Chapter 7 - THE MAN AT MARCO'S TABLE
Sera woke in a private hospital room.
Marco sat beside her.
Still in yesterday's clothes.
"You look terrible," she murmured.
His eyes opened.
"You were shot."
"I noticed."
"You stopped breathing in the ambulance."
"I apparently started again."
Marco stared at her.
Sera's humor disappeared.
She had never seen him look that tired.
Or that human.
"How long?"
"Eleven seconds."
She swallowed.
Marco looked away.
"Longest eleven seconds of my life."
Neither spoke.
Then Sera reached across the bed.
Her fingers touched his hand.
Marco looked down.
She expected him to move.
He didn't.
Instead his fingers closed around hers.
No declaration.
No kiss.
Just two people who had spent their lives treating vulnerability like an unlocked door sitting in silence with their hands joined.
Eli survived.
Moretti was arrested on federal conspiracy, kidnapping and corruption charges.
The ledger detonated across Chicago.
Officials resigned.
Companies were raided.
Old alliances collapsed overnight.
But Sera couldn't stop thinking about the transmitter.
Someone close to Marco had planted it.
And she had a suspicion.
Three weeks later, she returned to Cavallo Tower.
Carlo met her downstairs.
"You're supposed to be recovering."
"I'm bored."
"Normal people watch television."
"I tried. Everyone makes bad decisions."
Carlo laughed.
It was the first time she'd heard him do it without sarcasm.
Upstairs, Marco was in a meeting.
Sera entered without knocking.
Six men looked up.
Marco stopped speaking.
His expression softened for half a second.
Then disappeared.
"You're early."
"I'm healed enough."
"Doctor said six weeks."
"Doctor doesn't pay me."
Marco raised an eyebrow.
"I thought you weren't my employee."
The room became fascinated with the table.
Sera stared at him.
Marco almost smiled.
"Everyone out."
They left quickly.
Sera closed the door.
"Don't do that."
"What?"
"Flirt in front of your criminal executives."
"They're legitimate executives."
"That's adorable."
Marco laughed.
She loved the sound before she could stop herself.
That realization terrified her.
So she changed subjects.
"The traitor is Carlo."
Marco's smile disappeared.
"No."
"Listen."
"Carlo has been with me twenty years."
"Exactly."
"Sera."
"The device was planted in Pike's briefcase. Only four people had access before the meeting. You, Pike, housekeeping, Carlo."
"Then housekeeping."
"Housekeeping wasn't at the Bellweather when Eli disappeared."
Marco stood.
"Carlo was."
"He helped search."
"He directed the search."
Marco's jaw tightened.
"Evidence."
"I don't have enough."
"Then don't accuse him."
Sera flinched.
Not because he raised his voice.
Because he didn't trust her.
She nodded.
"Fine."
"Sera."
"Forget it."
She left.
That evening Marco found her packing at his house.
"What are you doing?"
"Going home."
"Because we disagreed?"
"Because you stopped listening."
"Carlo saved my life when I was nineteen."
"And Eli spent twelve years protecting mine. People are complicated."
Marco blocked the doorway.
"Don't leave angry."
"Move."
"Sera."
"Move."
He did.
That mattered.
She walked past him.
Two hours later, Marco received a text.
From Carlo.
Sera found the proof.
Come alone.
Warehouse 14.
Marco called Sera.
No answer.
He called again.
Nothing.
His blood went cold.
Warehouse 14 was dark when he arrived.
Too dark.
He entered anyway.
A light came on.
Carlo stood in the center.
Sera sat tied to a chair.
Blood marked her lip.
Marco's gun came up.
Carlo pressed his weapon against her head.
"Drop it."
Marco obeyed.
Sera's eyes burned with fury.
"I told you."
Marco looked at her.
"Yes."
"Would love to enjoy that."
"Later."
Carlo laughed.
Even now.
Even with a gun to her head.
They were impossible.
"Do you know what your problem is, Marco?"
Marco's eyes stayed on Sera.
"Apparently employee retention."
Carlo's smile disappeared.
"You inherited everything."
"My father was murdered."
"And I built what remained."
"So this is about money?"
"It's about being invisible while a Cavallo gets everything."
Sera watched his wrist.
His balance.
His attention.
Marco kept him talking.
"You worked for Moretti?"
"For whoever understood my value."
"You planted the phone."
"Yes."
"Bellweather?"
"Yes."
"Eli?"
"I told Moretti where he'd be."
Sera's expression changed.
Carlo saw it too late.
She kicked backward.
The chair struck his knees.
His gun shifted.
Marco moved.
One punch.
Then another.
Carlo crashed against a steel table.
Sera broke the weakened chair rung against the floor, freed one hand and grabbed Carlo's ankle as he reached for the gun.
Marco kicked it away.
Seconds later, Carlo was down.
Marco untied Sera.
She stood.
"You took your time."
"I had traffic."
She stared at him.
Then laughed.
Marco did too.
The adrenaline broke.
His hands moved to her face.
He stopped just before touching her.
"May I?"
Sera nodded.
Marco kissed her.
Not violently.
Not like conquest.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Like something neither of them knew how to do without armor.
When they separated, Sera looked at him.
"You still should've believed me."
"I know."
"That's going to cost you."
"I assumed."
"Good."
Behind them, Carlo groaned.
Sera looked down.
"Should we deal with him?"
May you like
Marco sighed.
"Unfortunately."
