Chapter 4 - A PRISONER IN A MANSION
Roman refused to let Chloe accompany him.
She refused to stay behind.
They argued for ten minutes.
“You're pregnant.”
“I'm aware.”
“This isn't a sightseeing trip.”
“I know.”
“There could be armed men.”
“I know.”
“You could get hurt.”
Chloe stepped closer.
“Then stop treating me like luggage.”
Roman stared at her.
Something flickered in his expression.
Respect.
“You're impossible.”
“So I've been told.”
They left.
The warehouse in Newark sat near the water.
Rain had begun falling.
Roman's men surrounded the building before they entered.
Inside, the container was exactly where the records indicated.
KX-4419.
Roman cut the seal.
The doors opened.
Nothing looked unusual.
Boxes.
Shipping manifests.
Machinery.
Then Chloe saw a familiar logo.
Cole Logistics.
She stepped closer.
Roman stopped her.
“Don't touch anything.”
“I know this inventory.”
“You're certain?”
“Yes.”
She examined the labels.
“These shipments weren't supposed to exist.”
Roman looked at her.
“Why?”
“They were listed as medical equipment.”
“And?”
“These aren't medical supplies.”
She pointed at the manifest.
“Look at the weights.”
Roman's expression changed.
He signaled his men.
A crate was opened.
Inside were expensive electronic components.
Not illegal by themselves.
But the shipment value was enormous.
Roman turned to Chloe.
“Why hide legal equipment?”
“Because the real money isn't in the equipment.”
She pointed again.
“The serial numbers.”
Roman examined them.
Every number had been altered.
“This is counterfeit inventory.”
“Exactly.”
Roman looked at her differently.
“You knew?”
“I worked beside Harrison for years.”
She looked at the boxes.
“I knew his business better than he thought.”
Suddenly a gunshot echoed outside.
Roman grabbed Chloe's arm and pulled her behind a concrete pillar.
His men returned fire.
Chloe's heart pounded.
“Who are they?”
Roman didn't answer.
Another shot.
Then silence.
Roman moved carefully toward the loading bay.
One attacker was down.
Another had escaped.
His security chief approached.
“Boss, we found this.”
He handed Roman a phone.
Roman opened it.
One message.
THE WOMAN IS THE KEY.
Chloe saw it.
“What does that mean?”
Roman looked at her.
“I don't know yet.”
But he was lying.
She could tell.
Later that night, back at the penthouse, Chloe confronted him.
“You know something.”
Roman remained silent.
“You've been protecting me since the airport.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you're useful.”
She stared.
“That isn't the whole truth.”
“No.”
“Then tell me.”
Roman walked toward the bar.
He poured water instead of alcohol.
“My father died when I was nineteen.”
Chloe said nothing.
“He left me a business.”
“A criminal empire.”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“My younger sister disappeared two months later.”
Chloe's expression softened.
“What happened?”
“We never found her.”
Roman looked down.
“She was twenty-two.”
“Do you think Vanessa—”
“I don't know.”
“But you think the same people are involved.”
“Yes.”
Chloe looked at him.
“And the ultrasound?”
Roman's voice lowered.
“I think someone deliberately planted that number for you to find.”
“Why?”
“To bring me to you.”
Silence filled the room.
Chloe's heart sank.
“So this wasn't random.”
“No.”
“Someone wanted you to take me.”
Roman nodded.
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
Chloe stepped toward him.
“Then we're both being used.”
Roman looked directly at her.
“Yes.”
A loud alarm suddenly sounded throughout the penthouse.
Roman reached for his weapon.
The lights went out.
For three seconds, everything was black.
Then emergency lights flickered on.
Roman's security team shouted from the hallway.
“Boss!”
Roman turned toward Chloe.
“Stay behind me.”
She did.
But then a voice came through the penthouse speakers.
A woman's voice.
Calm.
Almost amused.
“Hello, Roman.”
Roman froze.
Chloe recognized the voice.
Vanessa.
Or Victoria.
The voice continued.
“You should have let Harrison run.”
Then the screen in Roman's office turned on.
A live video appeared.
Harrison Cole was sitting in a chair.
His face was bruised.
His hands were tied.
And standing behind him was Vanessa.
She smiled directly into the camera.
“Because now,” she said, “we're going to take something much more valuable.”
The screen went black.
Roman looked at Chloe.
She whispered:
“What does she want?”
May you like
Roman's answer was immediate.
“You.”
