Chapter 6 - The ExchangeThe church had not held a service in nineteen years.
Rain leaked through the roof.
Broken saints watched from stained-glass windows.
Claraara walked down the center aisle carrying the ledger.
Gabriel was nowhere visible.
That did not mean he was absent.
Victor Velez waited near the altar.
Mrs. Alvarez sat tied to a chair.
Her lip was bleeding.
“Claraara!”
“I’m okay.”
Victor smiled.
He was silver-haired, elegant, and disappointingly ordinary.
“You caused remarkable trouble.”
“I brought what you wanted.”
“Put it down.”
“Release her first.”
Victor laughed.
“You think you’re negotiating?”
“Yes.”
Something in Claraara’s tone surprised even herself.
Three years of poverty had taught her something Gabriel’s world apparently had not.
When you had almost nothing, losing things stopped frightening you.
Victor pointed a pistol toward Mrs. Alvarez.
“Ledger.”
Claraara placed it on the floor.
Victor’s man collected it.
He flipped through the pages.
Victor smiled.
“Excellent.”
“Now let her go.”
“No.”
Claraara’s stomach tightened.
“You promised.”
“I lied.”
The church doors slammed shut.
Victor walked toward her.
“Where’s the drive?”
“I don’t have it.”
“Gabriel does.”
“Then ask him.”
“Oh, I intend to.”
A voice came from the darkness above.
“You just did.”
Victor spun.
Gabriel stood on the choir balcony.
Gunfire erupted.
Claraara dropped.
Windows shattered.
Gabriel’s men emerged from side entrances.
Victor grabbed Mrs. Alvarez and pressed a gun against her head.
“Stop!”
Everything froze.
Gabriel descended slowly.
Victor smiled.
“There he is.”
“You wanted me.”
“I wanted the drive.”
Gabriel held it up.
“Release them.”
Victor studied him.
“You care about her.”
Gabriel said nothing.
That was answer enough.
Victor laughed.
“Gabriel Rossy. The man who buried half this city suddenly playing family.”
Claraara saw something dangerous cross Gabriel’s face.
Victor noticed too.
“You remember your sister?”
The church became silent.
Gabriel’s expression emptied.
Victor smiled wider.
“My father told me about her. Little Sofia.”
“Stop talking.”
“Your mother begged beautifully.”
Gabriel raised his gun.
Victor pushed the pistol harder against Mrs. Alvarez.
“Careful.”
Claraara realized what Victor was doing.
He wanted Gabriel angry.
Careless.
“Gabriel.”
His eyes moved toward her.
“Don’t.”
That single word reached him.
His weapon lowered slightly.
Victor’s smile vanished.
He had lost control of the moment.
Then Mrs. Alvarez bit his hand.
Hard.
Victor screamed.
Claraara lunged.
Gabriel fired.
Victor’s gun flew away.
Mrs. Alvarez fell sideways.
Gabriel’s men overwhelmed the remaining guards.
Within seconds it was over.
Victor lay wounded but alive.
Gabriel stood over him.
Every part of his body demanded revenge.
Victor laughed through bloody teeth.
“Do it.”
Gabriel aimed.
Claraara approached.
She did not touch him.
“Your sister deserved justice.”
His finger tightened on the trigger.
“Not another grave.”
Gabriel stared at Victor.
Then slowly lowered the weapon.
“Police are already coming.”
Victor’s smile disappeared.
Gabriel crouched.
“You wanted me to become my father’s murderer.”
He looked toward Claraara.
“Bad night for you.”
Sirens approached.
But Maya was still missing.
Marco contacted them thirty minutes later.
He arranged a meeting beneath the interstate.
Maya ran toward Claraara the instant the car door opened.
“Mommy!”
Claraara collapsed around her daughter.
She cried harder than she had in years.
Gabriel stood several feet away.
Maya pulled free.
Then ran to him.
He looked startled when she hugged his leg.
“You found Mommy.”
Gabriel swallowed.
“Yes.”
Marco stepped forward.
Gabriel’s men raised weapons.
Marco did not resist.
“I deserve whatever comes.”
“Why take Maya?”
“Victor had people inside the penthouse. If I told you, they would know.”
“You could have trusted me.”
“I trusted the child would be safer with me.”
Gabriel stared at him for a long time.
“You’re finished.”
Marco nodded.
“But alive.”
Surprise crossed his face.
Gabriel turned away.
“Don’t make me regret it.”
Later, Claraara found Gabriel outside the church.
“You spared Victor.”
“He’ll spend the rest of his life explaining the ledger.”
“And Marco?”
“He leaves the city.”
She nodded.
Gabriel looked exhausted.
“It’s over.”
Claraara should have felt relieved.
Instead, the words hurt.
Gabriel continued.
“I arranged an apartment for you. Twelve months paid. No obligation.”
“No.”
His face hardened.
“I’m not asking permission.”
“And I’m not accepting.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m done living inside decisions men make for me.”
He absorbed that.
Then nodded.
“Fair.”
Claraara turned away.
“Claraara.”
She looked back.
Gabriel’s voice was quieter.
“The cake wasn’t charity.”
“What was it?”
He hesitated.
“A selfish decision.”
“Why?”
“Because for ten minutes, watching Maya get that cake meant Sofia didn’t die for nothing.”
Claraara’s anger softened.
Gabriel stepped away.
May you like
She suddenly realized he intended to disappear from their lives.
And for reasons she was not ready to admit, she did not want him to.
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