Chapter 9 - The Night Octavio Broke His First Rule
Nomi’s plan involved forgery.
Octavio objected.
Then he watched her recreate the burned sketch in seventeen minutes and stopped objecting.
“You can do that from memory?”
“I drew the original.”
“That was three years ago.”
“I told you. I observe.”
She deliberately changed one detail.
The license plate.
One number.
Small enough Malcolm might not notice immediately.
Important enough to make the copy useless.
Octavio watched over her shoulder.
“You frighten me.”
“Good.”
The rescue itself was less dramatic than Malcolm expected.
That was intentional.
At 11:51 p.m., Nomi walked into her own tattoo shop carrying the drawing.
Alone.
At least visibly.
Malcolm stood near the back wall.
Daniel remained tied to the chair.
“You came.”
Nomi shrugged.
“You broke into my shop. It felt rude not to.”
Malcolm smiled.
“You’re much calmer than expected.”
“I’m terrified.”
“You don’t look terrified.”
“I’ve had practice looking invisible.”
His smile faded.
“Drawing.”
Nomi held it up.
“Daniel first.”
“No.”
“Then no drawing.”
“You think you’re negotiating?”
“I spent New Year’s Eve negotiating with Octavio Ki. You’re less intimidating.”
Daniel almost laughed despite himself.
Malcolm’s expression darkened.
“Where is Octavio?”
“Probably doing something emotionally unhealthy.”
Malcolm moved toward her.
“You’ve become important to him.”
Nomi’s stomach tightened.
“Have I?”
“That makes you valuable.”
“No.”
He stopped.
“No?”
“It makes me inconvenient.”
Malcolm frowned.
Nomi continued.
“You keep assuming Octavio and I operate the way you and Vincent do.”
His face changed.
There.
Confirmation.
Nomi saw it.
“Vincent doesn’t know you’re here.”
Malcolm said nothing.
“Does he?”
Still nothing.
“You stole the sketchbook before he arrived.”
His jaw tightened.
“You burned it.”
“Give me the drawing.”
“You work for Sarno.”
Malcolm reached for her.
Then every light went out.
Darkness.
Malcolm swore.
Nomi dropped to the floor.
Three seconds later, the back entrance opened.
Octavio had promised he would wait until her signal.
He had lasted forty-seven seconds.
His first broken rule.
Not hers.
His.
Never move before confirmation.
But when Malcolm stepped too close to Nomi, Octavio entered.
Daniel later claimed he had never seen Octavio move that quickly.
No gunfight.
No dramatic destruction.
Only controlled force.
Malcolm hit the floor.
Daniel was freed.
And within four minutes, the shop belonged to Nomi again.
She stared at Octavio.
“You didn’t wait.”
“He moved toward you.”
“That was the plan.”
“I disliked the plan.”
“You approved it.”
“I changed my mind.”
“You are impossible.”
“You’re safe.”
“That doesn’t make you right.”
Daniel rubbed his wrists.
“This seems private.”
“It isn’t,” Nomi and Octavio said together.
Daniel walked away.
Malcolm, seated against the wall, laughed.
“You two are going to destroy each other.”
Octavio turned.
Malcolm smiled.
“You think this ends with Vincent?”
“Talk.”
“Why?”
“Because Sarno will sacrifice you.”
Malcolm’s smile disappeared.
Octavio crouched.
“Emilio doesn’t care whether you survive tonight.”
Malcolm looked away.
Nomi watched.
Fear.
Real fear.
“He has something on you,” she said.
Malcolm stared at her.
“Family?”
Nothing.
“Money?”
Nothing.
“Someone you love?”
His eyes shifted.
Nomi knew.
“Who?”
Malcolm’s mouth tightened.
“My son.”
Octavio’s expression changed slightly.
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
“How long?”
“Six months.”
Malcolm closed his eyes.
“Sarno told me to monitor Vincent. Vincent thought I worked for him. I sent Sarno everything.”
“And the drawings?” Octavio asked.
“Vincent saw one at Valentina’s apartment.”
Nomi knew that story was still false.
“Which one?”
“Octavio near the fireplace.”
“He understood she records details,” Malcolm continued. “He became nervous.”
“Then why watch me for seven months?” Nomi asked.
“Because Sarno recognized you.”
Nomi froze.
“From where?”
Malcolm looked at her.
“Your father.”
The room went silent.
Nomi stopped breathing.
“My father?”
Octavio stood slowly.
“What connection?”
“I don’t know everything.”
“Tell her what you know.”
Malcolm swallowed.
“Her father worked for Sarno.”
Nomi laughed once.
“No.”
“He disappeared when you were young?”
Nomi’s face went numb.
“Yes.”
“He didn’t disappear.”
Malcolm’s eyes held hers.
“He changed his name.”
Nomi’s knees weakened.
Octavio reached for her.
She pulled away.
Not because she rejected him.
Because she suddenly could not stand being touched.
“What name?”
“I only heard Marino once.”
“What name?”
“Marco Dalen.”
Octavio looked at Daniel.
Daniel was already searching.
Nomi stood completely still.
Her father had left when she was eight.
Her mother told her he chose another life.
No explanation.
No letters.
Nothing.
Now a man involved in the Ki conspiracy claimed he had worked for Emilio Sarno.
Daniel found something.
His face changed.
“Nomi.”
She looked at him.
A photograph appeared on his phone.
Older man.
Dark curls gone mostly gray.
But the eyes—
Her eyes.
Nomi stopped breathing.
“No.”
“Marco Dalen,” Daniel said quietly. “Financial controller. Sarno Logistics.”
“Alive?”
Daniel scrolled.
“Possibly.”
“Possibly?”
“Last confirmed record two years ago.”
Nomi walked toward the back room.
Octavio followed.
“Don’t.”
He stopped.
Good.
She needed air.
She needed walls to stop moving.
Her father had been alive.
Maybe for years.
Maybe he still was.
And he had never come back.
Nomi sat on the floor beside a cabinet.
Octavio remained in the doorway.
Not touching.
Not speaking.
After several minutes, she whispered:
“Why didn’t he come for me?”
Octavio’s face softened.
“I don’t know.”
“My mother waited.”
“I know.”
“She told me he made his choice.”
Octavio crouched several feet away.
“Nomi.”
“She died thinking he abandoned us.”
“We don’t know what happened.”
“You think Sarno forced him?”
“I think we need facts before you punish yourself with assumptions.”
She laughed bitterly.
“That sounded reasonable.”
“I’ve been practicing.”
Nomi wiped her eyes angrily.
Octavio looked away while she did.
The small courtesy nearly broke her.
“Come here,” she whispered.
His gaze returned.
“What?”
“I’m changing the rule.”
He crossed the distance slowly.
Nomi leaned against him.
Octavio wrapped his arms around her.
No command.
No strategy.
No threat.
Just warmth.
His hand rested against the back of her head.
Nomi closed her eyes.
For the first time since New Year’s Eve, she stopped trying to understand everything.
Then Octavio whispered something in Italian against her hair.
She lifted her head.
“What did you say?”
He hesitated.
“Nothing.”
“You’re terrible at lying.”
A faint smile.
“I said you’re safe, bambina mia.”
Nomi stared at him.
“There it is again.”
“What?”
“That name.”
“It bothers you?”
“I haven’t decided.”
“Tell me when you do.”
Her heart beat harder.
She should move away.
She didn’t.
Then Daniel appeared.
His expression erased the moment.
“We found Marco Dalen.”
Nomi stood.
“Where?”
Daniel turned the phone.
A security image from that evening.
O’Hare International Airport.
Her father.
Alive.
May you like
And walking beside Emilio Sarno.
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