Chapter 8 - DINNER FOR A TRAITOR
The exchange was arranged at an abandoned Vescari hotel.
Wren insisted on going.
Adriano refused.
Wren went anyway.
Renato was waiting in the old ballroom with Odile.
Verity stood beside him.
Alive.
Smiling.
That was when Wren finally understood.
Verity was not working for Renato.
Renato was working with Verity.
And Verity's real name was Veronica Bell.
Her father had been one of the businessmen destroyed when Adriano's father began cleaning up his empire.
She had spent fifteen years planning revenge.
Odile's slow starvation had never been about the ledger alone.
It was punishment.
“You made her disappear slowly,” Wren said.
Verity smiled.
“Exactly.”
Wren wanted to hit her.
Instead she looked at Odile.
The old woman looked weak.
But alert.
Wren had fed her for three weeks now.
Three weeks of bread, soup, beans, pasta, roasted chicken, peaches and arguments.
Three weeks mattered.
Adriano handed over the ledger.
Verity opened it.
Empty pages.
Her smile vanished.
Wren grinned.
“Photocopier.”
Renato reached for his gun.
Odile smashed a water glass against his face.
Chaos exploded.
Adriano moved.
Matteo's men entered through the service corridor.
Wren dropped behind a table as shots tore through the ballroom.
Verity ran.
Wren followed.
Not because it was smart.
Because she was furious.
They reached the hotel kitchen.
Verity grabbed a knife.
Wren grabbed a cast-iron skillet.
Verity laughed.
“Seriously?”
“I know my strengths.”
Verity lunged.
Wren swung.
The skillet struck Verity's wrist.
The knife clattered away.
Seconds later Matteo arrived.
Renato was arrested.
Verity was taken alive.
Odile survived.
And when the police finally filled the hotel, Adriano found Wren sitting on the kitchen floor beside the skillet.
“You followed a murderer.”
“She insulted my cooking.”
“Wren.”
“Fine. Poor judgment.”
He crouched.
“You could have died.”
“So could you.”
“That's different.”
“Why?”
His answer came quietly.
“Because losing you scares me more.”
Wren stopped smiling.
Adriano touched her cheek.
“Tell me to stop.”
She didn't.
May you like
So he kissed her.
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