Chapter 2: The Bear That Should Have Been Locked Away
Luca was already dressed when Marco called back.
Four minutes had passed since the line went d*ad.
Four minutes was enough time for everything to go wrong.
"Talk to me."
Marco's voice was tight.
"Rachel got Emma out.
Back stairwell.
Our guys reached them in the alley."
Luca exhaled once.
"Are they hurt?"
"No."
"Where are they now?"
"Moving.
Safe house on the west side."
The pressure in Luca's chest didn't leave.
"The men at the apartment.
Sokolov's?"
"We think so.
They ran when our team arrived."
"You think so."
"We're confirming."
Luca pulled his jacket over his bandaged shoulder.
Pain tore through.
He ignored it.
"There's something else." Marco paused.
"Rachel had a bag packed."
Luca went still.
"What?"
"Not a small bag."
Silence.
"She wasn't packing because of tonight, Luca.
That bag was ready before we called her."
The words landed hard.
Rachel had already been planning to run.
Not because of Sokolov.
Because of him.
"She knew something was coming," Luca said quietly.
"Or she's been ready to disappear for a while."
Luca stared at the floor.
"There's one more thing." Marco's voice dropped lower.
"When our guys reached Rachel in the alley…
Emma was holding Mr.
Buttons."
Luca frowned.
"Her bear is torn.
She's had it since—"
"Not the torn one."
Luca stopped breathing.
May you like
"She had the new one, Luca.
The one from your safe."
