Chapter 4 - FORTY MINUTES
Rafe locked the bedroom door.
Mara watched him barricade it.
“How many men do you have?”
“Six.”
“How many attackers?”
“We don't know.”
Luca looked at him.
“You trust everyone?”
Rafe hesitated.
“No.”
“Good.”
Luca pointed toward Mara.
“She leaves through the east corridor.”
Mara shook her head.
“I'm not leaving you.”
Both men looked at her.
She immediately regretted the words.
Luca's expression softened.
“You said I wasn't yours.”
“I didn't say I wouldn't help you.”
Something passed between them.
Then Rafe interrupted.
“Sir, we have a problem.”
“What?”
“The east corridor is compromised.”
Luca's face tightened.
“West?”
“Locked.”
“Basement?”
“Blocked.”
“Roof?”
“Too exposed.”
Mara looked at the wall.
“What about the secret room?”
Rafe frowned.
“What secret room?”
Luca said, “Forget it.”
Mara stared at him.
“You don't have time to keep secrets.”
He looked at her.
She pointed to the hidden panel.
“There has to be another exit.”
Rafe opened it.
Behind the compartment was a narrow passage.
Cold air rushed through.
Luca stared.
“My father built this.”
“Probably,” Mara said.
They entered.
The passage descended beneath the mansion.
Mara walked beside Luca.
He was unsteady.
Without thinking, she caught his arm.
He looked at her hand.
She didn't remove it.
“Don't misunderstand.”
“I won't.”
“You're heavier than you look.”
He almost laughed.
Then his knees buckled.
Mara held him.
For a moment his forehead rested against her shoulder.
His breath touched her neck.
Neither moved.
Then he whispered, “This is what I meant.”
Mara looked down.
“What?”
“When I asked you to hold me.”
Her throat tightened.
“This isn't because you're dying.”
“No.”
“Then why?”
Luca looked at her.
“Because you're the only person in this house who touches me without wanting something.”
She had no answer.
Then Rafe shouted.
“Down!”
A bullet struck the tunnel wall.
They ducked.
Rafe fired back.
Mara dragged Luca behind a stone support.
“Can you walk?”
“Yes.”
“Don't lie.”
“I can walk.”
They moved.
At the end of the tunnel was an iron door.
Mara found another keypad.
Luca entered his father's birthday.
Nothing.
Mara tried her mother's birthday.
The door opened.
Inside was a small underground office.
Dust covered everything.
But one computer was still running.
Mara approached it.
A single file blinked on the screen.
LUCA VARELLI — MEDICAL PROTOCOL.
She opened it.
Blood test results appeared.
Then invoices.
Then photographs.
Then a list of names.
At the bottom was one name she recognized.
Dr. Adrian Keller.
Luca's physician.
Luca stared at the screen.
“He's been treating me for six months.”
Mara scrolled further.
There was a payment record.
$2,000,000.
Recipient:
Rafe Donovan.
Luca turned slowly.
May you like
Rafe stood behind them.
His gun was raised.
