Chapter 9 – THE DRIVE-THRU REMOTE IN THE ELEVATOR

I stared at the plastic drive-thru remote in my father’s hand, the absurdity of it washing over me. I let out a sharp, breathless laugh that quickly turned into a choked sob of pure relief.

“You bluffed the entire mafia with a fast-food toy?” I gasped, leaning heavily against the wall of the service elevator as it descended rapidly.

“I bluffed them with the truth,” Dad smiled weakly, leaning on his cane. “I used to be a demolition engineer. They just didn’t know I haven’t touched dynamite in thirty years.”

Luca lowered his assault rifle, letting out a long, heavy breath. The terrifying, impenetrable mask of the mafia boss finally slipped, revealing the exhausted, deeply devoted man underneath.

He looked at my father, shaking his head in absolute awe. “Robert, you are either the bravest man I have ever met, or the most insane.”

“A little bit of both, I think,” Dad chuckled, though he winced, grabbing his bandaged shoulder.

The elevator doors chimed and slid open, revealing the cavernous, dimly lit basement parking garage of the casino. Marco’s men were already waiting by a row of sleek, armored SUVs.

“The FBI is breaching the lobby upstairs, boss,” Marco reported, jogging over to us. “Vincenzo and Dominic are trapped in the VIP room. It’s over.”

Luca nodded, holstering his weapon. He turned to me, the adrenaline finally leaving his system. He reached out and gently pulled me into his arms, burying his face in my neck.

“You’re safe,” Luca whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “It’s finally over.”

I closed my eyes, wrapping my arms tightly around his neck, inhaling the scent of his cologne and the faint, acrid smell of gunpowder. For twenty-three years, my life had been defined by a quiet, lingering fear of the unknown. Tonight, the monsters were finally dragged into the light and locked away.

“We need to get you both out of the city,” Luca said, pulling back slightly but keeping his hands on my waist. “The feds will have questions. The remnants of the families will be scrambling. It’s not safe here yet.”

“Where do we go?” I asked.

“I have a cabin upstate,” Luca said. “It’s off the books. Completely secure. You and your father can stay there until the dust settles.”

We climbed into the back of the SUV, my dad resting his head against the window, instantly falling asleep from exhaustion and blood loss. I sat next to Luca, our hands intertwined in the dark as the SUV sped through the rainy night, leaving the glittering, corrupt city behind.

The drive took three hours. When we finally pulled up to the cabin, the sun was just beginning to rise, casting a pale, golden light through the dense pine trees.

The cabin was massive, built of dark cedar logs, overlooking a pristine, mirror-like lake. It was beautiful, quiet, and completely isolated.

Marco helped my dad inside and settled him into one of the guest bedrooms. I made sure he was comfortable, tucking a heavy quilt around him.

“Get some sleep, Rachel,” Dad murmured, his eyes already closed. “You did good today. Your mother would be so proud.”

Tears pricked my eyes. “I love you, Dad.”

“I love you too, sweetheart.”

I quietly closed the bedroom door and walked out into the main living area.

A fire was roaring in the massive stone fireplace. Luca was standing by the large windows, staring out at the lake, a glass of amber whiskey in his hand. He had showered and changed into a soft, gray cashmere sweater and dark jeans. He looked devastatingly handsome in the morning light.

I walked over to him, wrapping my arms around his waist from behind, resting my cheek against his broad back.

He covered my hands with his, letting out a soft, contented sigh.

“You should be sleeping,” Luca murmured, turning around in my arms to face me.

“I’m too wired,” I admitted, looking up into his dark eyes. “Everything happened so fast. I still can’t believe it’s real.”

“It’s real,” Luca promised, setting his glass down on the windowsill. He reached up, gently brushing a stray lock of hair behind my ear. “Vincenzo and Dominic are in federal custody. The Moretti and Bellini empires are being dismantled as we speak. I turned over all the ledgers to Marco. He’s liquidating the legitimate assets and distributing the funds.”

I blinked, surprised. “You’re giving it all up? The entire empire?”

“I never wanted the empire, Rachel,” Luca said softly, his thumbs tracing my cheekbones. “I only took over because I thought it was my duty to protect my family. But my family was built on a lie. The only thing I want to protect now… is you.”

My breath caught in my throat. The sheer vulnerability in his eyes was staggering. The ruthless mafia boss had completely surrendered to a diner waitress.

“I want to protect you too,” I whispered, leaning up and pressing my lips gently against his.

The kiss was slow, deep, and filled with a profound, quiet desperation. It was the kiss of two people who had spent their entire lives surviving, finally realizing they were allowed to live.

When we pulled apart, the morning sun was fully illuminating the cabin, bathing the room in a warm, golden glow.

“So,” Luca smiled, resting his forehead against mine. “What does a retired mafia boss and a former diner owner do with the rest of their lives?”

I smiled back, a sudden, brilliant idea forming in my mind.

“Well,” I said, looking out at the beautiful, serene lake. “My mom always said her recipes were too good to stay in the city. How do you feel about opening a lakeside diner?”

Luca laughed, a rich, genuine sound that filled the cabin.

“Only if I get free pancakes for life,” Luca bargained, pulling me closer.

“I think that can be arranged,” I promised.

But as we stood there in the sunlight, the quiet moment was interrupted by the sound of a vehicle pulling up the long, gravel driveway.

I stiffened, panic instantly flooding back. “Did someone follow us?”

Luca frowned, stepping in front of me and reaching for the weapon he had left on the coffee table.

But as he looked out the window, his hand stopped hovering over the gun. A strange, bewildered expression crossed his face.

“It’s not the feds,” Luca said slowly. “And it’s not the mafia.”

He turned to look at me, completely baffled.

“Rachel,” Luca said. “There is a bright pink delivery van parked in my driveway.”