Chapter 2 - The Man Who Owned the Floor
The rain seemed to stop making noise.
Naen knew that was impossible.
She could see it striking the awning, streaming from the gutters and exploding against the pavement.
Yet all she heard was Roman's sentence.
“This restaurant belongs to me.”
David Kesler looked as though someone had pulled the floor from beneath him.
“Mr. Vale, I didn't know.”
Roman's expression didn't change.
“That seems to be the problem.”
David swallowed.
“We should discuss this privately.”
“No.”
Roman's arm remained loosely around Naen.
“We'll discuss it here.”
Restaurant employees crowded behind the glass.
Roman glanced at them.
“Everyone heard you fire her?”
David hesitated.
“Yes.”
“Then everyone can hear what happens next.”
Naen finally found her voice.
“Roman.”
He looked down.
“I don't want revenge.”
Something flickered behind his eyes.
“I didn't say anything about revenge.”
“You have that face.”
“What face?”
“The face people have before they ruin someone's life.”
For the first time, one of Roman's men coughed suspiciously, as if hiding a laugh.
Roman stared at Naen.
“You aren't afraid to speak to me.”
“I found you beside garbage bags.”
“That apparently damaged your sense of self-preservation.”
David interrupted.
“Mr. Vale, she violated policy.”
Roman turned toward him.
“Then show me the policy.”
David blinked.
“What?”
“The written policy stating an employee must abandon a critically injured person to arrive on time.”
“There isn't—”
“Then this wasn't policy.”
Roman's voice remained quiet.
“It was your judgment.”
David's face reddened.
Naen expected Roman to fire him.
Instead, Roman said, “You're suspended pending a review of employee complaints, payroll practices and management conduct.”
David looked almost relieved.
Then Roman added, “Every employee gets interviewed without you present.”
The relief disappeared.
Naen noticed several employees exchange looks.
That told her everything.
David hadn't only treated her badly.
Roman turned to one of his men.
“Gabriel.”
The tall man with the broken nose stepped forward.
“Boss.”
“Arrange transportation for Ms. Walker.”
Naen immediately shook her head.
“No.”
Roman looked surprised.
“I can take the bus.”
“You're soaked.”
“I've been soaked before.”
“Your son needs medicine.”
That stopped her.
Roman continued.
“Let my driver take you to the pharmacy.”
“I don't need charity.”
“It isn't charity.”
“What is it?”
Roman paused.
“A debt.”
Naen studied him.
“I don't want you owing me.”
“Why?”
“Because I don't know what you do.”
Silence.
Even David looked startled.
Roman's mouth curved slightly.
“Smart woman.”
Naen tightened her coat.
“Are you a criminal?”
Gabriel looked at the ceiling.
Another guard suddenly became fascinated by the rain.
Roman looked directly at her.
“Yes.”
Naen had expected denial.
The answer frightened her more.
“What kind?”
“The kind you shouldn't ask about outside a restaurant.”
“That's not comforting.”
“It wasn't meant to be.”
Naen stepped away from his arm.
“Thank you for offering the ride. But Leo is waiting.”
She started toward the sidewalk.
Her legs shook.
“Naen.”
She stopped.
Roman held out the envelope she'd dropped without realizing it.
Her final paycheck.
She took it.
“Thank you.”
Their fingers touched.
Roman's expression softened.
“You saved my life when walking away would have been easier.”
Naen looked at him.
“Don't turn that into something I regret.”
Then she walked away.
Roman watched until she disappeared.
***
Leo was asleep when Naen reached Mrs. Alvarez's apartment.
The older woman opened the door.
“You look terrible.”
“Thank you.”
“Job?”
“Gone.”
Mrs. Alvarez sighed.
“Medicine?”
Naen held up the pharmacy bag.
“Bought.”
She had used almost everything in her account.
Tomorrow could worry about tomorrow.
Tonight Leo had antibiotics.
She carried him upstairs.
Their apartment was small enough that Naen could stand in the kitchen and touch the living-room wall if she stretched.
She tucked Leo into bed.
He woke slightly.
“Mommy?”
“I'm here.”
“Did you bring dinosaur juice?”
Naen smiled.
“Antibiotics.”
“Same thing.”
She kissed his forehead.
After he fell asleep, Naen sat at the kitchen table.
She searched Roman Vale on her old laptop.
The first result made her freeze.
ROMAN VALE: REAL ESTATE INVESTOR, HOSPITALITY OWNER, PRIVATE EQUITY EXECUTIVE.
That sounded respectable.
The second result didn't.
VALE FAMILY LINKED TO ORGANIZED CRIME INVESTIGATION.
Naen clicked.
There were photographs.
Roman entering courthouses.
Roman beside politicians.
Roman at funerals.
Roman surrounded by men who looked exactly like the men from the alley.
No convictions.
No direct charges.
Lots of rumors.
One article called him the quiet king of the city's underworld.
Naen shut the laptop.
“Nope.”
She went to bed.
At 7:14 the next morning, someone knocked.
Naen froze.
Another knock.
She approached the door.
“Who is it?”
“Gabriel.”
Of course.
Naen opened it three inches.
Roman's security chief stood outside holding a paper bag.
“No guns.”
Naen stared.
“I didn't ask.”
“You were looking at my coat.”
“I was deciding whether you were dangerous.”
“I am.”
“At least you're all honest.”
Gabriel handed her the bag.
Inside were breakfast sandwiches and coffee.
“No.”
“It's breakfast.”
“From Roman?”
“Yes.”
“Then no.”
Gabriel sighed.
“Ms. Walker, my employer is extremely persistent.”
“So am I.”
“I'm beginning to understand why he likes you.”
Naen froze.
“He what?”
Gabriel's expression became blank.
“Poor choice of words.”
“Very poor.”
He handed her an envelope.
Naen opened it.
Inside was a formal letter.
Laura Restaurant Group.
Reinstatement offer.
Back pay.
Apology.
Naen looked up.
“Tell him no.”
Gabriel blinked.
“You haven't finished reading.”
“I don't need to.”
“You need employment.”
Naen's eyes hardened.
“Did Roman tell you about Leo?”
“Yes.”
“Then Roman knows exactly why offering me my job back puts me in a position where saying no is difficult.”
Gabriel studied her.
“He thought you might say that.”
“Good.”
“So he included option two.”
Naen looked again.
A second document offered her an interview for an assistant operations position at the restaurant group's central office.
Higher salary.
Health insurance.
Regular hours.
Naen's breath caught.
“This is ridiculous.”
“You have three years of experience.”
“As a waitress.”
“And apparently the ability to remain functional while a man nearly dies in front of you.”
“That isn't on my résumé.”
“It should be.”
Naen almost smiled.
Then Leo appeared behind her holding his stuffed dinosaur.
“Mommy?”
Gabriel looked down.
His intimidating expression collapsed.
Leo stared at the broken-nosed giant.
“Are you a pirate?”
Gabriel cleared his throat.
“No.”
“You look like one.”
“I've been told worse.”
Naen stepped between them.
“We're fine.”
Gabriel nodded.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed instantly.
“What?”
A pause.
“When?”
Another pause.
Gabriel looked at Naen.
“I'm coming.”
He disconnected.
“What happened?” Naen asked.
“Nothing you need to worry about.”
That answer guaranteed she would worry.
“Roman?”
Gabriel didn't respond.
Naen felt cold.
“What happened to Roman?”
Gabriel hesitated.
“The men who attacked him know someone helped him in the alley.”
Naen's stomach dropped.
Gabriel continued.
“And approximately twenty minutes ago, someone accessed Laura's employee records.”
“Why does that matter?”
Gabriel looked toward Leo.
“Because your home address was in them.”
Naen's hand tightened around the door.
Then they heard a vehicle stop outside.
Gabriel turned sharply toward the window.
His hand disappeared beneath his coat.
Naen pulled Leo behind her.
A black sedan sat across the street.
The driver's window lowered.
Someone inside raised a camera.
May you like
And took a photograph of Naen and her son.
---
