Chapter 5 - The Glass Safe House
We drove for thirty terrifying minutes, crossing the bridge into a desolate industrial section of Queens.
Victor finally slowed down, guiding the motorcycle into the dark, empty parking garage of an abandoned warehouse.
We took a hidden freight elevator all the way to the top floor of the massive building.
When the elevator doors opened, I gasped in absolute shock at the sight before me.
The entire top floor was a luxurious, fully furnished penthouse encased entirely in bulletproof glass.
It overlooked the glittering, snowy skyline of the city, standing as a beautiful, hidden fortress in the sky.
"Welcome to the Glass House," Victor announced, dropping his heavy duffel bag onto a pristine white sofa.
I unstrapped the baby carrier, carefully lifting a now-awake and deeply confused Lily into my arms.
I placed my hand against her forehead and almost cried tears of pure, overwhelming relief.
Her skin was perfectly cool.
The dangerous, life-threatening fever had completely broken during our escape.
"She is okay," I whispered, pressing soft kisses all over her chubby, flushed cheeks.
Victor watched us from across the room, a strange, profound sadness lingering in his dark gray eyes.
"She looks exactly like Elena did when we first met," he murmured, pouring himself a small glass of whiskey from a crystal decanter.
I sat down on the soft sofa, cradling my healthy baby, feeling the massive weight of the night finally catching up to me.
"Why didn't my mother ever tell me about you?" I asked, looking up at the ruthless mafia boss who had just saved our lives.
"Because she wanted you to have a normal, boring, beautiful life," Victor answered, taking a slow sip of his drink.
"She knew that if you knew about the mafia, you would constantly live in fear of the shadows."
He walked over to the massive glass window, looking out over the city he ruthlessly controlled.
"I promised her I would never interfere in your life unless you were in absolute, undeniable danger."
Suddenly, a loud, piercing beep interrupted the quiet moment.
Victor's head snapped toward the sophisticated security console mounted on the far wall.
A red light was flashing violently on the digital perimeter map.
"They found us," Victor snarled, slamming his whiskey glass down onto the table.
"How is that even possible?" I panicked, clutching Lily tightly as the illusion of safety shattered instantly.
"Dante has a mole inside my inner circle," Victor realized, his face darkening with absolute, murderous fury.
"Someone I trust deeply sold out the location of this safe house."
He walked over to a hidden compartment in the wall and pulled out two heavy assault rifles.
May you like
"Take the baby to the reinforced steel bathroom in the center of the penthouse," he ordered, handing me a small, loaded handgun.
"If anyone other than me opens that door, you pull the trigger until the gun stops clicking."
