.
“Daddy.”
The word still shocked him.
“Yes?”
“Marco says giraffes not purple.”
Marco called from the other room:
“I said typically.”
Emma frowned.
Luca crouched.
“Your giraffe can be purple.”
She nodded triumphantly toward Marco.
“Daddy says.”
Rachel watched Luca’s face.
He saw something in hers.
Not forgiveness.
Possibility.
Emma ran back.
Rachel whispered:
“That.”
“What?”
“You just became authority in her world.”
Luca looked toward the doorway.
Rachel continued.
“She will believe you.”
He understood.
“That’s why what you are matters.”
The sentence landed harder than any threat.
Luca nodded.
“I’m leaving.”
Rachel stared.
“Don’t promise something because you’re scared today.”
“I’m not.”
“Then what does leaving mean?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Figure it out.”
“I will.”
Then she added:
“And until you do, Emma stays with me.”
Luca’s instinct rose instantly.
No.
Unsafe.
He could secure her better.
He could—
Then Dr. Bennett’s words returned.
Control is not a vital organ.
Luca breathed.
“Okay.”
Rachel blinked.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“You’re not going to argue?”
“I’m trying something new.”
“Terrifying.”
He almost smiled.
Then Emma screamed from the next room.
Luca was on his feet instantly.
He reached her in seconds.
She wasn’t hurt.
She was staring through the window.
At the street.
“Emma?”
She pointed.
“Car man.”
Luca looked.
A black sedan accelerated away from the curb.
Marco shouted into his radio.
Men moved outside.
Rachel grabbed Emma.
Luca watched the vehicle disappear.
Then he noticed something on the front steps.
An envelope.
No stamp.
No name.
Inside was a photograph of Luca standing with Emma at the brownstone window.
Taken less than ten minutes earlier.
On the back:
NOW SHE HAS A FACE TO LOSE.
The Shepherd had found them again.
May you like
And this time—
someone had known the safehouse before Luca himself arrived.
