"Not because of you. Because of Reeves. Because of the fucking FBI investigation." I pulled back. "But it still hurts."
"Come here." Luca led me to the couch, pulled me down next to him. "What do you need?"
"I don't know. To scream maybe. To break something. To make this all go away." I leaned into him. "I hate this. Hate that my life has become this complicated."
"I know. I'm sorry."
We sat there for a long time, me processing the loss of the friendship, Luca just being there. Being solid and present and exactly what I needed.
Eventually I pulled myself together enough to function. Made lunch. Did some work. Tried to pretend everything was normal when it absolutely wasn't.
***
Two days later, someone buzzed the penthouse intercom.
I was home alone—Luca was at Inferno dealing with some business—and froze when I heard it. We didn't get random visitors. The building had security. No one came up without being announced.
I looked at the camera feed and my stomach dropped.
Agent David Reeves.
He buzzed again, longer this time.
Every instinct screamed at me not to let him up. But he knew I was here. And if I didn't answer, he'd just find another way to corner me.
I met him when the elevator arrived. "What do you want?"
"To talk. Off the record." He looked tired. Frustrated. "Can I come in?"
"No."
"Mr. Russo—"
"Agent Reeves, if you want to talk to me, it needs to go through my lawyer. You know that."
"This isn't official. This is me trying to help you." He held up his hands in a placating gesture. "Five minutes. That's all I'm asking."
Against my better judgment, I stepped aside. "Five minutes. Then you leave."
He stepped inside and I immediately regretted letting him in. He looked around the penthouse, taking in the expensive furniture, the view, the clear signs of wealth that surrounded me.
"Nice place," he said. "Romano's?"
"Is there a point to this visit?"
He turned to face me. "This is your last chance, Mr. Russo. After this, I'm filing charges. Conspiracy, obstruction of justice, possibly more. You'll be arrested, arraigned, and facing years in prison."
"Then file your charges."
"You're throwing your life away for him." Reeves stepped closer. "Do you understand that? Everything you've worked for—your career, your reputation, your freedom—you're risking it all for a criminal."
"Luca is going legitimate. The organization is restructuring—"
"Too little, too late. I have evidence of criminal activity going back years. I have documentation of coercion, of threats, ofRomano using you to publish stories that served his interests." He pulled out his phone, showed me photos. "I have surveillance showing your relationship. I can prove he coerced you initially and that you've knowingly protected criminal activity since."
The photos were clear. Me entering the penthouse. Leaving Inferno at odd hours. Getting into Luca's car. Walking hand-in-hand along the Hudson River.
"These prove nothing except that I'm dating someone," I said.
