Chapter 3 - Blood in the Water
By mid-afternoon, the penthouse study had transformed into a war room.
Gabriel sat at a large mahogany desk, surrounded by monitors displaying security feeds from across the city. Marco stood near the door, overseeing armed guards stationed along every entry point of the building.
Mia sat at a small glass table in the corner, a high-powered laptop open in front of her. Despite her bruised fingers and bandage-wrapped shoulder, her eyes were sharp, scanning line after line of financial code and transaction histories.
“Henderson’s personal accounts are clean,” Mia reported, her fingers flying across the keyboard. “I ran a back-trace on his offshore holdings in the Caymans. Standard tax-avoidance setups, nothing linked to Sterling.”
“What about Vance?” Gabriel asked, swirling a glass of scotch he hadn’t touched.
“Vance’s accounts look clean on the surface,” Mia said, pulling up a series of complex spreadsheets. “But look at the micro-transactions. Over the last four months, three small shell companies registered in Delaware have been purchasing debt bonds from your logistics subsidiary. Those shell companies are managed by a law firm in downtown Chicago.”
Gabriel raised his dark eyes. “Sterling’s primary legal team.”
“Exactly,” Mia said, turning the laptop screen toward him. “Vance wasn’t paid in cash. He was paid in distressed debt equity. He leaked the convoy routes in exchange for Sterling erasing his gambling debts in Macao. He didn't just sell out the company, Mr. Romano. He sold out Daniel’s son.”
Gabriel stood up slowly, the dark energy around him suffocating. “Marco. Fetch Mr. Vance from his home. Bring him to the docks.”
“No,” Mia spoke up suddenly, standing up from her chair despite the sharp pain in her ribs.
Gabriel paused, turning to stare at her. “No?”
“If you disappear Vance right now, Sterling will know the mole has been uncovered,” Mia explained, stepping toward the desk. “He’ll fall back, destroy his paper trail, and launch a full legal and physical assault on your shipping lines using the police force he bought. You need to use Vance to trap Sterling.”
Gabriel looked at her with a mix of surprise and deep intrigue. “You’re suggesting a sting.”
“I’m suggesting an audit,” Mia corrected coldly. “Vance thinks I’m dead or in Sterling’s custody. Have Marco leak a dummy financial report through Vance’s terminal showing that the Romano family is transferring Leo’s trust assets to a vault at the Port of Chicago tonight. Sterling won’t be able to resist going after the funds.”
Gabriel studied her face—the contrast between her bruised, delicate features and the terrifying brilliance of her mind. A slow, dangerous smile touched his lips for the first time all day.
“You are far more dangerous than any soldier I employ, Miss Carver,” Gabriel murmured, stepping closer to her.
May you like
Mia felt her heart skip a beat, the intensity of his presence pulling the air right out of her lungs. “I just want this finished, Mr. Romano. I want Leo to be safe.”
Gabriel reached out, his hand gently touching the edge of her chin, forcing her to look up into his eyes. “Call me Gabriel. And I promise you, by sunrise, Sterling will no longer exist to threaten anyone you care about.”
