Chapter 9 - LEAVE BEFORE MORNING
“You’re firing me?”
Sophia stared at Alessandro across his office.
“No.”
“You just told me to pack.”
“Yes.”
“That sounds extremely similar.”
“You and Emma need to leave Chicago.”
“No.”
He had expected fear.
He got anger.
“I arranged a house in Vermont.”
She laughed in disbelief.
“Vermont?”
“No connection to me. New name if necessary.”
“Absolutely not.”
“Sophia.”
“You do not get to relocate me like a piece of furniture.”
“Federal investigators will be here soon.”
“Then let them.”
“Matteo released information about my organization.”
“I’m aware.”
“The estate will be searched. Men who worked for me may be arrested. Rivals may move against properties. Anyone connected to me becomes leverage.”
Sophia’s face changed.
“Emma.”
“Yes.”
She looked toward the window.
Outside, Emma was putting a paper crown on Bruno.
The dog looked deeply offended.
Sophia swallowed.
“And you?”
“I stay.”
“Of course.”
“This is my responsibility.”
“And Daniel?”
Alessandro looked at her.
“Daniel is dead.”
“He died trying to expose people in this organization.”
“Yes.”
“And now you’re telling me to run while the same system continues.”
“That system may not continue much longer.”
Something in his voice made her pause.
“What are you planning?”
“I’m dismantling it.”
Silence.
Sophia stared.
“What?”
“The businesses tied to trafficking, extortion, illegal gambling, bribery—gone.”
“You can just do that?”
“No.”
“Then?”
“I can start.”
She studied him.
“What changed?”
Alessandro looked out at Emma.
The paper crown had fallen over Bruno’s eyes.
Emma laughed.
Bruno endured.
“That.”
Sophia followed his gaze.
“You’re destroying your empire because of Emma?”
“No.”
A pause.
“Because I finally understand what it destroys.”
She looked at him.
For years Alessandro had believed power protected people.
His father taught him that.
Build walls high enough.
Make men afraid enough.
Collect enough money.
Control enough doors.
Nobody could touch what belonged to you.
Then someone walked through his own security and carried Emma away.
Power had not protected her.
Bruno had.
A wounded dog and a terrified mother had done more than the empire.
Sophia spoke softly.
“Daniel wanted out.”
“Yes.”
“He didn’t make it.”
“No.”
“You think you will?”
“I don’t know.”
Her eyes filled.
“I hate when you say that.”
“What?”
“I don’t know.”
“It’s usually the truth.”
She laughed sadly.
“You’re getting better at truth.”
“Slowly.”
Sophia walked toward the window.
“Emma loves it here.”
“I know.”
“She loves Bruno.”
“I know.”
“She also…”
Sophia stopped.
Alessandro waited.
“She asks where you are when you don’t come to dinner.”
His expression shifted.
“She does?”
“Yes.”
A pause.
“She thinks you don’t eat unless she supervises.”
“That is ridiculous.”
“You ate three crackers because she told you to.”
He had no defense.
Sophia looked at him.
“If we go, she loses both of you.”
“You can take Bruno.”
Alessandro turned toward the dog.
He had not planned to say it.
The words hurt immediately.
Sophia noticed.
“You would give me Bruno?”
“He already chose.”
Outside, Emma had now placed the crown correctly between Bruno’s ears.
Alessandro smiled without meaning to.
Sophia watched him.
“No.”
“What?”
“We’re not taking him.”
His expression hardened.
“Why?”
“Because we’re not going.”
“Sophia.”
“Listen.”
She turned fully toward him.
“I spent three years believing Daniel died because of weather and bad luck.”
Her voice trembled.
“Then I learned he lied to me. He worked for criminals. He found evidence. He died trying to leave.”
She took a breath.
“I spent three years surviving a story that wasn’t true.”
Alessandro said nothing.
“I will not start over again because another man decides what information I can handle and where I should live.”
“That is not what this is.”
“It is exactly what this is.”
“This is survival.”
“So let me choose it.”
He stared at her.
Sophia stepped closer.
“If staying becomes impossible, Emma and I leave.”
“Now.”
“When I decide.”
“You’re infuriating.”
“So I’ve heard.”
A knock interrupted them.
Marco entered.
“Federal agents at the south gate.”
Alessandro checked his watch.
“Early.”
“Very.”
Sophia took Emma to the cottage while agents entered the main house.
Boxes were opened.
Computers seized.
Employees questioned.
Alessandro cooperated more than anyone expected.
That made investigators suspicious.
By evening, television trucks lined the road.
MORETTI EMPIRE UNDER FEDERAL SCRUTINY.
Sophia saw the headline through the kitchen television.
Emma was coloring.
“What’s empire?”
Sophia turned off the TV.
“A very big group of things.”
“Like toys?”
“Sometimes.”
“Mr. Moretti has empire?”
Sophia sighed.
“Apparently not for much longer.”
That night she heard a knock.
Alessandro stood outside.
No coat.
Snow in his hair.
He looked exhausted.
“Emma awake?”
“No.”
He nodded.
Then stayed there.
Sophia opened the door wider.
“Do you want coffee?”
“Yes.”
He entered.
Bruno lifted his head.
Alessandro sat at the table.
Sophia placed coffee in front of him.
“How bad?”
“Bad.”
“Prison?”
“Possible.”
She stopped.
“Alessandro.”
“I knew what I was part of.”
“Did you do everything they’re accusing you of?”
“No.”
“Some?”
“Yes.”
She appreciated the answer.
Even if she hated it.
“How long?”
“I don’t know.”
Silence.
Then Emma appeared in the hallway.
Hair wild.
Holding Mr. Buttons by one leg.
She saw Alessandro.
“You came.”
He looked at her.
“Yes.”
She walked over.
Climbed directly onto his lap.
Sophia froze.
Alessandro did too.
Emma rested her head against his chest.
“You sad?”
“No.”
“You are.”
He looked helplessly at Sophia.
She almost smiled.
Emma touched his cheek.
“Bruno gets sad. I hug.”
Then she hugged him.
Alessandro’s eyes closed.
For three seconds.
Maybe four.
Sophia saw something crack inside the man everyone feared.
Emma pulled back.
“You better?”
Alessandro cleared his throat.
“Apparently.”
“Good.”
She fell asleep on him.
Nobody moved.
Ten minutes later Alessandro whispered, “She trusts too easily.”
Sophia looked at her daughter.
“No.”
She looked at him.
“She trusts carefully.”
Alessandro’s gaze lifted.
“What’s the difference?”
“She didn’t go to the dog handler.”
He understood.
“She chose Bruno.”
“Yes.”
Sophia’s voice softened.
“And she chose you.”
Before he could answer, the cottage window shattered.
Bruno roared.
Alessandro threw himself over Emma.
Sophia dropped behind the table.
A brick hit the kitchen floor.
Wrapped around it was a message.
Alessandro picked it up.
Three words.
LEAVE OR BURN.
The threat was not from federal agents.
It was not from Matteo.
Marco later confirmed the handwriting matched flyers found at two Moretti businesses earlier that day.
A rival organization had seen weakness.
The empire was bleeding.
Everyone wanted a piece.
Alessandro looked at Emma asleep against his chest.
Sophia looked at the broken glass.
May you like
The war had changed.
And this time, nobody cared who started it.
