Chapter 2 - THE MAN WHO RAISED A MONSTER
Gabriel Serrano had worked for the Morello family for thirty-one years.
Officially, he managed security and transportation.
Unofficially, he was the man who had raised Dante after his mother died and his father disappeared into prison.
Gabriel had taught Dante how to tie a necktie.
How to recognize a liar.
How to keep his temper when everyone around him expected violence.
He had also taught him something Dante had forgotten over the years.
A powerful man should never confuse obedience with loyalty.
Now Gabriel lay in intensive care, unconscious, while machines supported his breathing and physicians worked to determine what had caused his collapse.
Dante stood outside the glass doors.
He had survived shootings, betrayals, and three attempts on his life.
Nothing had frightened him quite like seeing Gabriel helpless.
His chief of security, Roman DeLuca, approached.
“We've checked the cameras.”
Dante didn't turn.
“And?”
“Gabriel entered the hospital at 1:43. He went to the fourth floor. Then the west stairwell.”
“Who followed him?”
“No one visible.”
Dante finally looked at Roman.
“Then why was he bleeding?”
Roman hesitated.
“We don't know.”
Dante stared through the glass.
“Find out.”
Across the hospital, Vivien was completing her incident report.
She recorded the exact time she'd heard the crash, the man's condition when she found him, and the statements he'd made before losing consciousness.
Meredith Shaw stood behind her.
“You had no authorization to enter that stairwell.”
Vivien looked up.
“Someone was hurt.”
“You should have called security.”
“I activated the emergency response as soon as I found him.”
Meredith folded her arms.
“You're a pediatric nurse, Vivien. You weren't assigned to that patient.”
Vivien stared.
“Would you prefer I'd left him on the stairs?”
Meredith's expression hardened.
“Watch your tone.”
Vivien lowered her eyes.
She needed this job.
Her mother relied on her.
And her younger brother's college tuition wasn't going to pay itself.
So she swallowed the answer she wanted to give.
“Yes, ma'am.”
At dawn, Dante found Vivien outside the vending machines.
She was holding a paper cup of coffee and looking like she might fall asleep standing up.
“Vivien.”
She turned.
“Mr. Morello.”
“Dante.”
She blinked.
“What?”
“My name is Dante.”
“I know.”
He almost smiled.
Then his expression became serious.
“Gabriel is alive because you found him.”
Vivien shook her head.
“The emergency team saved him.”
“You called them.”
“That's my job.”
Dante studied her.
“Most people would've kept walking.”
Vivien looked at him.
“Then most people shouldn't work in hospitals.”
For the first time in two days, Dante laughed.
A real laugh.
Brief.
Surprised.
Vivien stared.
Then smiled despite herself.
Dante's expression softened.
“Thank you.”
She nodded.
Then glanced at the clock.
“I have to get back upstairs.”
He stepped aside.
But as she passed, he said, “Vivien?”
She turned.
“Be careful.”
Her smile faded.
“Why?”
May you like
Dante looked toward the intensive care unit.
“Because Gabriel wasn't supposed to be in that stairwell.”
