Contents
Chapter 16
Overview
Keres leaves the church unchallenged, but Ace has planted a tracker on her bike. Dante confirms Mia is alive yet chained, and reveals her pregnancy to Ace and Romeo, shattering Lorenzo’s composure. The Morettis rally, deciding to mine old Russian connections tied to Lorenzo’s father and Dominik for the coordinator Keres wants, while Max briefs Ace and Romeo en route to the mansion.
Summary
Ace watches Keres stride from the church and ride off, satisfied he planted a tracker on her bike. He and Romeo debate whether Keres could have handled the men inside, unsettled by her capability. As doubt grows, Dante, Max, and Lorenzo emerge, proving Keres was allowed to leave.
Pressed for updates, Dante confirms they saw Mia. Lorenzo, enraged and frantic, lashes out at Ace and Romeo for failing to protect her. Dante then reveals to Ace and Romeo that Mia is ten weeks pregnant, intensifying the stakes and pushing Lorenzo toward a breaking point.
Max reins in Lorenzo’s anger, steering the group toward action. Acknowledging Keres wants the identity of the other coordinator, they agree to dig into old business ties. Lorenzo regains focus and orders the search to begin with the Russians—contacts linked to his father and Dominik—believing they may lead to the coordinator.
With Keres gone and her demands clear, the crew sets roles. Ace and Romeo will return to the mansion with Max, who will brief them fully on what Keres wants and the plan to gather leads by tomorrow. Their immediate goal becomes locating the coordinator fast enough to trade for Mia’s safe return.
Who Appears
- AceNarrator; plants a tracker on Keres’s bike and seeks to fix the failure to protect Mia.
- Lorenzo MorettiDevastated partner of Mia; learns she’s pregnant to Ace/Romeo; orders pursuit of Russian leads.
- Dante MorettiConfirms Mia is alive but chained; manages Lorenzo; sets direction to find the coordinator.
- MaxCalms Lorenzo and organizes next steps; tasked to brief Ace and Romeo on the return trip.
- RomeoShaken by Keres’s skill; joins Ace and Max to regroup and pursue leads.
- KeresLeaves freely after confronting the Morettis; target of tracker; demands the other coordinator’s identity.
- MiaKidnapped and chained; confirmed alive and ten weeks pregnant, escalating urgency.