Chapter 6 - The Traitor's Trap
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At ten o’clock that morning, the black burner phone on Luca’s mahogany desk buzzed with an incoming text message.
Luca, Marco, and I gathered around the glowing screen in the fortified private study.
The message was from Julian Romano: ‘Is the funeral arranged yet? Did the poison finish the job?’
Marco cracked his knuckles, a dark smile spreading across his scarred face.
“He has no idea the boss is breathing, Luca,” Marco whispered eagerly.
“He’s waiting for Vanessa to give the signal that the empire has fallen,” Marco noted.
Luca leaned over the desk, tapping his fingers against the polished wood in deep contemplation.
“We give him the signal he wants,” Luca said, his mind formulating a ruthless counterattack.
“Claire, you have seen Vanessa’s handwriting and her texting style on household orders,” Luca noted, turning to me.
“Can you compose a reply that sounds exactly like her panicked, greedy self?” Luca asked.
I nodded without hesitation, understanding the enormous responsibility resting on my shoulders.
“I can do that, Mr. Moretti,” I said, picking up the burner phone.
I typed carefully: ‘It’s done. Luca’s heart failed an hour ago. The house is in chaos and the coroner is on his way.’
I paused and added a second sentence to make the bait irresistible.
‘Meet me at the old shipping warehouse on Pier 42 at midnight with the transfer paperwork before the capos arrive.’
We held our breath for two agonizing minutes until the phone buzzed with Julian’s response.
‘I’ll be there with my inner circle. Bring the master keys to the Trattoria safe, and Chicago is ours.’
Luca’s eyes flashed with a dangerous, triumphant light.
“He took the bait completely,” Luca murmured, looking at Marco with tactical focus.
“Mobilize our sixty most trusted soldiers and secure every perimeter around Pier 42,” Luca commanded.
“I want snipers on the crane towers and heavy blockade vans covering every exit route,” Luca added.
Before Luca could walk out to lead the operation, Frank entered the study leaning on a polished wooden cane.
The old man’s face looked calmer, his color returning now that Dr. Rossi had administered his true medication.
“Luca, you must be careful tonight,” Frank pleaded, placing a hand on his son’s broad chest.
“Julian Romano is a rat, and a cornered rat will bite anything to survive,” Frank warned.
Luca gently held his father’s hand, bowing his head with deep humility.
“I am fighting for our family name tonight, Dad,” Luca promised with fierce conviction.
“I won’t let Rosa’s memory or your sacrifices be trampled by thieves,” Luca added softly.
He looked toward me, his expression softening into something remarkably intimate.
“Claire, I need you to stay by my father’s side at the safehouse until this is over,” Luca requested gently.
“I trust no one else in this city with his life,” Luca confessed openly in front of his men.
I looked into Luca’s dark, determined eyes and felt an overwhelming surge of protective devotion.
May you like
“I will guard him with my own life, Luca,” I replied, speaking his first name for the very first time.
A faint, appreciative smile touched Luca’s lips before he pulled his heavy overcoat on and vanished into the stormy afternoon.
