Chapter 12
The heavy oak door clicked shut, the metallic slide of the deadbolt locking into place echoing loudly in the silent room. Maya leaned her back against the polished wood, slowly sliding down until she was sitting on the plush carpet. Her legs could no longer support her weight. The reality of her situation crashed over her in waves of absolute terror and disbelief.
A few hours ago, she was carrying plates of pasta and worrying about paying her electric bill. Now, she was locked inside a fortress belonging to the city's most ruthless mafia boss, clutching a secret that tied her life directly to the disappearance of his wife.
Maya looked across the dimly lit room. Sophia was curled into a small ball under the thick down comforter, breathing softly, entirely unaware of the storm raging around her. Maya pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. She thought about Tony at Bellanote. He had warned her not to become a pawn. But it was too late. She was already on the board, and the game had started long before she even realized she was playing.
Who had written the note on the receipt? She knows everything. Did 'she' refer to Elena? Or Sophia? And why use a receipt from Sweet Haven? The elderly couple who owned the bakery, Mr. and Mrs. Rossi, were kind, gentle people. They had encouraged Maya for years, promising to sell her the shop when they finally retired. The idea that they were connected to Dante Russo’s violent world was impossible to process.
Maya stood up, her exhaustion momentarily overpowered by a surge of desperate adrenaline. She paced the length of the luxurious room, her mind racing. Dante had promised her safety, but his protection was conditional. The moment he suspected she knew more than she was letting on, he would turn on her.
May you like
She walked over to the large window and pulled back the heavy velvet curtains. The estate was sprawling, surrounded by high stone walls topped with security cameras and razor wire. Armed guards patrolled the grounds, dark silhouettes moving through the relentless rain. There was no escape.
Maya let the curtain drop and walked back to the bed. She lay down carefully beside the sleeping child, pulling the edge of the comforter over her shivering shoulders. She stared at the ceiling, listening to the rain against the glass, praying that the morning wouldn't bring more blood.
