Chapter 12 - THE QUIET SANCTUARY OF THE NORTH SIDE SAFEHOUSE
Miles away from the glittering skyscrapers and corporate bloodbaths of downtown Chicago, the rain continued to tap softly against the tall windows of the North Side safehouse.
I sat at the wooden desk, staring down at the heavy leather checkbook slip resting beside my open notebook.
Ten thousand dollars.
It sat there like a physical anchor in a world that had suddenly turned completely upside down.
My left cheek still felt tender to the touch, though the dull throbbing had subsided significantly thanks to the doctor's medicated compresses and hours of uninterrupted rest.
I walked over to the small kitchen counter and poured myself a cup of hot chamomile tea, listening to the muffled hum of city traffic far below.
For the first time in my entire adult life, I didn't have to worry about rent, grocery bills, or whether seventy-four dollars would stretch until Friday.
Yet, my mind refused to quiet down.
I kept replaying the image of Luca standing in his dark study, his tall frame silhouetted against the monitors, defending his family's honor while protecting a junior house server who had accidentally stumbled into a war zone.
Suddenly, a soft, distinct knock echoed at the private elevator door of the safehouse.
My heart leapt into my throat, and I instinctively reached for the heavy ceramic mug like a shield.
The private security lock clicked open with a mechanical hiss, and heavy, measured footsteps echoed across the hardwood floor.
It wasn't Daniel.
It was Luca Moretti.
He had shed his suit jacket, his white shirt collar unbuttoned, his dark hair slightly ruffled from the damp autumn wind outside.
He walked into the living room, his dark eyes scanning the space before locking entirely onto my pale face.
"Mr. Moretti," I stammered, setting my mug down so hard the hot tea sloshed over the rim. "What... what are you doing here? Is something wrong at the mansion?"
May you like
Luca stopped a few feet away from me, his expression uncharacteristically soft as he looked at my healing cheek.
"The mansion is quiet for the first time in nine months, Olivia," Luca said quietly, his deep voice filling the cozy room. "And I came to check on the only person in that house who showed genuine integrity under fire."
