Chapter 6 - The Trap is Set
By sunrise, the mist over the Atlantic had cleared, revealing a bright, crisp morning. The atmosphere in the Hamptons estate had shifted dramatically. The heavy weight of grief that had haunted Gabriel for eleven months was replaced by a deadly, focused clarity.
Gabriel sat at the dining table, wearing a crisp black shirt, reviewing tactical maps alongside Matteo, who had arrived by helicopter at dawn.
Emma walked in, carrying a tray of fresh pancakes for the triplets, who were happily playing with wooden blocks on the rug in the adjacent sunroom.
"We fly to Florence tonight," Gabriel announced, looking up at Emma as she set a mug of coffee in front of him.
"Florence?" Emma asked, pausing. "To get Isabella's diary?"
"Yes," Gabriel said, taking her hand and gently lacing his fingers through hers. "The diary contains the financial ledgers that can dismantle Falcone’s entire syndicate legally and structurally. But Falcone knows about the vault. My sources inform me his men are already monitoring the estate in Italy."
"Then going there is a trap," Emma said, worry creasing her brow.
"It is a trap," Gabriel agreed, a dark, lethal smile touching his lips. "Because I am setting it."
Matteo leaned forward, pointing to the blueprint on the tablet. "We broadcast false flight logs indicating Gabriel is flying to Chicago to negotiate a surrender. Falcone will think the Hamptons estate and the Florence vault are left unguarded. He will split his forces—sending a strike team here to take Emma and the kids, and sending his top lieutenants to Florence to destroy the evidence."
Emma’s breath caught. "He's coming here?"
Gabriel stood up, wrapping his arms around Emma’s waist, pulling her close in front of Matteo without an ounce of hesitation.
"He thinks he is," Gabriel whispered, looking down into her brown eyes. "But you and the boys won't be here. Before the sun sets, Matteo will escort you and the triplets to a secret, heavily fortified Rossi family compound in Switzerland. You will be completely safe."
"No," Emma said firmly, her chin rising stubbornly.
Gabriel blinked, surprised. "Emma—"
"I am not going to Switzerland while you go to Italy to face a mob war!" Emma declared, her eyes burning with resolve. "I am coming with you to Florence."
"Absolutely not!" Gabriel snapped, his possessive tone flaring. "Florence is going to be a battlefield!"
"And I know how to navigate vaults and public records!" Emma argued, placing her hands on his chest. "I worked in archival preservation before I became a teacher, Gabriel! If Isabella hid that diary behind a complex mechanism, your brute-force guards will ruin it! You need me!"
Gabriel stared at her, caught between intense frustration and overwhelming admiration. This curvy, stubborn woman refused to be treated like a helpless damsel.
"She's right, Boss," Matteo admitted reluctantly. "If Falcone’s men hit the vault, they might set incendiary charges. We need someone who can identify and retrieve the documents in seconds."
Gabriel closed his eyes, letting out a heavy sigh. He brought his hands up, tenderly framing Emma’s face.
"If you come with me to Florence," Gabriel growled softly, his dark eyes locking onto hers, "you stay by my side every single second. You do not leave my sight. Do you understand?"
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"I understand," Emma whispered, a triumphant smile lighting up her face.
"Then God help Don Falcone," Gabriel murmured, leaning down to press a fierce, possessive kiss to her lips. "Because he has no idea what he has unleashed."
