The Locksmith Was Just The Beginning

The door flew off its hinges, crashing into the metal lockers with a deafening screech.

Mrs. Carter screamed, dropping the gun as she scrambled backward.

Luca stood in the doorway.

He didn't have a weapon drawn. He didn't need one.

His sheer presence filled the room, suffocating the air out of it.

He stepped inside, his eyes fixed on Mrs. Carter.

"Paul told me you came down here, Rachel," Luca said, never taking his eyes off the older woman. "I wondered why."

He looked at the iron key in my hand.

"Now I know."

Mrs. Carter was trembling on the floor, her grandmotherly facade entirely shattered.

"Mr. Moretti," she stammered, tears springing to her eyes. "Please. She threatened me. Vanessa threatened my family."

"Don't," Luca’s voice was dangerously quiet. "Don't insult my intelligence, Martha. You've been siphoning money from the household accounts for three years. I knew. I let it slide because of your history with my father."

Mrs. Carter froze.

"But conspiring with the Romanos? Helping them target a seven-year-old girl?" Luca walked closer, looming over her. "That is unforgivable."

"Your father ruined my life!" she spat, suddenly defiant.

"My father paid for your son's rehab four times," Luca countered coldly. "He kept you employed when you stole the silver. He protected you. And this is how you repay the family?"

Luca reached down, picked up the snub-nosed revolver, and emptied the bullets onto the floor.

"Pack your things, Martha. You have one hour to leave the estate. If I ever see you in Chicago again, I won't be the one coming for you."

Mrs. Carter scrambled to her feet and ran out of the room, sobbing.

The silence that followed was heavy.

Luca turned to me.

"Are you hurt?"

I shook my head, my legs suddenly feeling like jelly. I sank into the wooden chair by the desk.

"I thought it was over," I whispered.

"In my world, there is always one more secret," Luca said, kneeling beside me, just as he had done two days ago when he found my stitches. "But this was the last one in this house. I promise."

He took my trembling hands in his.

"You didn't have to face her alone, Rachel. You could have told Paul."

"I needed to know," I said, looking into his dark eyes. "I needed to know who betrayed us."

Luca nodded slowly. He reached up and gently tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers brushing the edge of my bandage.

"The house is clean now," he murmured. "The Romanos are broken. Vanessa is in federal custody. Martha is gone."

He stood up, pulling me gently to my feet.

"It's time for you to go home, Rachel."

I looked at the staff office one last time. The lockers. The cheap linoleum. The place where I had spent eleven months hiding my bruises and counting my pennies.

"Okay," I said.

We walked upstairs together.

When we reached the front driveway, Paul was waiting by the SUV. Lily was in the backseat, her face pressed against the glass, waving enthusiastically at Luca.

Luca smiled back at her.

Then he turned to me.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, velvet box.

My breath caught.

"I'm not asking you to marry me," Luca said, seeing my panic. He chuckled softly. "We haven't even had our first date yet."

He opened the box.

Inside wasn't a diamond ring.

It was a delicate gold chain. Hanging from the chain was a tiny, intricately carved lion holding a sword.

The Moretti crest.

"It's a promise," Luca said, his voice thick with emotion. "A promise that you and Lily are under my protection. Always. No matter what happens, you are part of this family."

Tears blurred my vision.

I turned around, and Luca gently fastened the necklace around my neck. The gold felt warm against my skin.

"Thank you," I whispered.

"I'll pick you up on Friday at seven," Luca said, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Wear something you like. We're going to a place that doesn't have a dress code."

I laughed, a real, genuine laugh that bubbled up from my chest.