Chapter 3 - The Fire That Maggie Never EscapedMaggie had been sixteen when she learned fire could erase a life in minutes.
Her mother had screamed for her to run.
Her father was already dead.
The warehouse burned around them.
Victor Moretti stood across the loading floor.
He had a gun.
Maggie remembered that part clearly.
She also remembered the man beside him.
Adrian's father.
Roman Moretti.
He had looked at Maggie.
Then at Elena.
And said:
“Take the girl and go.”
Victor had disagreed.
“She saw everything.”
Roman said:
“She is a child.”
Victor raised his gun.
Roman moved first.
The shot missed.
Maggie ran.
She never saw what happened next.
She spent years believing Roman had saved her.
Then, after Roman died, she learned the truth.
He had not been the mastermind.
But he had known.
He had allowed Victor to build the organization.
And he had spent years trying to control it.
The fire had destroyed the warehouse.
It hadn't destroyed the secret.
Maggie had hidden because she believed Victor would come back.
He had.
Now Adrian knew her secret.
And that frightened her more than Victor.
Because Adrian was Roman's son.
She didn't know which side he would choose.
One evening, Adrian found her sitting outside Briar & Ash after closing.
“You're thinking about leaving.”
She looked at him.
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“Anywhere.”
“That's not a location.”
“It's enough.”
He sat beside her.
Not too close.
“Your mother loved this city.”
Maggie stiffened.
“How do you know?”
“I read the files.”
“Stop reading my files.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because every file tells me something different about you.”
She sighed.
“What do you want?”
“The truth.”
“You may not like it.”
“I probably won't.”
She looked at him.
Then finally told him.
Victor was alive.
He had spent two years trying to locate her.
Maggie had changed identities.
She had run.
But her mother had left one final message before she died.
Trust the Moretti who chooses you over the family.
Maggie had never known what it meant.
Until Adrian.
He listened without interrupting.
Then he asked:
“Does Victor know you have evidence?”
“Yes.”
“What evidence?”
She shook her head.
“I can't tell you.”
“Why?”
“Because if I tell you, you're involved.”
“I already am.”
“You shouldn't be.”
He looked at her.
“Too late.”
She stared.
There was something different about him now.
Not curiosity.
Commitment.
He stood.
“Come with me.”
“Where?”
“My house.”
“I don't think so.”
“You need somewhere secure.”
“I have an apartment.”
“Which someone broke into.”
She frowned.
“Fine.”
He smiled slightly.
“That was easier than expected.”
“Don't get used to it.”
His home was enormous.
Maggie walked through the front doors.
“Do you live here alone?”
“Yes.”
“That seems lonely.”
“It is.”
She looked at him.
He met her eyes.
“Why?”
“Because people don't usually stay.”
Something inside her softened.
“You don't make it easy.”
“I know.”
That night, she cooked.
Adrian watched.
“You're using too much garlic.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Your palate is wrong.”
He laughed.
The sound surprised both of them.
It was warm.
Human.
Maggie realized she had never heard him laugh.
Later, she found him asleep on the couch.
He looked younger.
Less dangerous.
She covered him with a blanket.
Then she noticed the scar beneath his collar.
A bullet wound.
She touched it.
His eyes opened.
“Sorry.”
“You were awake?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you move?”
“I didn't want to scare you.”
Her hand froze.
He looked at her.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then he said:
“You don't have to be afraid of me.”
Maggie whispered:
“That's what dangerous men always say.”
He nodded.
“Fair.”
He sat up.
“And I won't ask you to trust me.”
“Good.”
“I'll earn it.”
Her heart skipped.
The next morning, Adrian discovered that Victor had sent a message.
A photograph of Maggie asleep on his couch.
Taken from outside.
Beneath it:
She'll die because of you.
Adrian's expression became murderous.
He called Luca.
“Lock down the house.”
“Yes.”
“Find Victor.”
“We're trying.”
“No.”
Adrian stared at the photograph.
“We're not trying anymore.”
May you like
His voice turned cold.
“We're hunting.”
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