Chapter 2 - The Ride
The heavy doors of the armored black Lincoln Town Car slammed shut, sealing them inside a quiet, leather-scented cocoon. Rain had begun to mist over the city streets, casting neon reflections across the tinted windows.
Sophie sat in the backseat, shivering uncontrollably. Vincent wordlessly unbuttoned his suit jacket and draped it over her small shoulders. The fabric swallowed her whole, but she pulled it tight, burying her face into the collar.
"Where are they, Sophie?" Vincent asked gently.
"The alley... behind the old bakery on 4th Street," she stammered, her voice muffled by the jacket.
May you like
Vincent caught the eye of his driver, Marco, in the rearview mirror and gave a single, sharp nod. The Lincoln's engine roared, tearing through the wet streets.
Vincent was a man who lived by violence, but he operated under a strict, unbreakable code: women and children were off-limits. The fact that someone was beating a mother over a petty debt in his territory made his blood boil. He looked at the bruised child beside him. He didn't know this girl or her mother, but in that moment, their safety became his absolute priority.
