The Trap

Chapter Fourteen

The tiny red light continued blinking above the door.

Neither Damien nor I noticed it.

We were too busy staring at each other.

His hand was still wrapped around mine.

"We do this together."

I nodded.

Then Victor's voice broke the silence.

"Boss."

Damien turned.

Victor was standing in the doorway, his expression unusually serious.

"What?"

"We have a problem."

Damien released my hand.

"What kind?"

"One of the guards disappeared."

My stomach tightened.

"When?"

"About twenty minutes ago."

"Name?"

"Marcus."

Damien's eyes narrowed.

"Was he assigned to this floor?"

"Yes."

"Where's his weapon?"

Victor hesitated.

"Missing."

Damien went completely still.

"Lock the building down."

Victor immediately pulled out his phone.

"Already doing it."

I looked between them.

"Could he be the one helping them?"

"Possibly."

Damien turned toward the door.

"Nobody leaves."

I frowned.

"What about my father?"

"He's staying here."

"He's safe?"

"Yes."

I looked at the medical equipment.

"How?"

Damien glanced at Victor.

"Get the second team."

Victor nodded and left.

I looked at Damien.

"You think Marcus is working with them."

"I think someone is."

"Could he have taken the photograph?"

"Maybe."

"And the messages?"

"Maybe."

"Then why would he still be inside?"

"Because he doesn't need to leave."

I stared at him.

A chill ran down my spine.

"You think the person is still here."

"I know they are."

Suddenly, every sound in the corridor seemed louder.

Footsteps.

A door closing.

A distant elevator.

I looked around.

"How many people are in this hospital?"

"Too many."

"That's reassuring."

"It wasn't meant to be."

I folded my arms.

"What do we do now?"

"You stay with your father."

"And you?"

"I'll find Marcus."

"Alone?"

"No."

He reached for his weapon.

"I'll take Victor."

I hesitated.

"Damien."

He looked at me.

"Be careful."

Something softened in his expression.

"I will."

Then he left.

I stayed beside my father.

He was asleep again.

The doctors had given him something to help with the pain.

I sat in the chair beside his bed and stared at the door.

Every few minutes, a guard walked past.

I counted them.

One.

Two.

Three.

Then the hallway became quiet.

Too quiet.

I stood.

My father didn't move.

I walked toward the door.

A guard was standing outside.

"Where's Damien?"

"He went to check the west corridor."

"How long ago?"

"Five minutes."

I nodded.

Then returned to the room.

My phone vibrated.

Unknown number.

I froze.

I didn't open it.

Another vibration.

Then another.

Finally, I looked.

You should have listened.

My blood ran cold.

Another message.

He can't protect you forever.

I stared at the screen.

Then a photograph appeared.

Damien.

Standing in the west corridor.

His back to the camera.

I looked at the timestamp.

One minute ago.

My heart started pounding.

If someone had taken that photograph, they were close to him.

Very close.

I immediately called Victor.

He answered.

"Yes?"

"Where is Damien?"

"With me."

I looked at the photograph again.

"Are you sure?"

A pause.

"Why?"

"Someone sent me a picture of him."

"What picture?"

"I'll send it."

I forwarded it.

Seconds later, Victor replied.

Don't move.

Then:

Lock the door.

I rushed to the door.

Locked it.

My hands were shaking.

"Victor?"

No answer.

I called again.

Straight to voicemail.

I looked at my father.

Then toward the door.

Something moved outside.

A shadow.

I froze.

The handle slowly turned.

Someone was trying to open it.

I backed away.

"Who's there?"

No answer.

The handle stopped.

Then a man's voice came through.

"Miss Moretti?"

I didn't recognize it.

"Who are you?"

"Security."

I looked through the small window.

A man stood in the hallway.

Dark uniform.

Badge.

But I had never seen him before.

"What's your name?"

"Daniel."

I stepped closer.

"Daniel what?"

He didn't answer.

My instincts screamed.

I stepped back.

"Go away."

The man sighed.

Then the lights went out.

I screamed.

The hospital plunged into darkness.

My father's machines immediately switched to emergency power.

Red lights began blinking.

The door opened.

I grabbed the nearest object I could find.

A metal tray.

The man entered.

I raised it.

"Stay back."

He laughed.

"You really think that's going to help?"

I backed toward my father.

"Who are you?"

"You've seen me before."

"No."

"You have."

He stepped closer.

I couldn't see his face clearly.

Then emergency lights came on.

And I recognized him.

Marcus.

The missing guard.

He smiled.

"Hello, Lena."

My blood froze.

"You."

He raised his gun.

"Give me the key."

I shook my head.

"I don't have it."

"Don't lie."

"I don't."

He looked toward my father's bed.

"Then we'll ask him."

My father woke.

His eyes widened.

"Lena?"

"Stay there."

Marcus pointed the gun at him.

"Where is the ledger?"

My father stared at him.

"I don't know."

Marcus smiled.

"You've been hiding it for twenty years."

"I destroyed it."

"No."

He walked closer.

"You hid it."

My father said nothing.

Marcus turned toward me.

"Your father never told you?"

"Told me what?"

"Where your mother hid the ledger."

I stared at him.

"My mother?"

He laughed.

"She wasn't as innocent as you think."

My father's face tightened.

"Don't."

Marcus looked at him.

"She knew exactly what she was doing."

"What?"

"She stole the ledger."

I looked at my father.

"You said you took it."

"I did."

Marcus laughed.

"Your father took the blame."

I felt dizzy.

"What are you talking about?"

"Your mother found the ledger first."

My father closed his eyes.

"Enough."

Marcus continued.

"She wanted to expose the De Lucas."

I stared at him.

"Then why was she killed?"

"Because she trusted the wrong person."

"Who?"

Marcus smiled.

"That's what the ledger tells you."

My father's voice broke.

"Don't listen to him."

Marcus raised his gun.

"Where is it?"

"I don't know."

"Last chance."

My father's eyes met mine.

And I saw something.

A tiny movement.

His eyes shifted toward the painting on the wall.

Then back to me.

I understood.

The key.

It opened something.

Something in this room?

I looked toward the painting.

Marcus noticed.

"What are you looking at?"

"Nothing."

He stepped toward me.

I backed away.

"Give me the key."

"I told you, I don't have it."

He grabbed my arm.

I screamed.

My father tried to move.

"Don't touch her!"

Marcus raised his gun toward him.

"Stay still."

I kicked him.

He stumbled.

I ran.

The door was behind me.

I grabbed the handle.

Locked.

He had locked it.

Marcus caught my wrist.

Pain shot through my arm.

"Stop!"

He pulled me toward him.

"Where is the key?"

I fought him.

"I don't know!"

"You do."

His grip tightened.

Then—

The door exploded inward.

Marcus released me.

Damien stood in the doorway.

His gun was raised.

His face was terrifyingly calm.

"Let her go."

Marcus froze.

Damien took one step forward.

"Now."

Marcus pointed his weapon at Damien.

"You shouldn't have come."

Damien's eyes didn't leave him.

"I always come."

Marcus smiled.

"You think you can protect her?"

"No."

Damien's finger tightened around the trigger.

"I know I can."

A gunshot exploded.

I screamed.

But Damien hadn't fired.

Marcus had.

The bullet struck the wall beside Damien.

Damien fired once.

Marcus dropped his weapon and fell to the floor.

Silence.

I stood frozen.

Damien immediately turned toward me.

"Are you hurt?"

I couldn't speak.

He crossed the room.

"Lena."

I finally nodded.

He took my face gently between his hands.

"Look at me."

I did.

"Are you hurt?"

"My arm."

His eyes dropped.

There were red marks around my wrist.

His expression darkened.

He looked at Marcus.

For a second, I thought he was going to kill him.

Then I grabbed his sleeve.

"Don't."

He looked at me.

"Please."

His jaw tightened.

He lowered his weapon.

Victor rushed into the room.

"Boss!"

Damien pointed toward Marcus.

"Alive."

Victor looked surprised.

"Alive?"

"I want answers."

Victor nodded.

"Understood."

I looked at Damien.

"How did you know?"

"Victor warned me."

"About Marcus?"

"Yes."

I swallowed.

"And the photograph?"

His eyes narrowed.

"What photograph?"

I showed him my phone.

He looked at the picture of himself in the corridor.

Then his expression changed.

"This isn't from tonight."

"What?"

He pointed to the timestamp.

"Look."

I stared.

The timestamp had been altered.

"Someone edited it."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"To make you believe I was somewhere else."

I looked at Marcus.

"Then who took the original?"

Damien didn't answer.

Instead, he looked toward the ceiling.

His eyes narrowed.

"Victor."

"Yes?"

"Get the surveillance equipment."

Victor looked confused.

"Why?"

"Because we're being recorded."

My blood ran cold.

"What?"

Damien pointed toward the smoke detector.

Victor pulled out his weapon.

"Everyone down."

He fired once.

The detector shattered.

A tiny black device fell from inside.

A camera.

And beside it—

A microphone.

Damien stared at the device.

"They heard everything."

My stomach dropped.

"The key."

He looked at me.

"Yes."

"They know about the key."

"And they know about the ledger."

I swallowed.

"Then they know about the train station."

Damien's expression hardened.

"No."

"What?"

"We're not going to the station."

He looked at Victor.

"Find out who planted that device."

Victor nodded.

"And the meeting?"

Damien looked at me.

"We're still going."

I stared at him.

"You just said we're not."

"We're not going to meet them."

He stepped closer.

"We're going to make them think we are."

My heart began pounding.

"What are you planning?"

His gaze held mine.

"To turn their trap against them."

He reached for my hand.

This time, I didn't hesitate.

I let him take it.

His fingers closed around mine.

"We're going to find out who wants the ledger."

"And if it's someone inside your family?"

His expression became cold.

"Then we'll deal with them."

I looked at him.

"And if it's someone from your father's past?"

"Same answer."

"And if it's the person who killed my mother?"

His eyes darkened.

"Especially then."

He looked down at our joined hands.

Then back at me.

"But there's one thing you need to understand."

"What?"

"After tonight, there will be no pretending this is only a marriage contract."

My heart skipped.

"What does that mean?"

He stepped closer.

"It means from now on, anyone who comes for you comes through me."

I stared at him.

"And if I don't want that?"

His expression softened.

"Then tell me to let go."

I looked at our hands.

I should have.

Instead, I tightened my fingers around his.

"I don't."

His eyes held mine.

Neither of us moved.

For one brief moment, the danger outside disappeared.

Then Victor's phone rang.

He answered.

His face changed.

"Boss."

Damien looked at him.

"What?"

Victor swallowed.

"We found the source of the camera."

"Who?"

Victor looked at me.

Then at Damien.

"The hospital administrator."

My stomach dropped.

"That's impossible."

Victor shook his head.

"It's not."

Damien's expression became unreadable.

"Where is he?"

"Missing."

Silence.

Then Victor added:

"But he left something behind."

"What?"

"A file."

Damien's eyes narrowed.

"Whose?"

Victor looked directly at me.

"Your mother's."

I stopped breathing.

And Damien's hand tightened around mine.