Chapter 3 - The Ledger and the Leash
The workday in Matteo Duca’s orbit was an exercise in calculated exhaustion.
By nine o'clock, they were in the financial district, surrounded by glass towers and executives who bowed when Matteo entered the elevator.
Mia remained two paces behind his left shoulder at all times.
She noticed the way people looked at him with sheer terror hidden beneath polite smiles.
She also noticed the way Matteo never relaxed his posture for a single second.
His shoulders were locked in permanent tension.
Every time an office door clicked shut too quickly, his right hand twitched toward his waistband.
He was just as terrified as the men he commanded, but he wore his arrogance like body armor.
During lunch, Matteo locked himself inside his private corner office.
Mia stood post inside the room, her back against the reinforced steel door.
""You can sit down, Callaway,"" Matteo said without glancing up from his dual monitors.
""Standing there makes you look like a decorative gargoyle.""
""Protocol requires an active defensive posture while on off-site duty, Mr. Duca,"" Mia answered.
Matteo pushed his chair back and spun around.
""Do you actually believe that agency nonsense?""
""I believe in getting paid and keeping my clients breathing,"" she said.
""Even when the client thinks you belong in an administrative pool?""
""Especially then.""
Matteo let out a short, quiet breath that sounded almost like amusement.
""My father thinks I am a fragile asset,"" Matteo said, opening a drawer and pulling out a silver flask.
""He thinks because I look at spreadsheets instead of breaking fingers in warehouse basements, I have no idea how this city works.""
""Do you?"" Mia asked.
Matteo paused with the flask halfway to his mouth.
His dark eyes narrowed.
""Be careful, Callaway.""
""I'm just observing, sir.""
""Look at this screen,"" Matteo commanded, gesturing toward the monitors.
Mia stepped forward, maintaining a professional distance as she looked at the rows of numerical ledgers.
""This is our harbor distribution network,"" he explained, tapping the keys.
""Three million dollars is vanishing every Tuesday through an offshore shell company registered in Cyprus.""
""It isn't the Ferrettis taking it.""
""The Ferrettis are crude thugs who use sledgehammers.""
""This theft is surgical.""
""Someone inside my father’s inner council is funding an internal coup.""
Mia studied the transfer codes on the screen.
Her photographic memory registered the seven routing sequences within four seconds.
""Account four-eight-two is routing through an automated escrow node in Zurich,"" Mia noted quietly.
Matteo looked up at her, surprise breaking through his stoic expression.
""You read banking encryption?""
""My father was an investigator for the fraud division before he ruined his leg,"" Mia said evenly.
""I spent my childhood checking his tax returns while other kids played soccer.""
Matteo tilted his head, studying her face with genuine curiosity for the first time.
""Why are you doing private security, Callaway?""
""With that brain, you could be running compliance at an investment bank.""
""Because banks don't teach you how to disarm a man with a fountain pen,"" she answered simply.
Before Matteo could respond, Mia’s gaze flicked to the street below through the tinted plate glass.
Three black sedans with out-of-state plates had just double-parked near the fire hydrant across the avenue.
Two men in heavy trench coats stepped onto the sidewalk.
Neither of them looked up at the windows.
They were looking directly at the building's emergency stairwell exit.
""We need to leave,"" Mia said, her voice dropping into cold tactical command.
Matteo frowned.
""My meeting with the logistics vice-president is in twenty minutes.""
""Your meeting is canceled,"" Mia said, stepping behind his desk and gripping his forearm with fingers like steel cables.
Matteo tried to pull away, but her grip was unbreakable.
""What do you think you're doing?"" he hissed.
May you like
""Doing my job, Mr. Duca.""
""Move toward the private elevator now, or I will drag you by your expensive collar.""
