Chapter 5 - The Woman Who Stood Between Him and a Bullet
Arya survived.
But something changed after the church attack.
Vincent stopped thinking about the betrayal and started thinking about survival.
He moved into a fortified section of the house.
He dismissed half the security team.
He replaced the rest with men Rafael personally recruited.
And he gave Tessa a choice.
"You can leave."
She stared at him.
"Why?"
"Because this has become dangerous."
"It was dangerous when I started."
"Now it's worse."
She crossed her arms.
"Are you firing me?"
"No."
"Then I'm staying."
Vincent frowned.
"Why?"
"Because you need someone who isn't afraid of you."
"You're not afraid?"
"Sometimes."
He looked at her.
"Of me?"
"No."
She smiled.
"Of your mood swings."
He laughed.
Tessa sat beside him.
"We're going to get through this."
"You say that like you know."
"I don't."
"Then why say it?"
"Because you need to hear it."
Those words stayed with him.
Over the next few days, Vincent began rehabilitation again.
Tessa attended every session.
When the therapist asked him to stand with parallel bars, his arms trembled.
He failed.
He tried again.
Failed.
Again.
Failed.
On the fourth attempt, he slammed his fists down.
"Damn it!"
Tessa stood across the room.
"Again."
He glared at her.
"You sound like my therapist."
"No. Your therapist gets paid more."
He tried again.
His knees remained useless.
But he held himself upright for three seconds.
Three.
The room went quiet.
Vincent stared down at his legs.
Tessa's eyes filled with tears.
He noticed.
"Don't."
She wiped them.
"I'm not crying."
"You are."
"No."
He smiled.
"You are terrible at lying."
She shook her head.
"I learned from rich people."
That night, Vincent found her asleep in a chair beside his bed.
He covered her with a blanket.
She woke.
"You should sleep in your own room."
"So should you."
"I was checking on you."
"You were watching me sleep."
"Maybe."
She looked at him.
"What?"
"I don't know."
"What don't you know?"
Vincent's voice became softer.
"Why I feel safe when you're here."
Tessa didn't answer.
Neither did he.
The next morning, disaster struck again.
Rafael discovered that the hidden trust had been accessed.
Someone had obtained one fragment of the password.
Vincent realized the only people who knew about it were himself, Tessa, Arya, and Marco.
Arya was under guard.
Marco was missing.
Tessa looked horrified.
"Do you think it was me?"
Vincent looked at her.
"No."
"How do you know?"
"Because you would have taken more than one fragment."
She raised an eyebrow.
"That's a terrible compliment."
"It's accurate."
She smiled.
Then a bullet struck the window.
Vincent shouted, "Down!"
Tessa ducked.
Another bullet shattered the glass.
Vincent grabbed her and pulled her against the side of the bed.
She froze.
His arms were wrapped around her.
Her face was inches from his.
Neither moved.
"Are you okay?"
She nodded.
"Yes."
"You sure?"
"Yes."
Then Vincent noticed blood on her sleeve.
"Tessa."
"It's nothing."
He pulled the sleeve back.
A small cut ran along her upper arm.
His expression changed.
"You're hurt."
"I'm fine."
He stared at the wound.
Something furious awakened inside him.
Not business fury.
Not mafia fury.
Something personal.
"Nobody touches you."
Tessa looked at him.
"Vincent."
He froze.
It was the first time she'd used his first name.
She whispered, "I'm okay."
For several seconds they stared at each other.
Then the door opened.
Arya's voice came from the hallway.
"We found him."
Vincent looked up.
May you like
"Who?"
"Marco."
