Chapter 5 - The Gathering Storm
The apartment was small, but with the heat turned up and the yellow lamp lit in the living room, it felt safer than it had in two years.
Zuzu was sitting on the floor, showing Brooks a new drawing she had made with her cheap crayons. It was a picture of three people standing under a giant brown umbrella—a big man in a black suit, a woman in a yellow coat, and a little girl holding a plush bear with a very prominent, neatly stitched ear.
"This is you," Zuzu said proudly, pointing her small finger at the big man. "Because you fixed Mister Bear, so now you have to protect him from the rain."
Brooks sat on the worn velvet sofa, his long legs folded uncomfortably, holding the drawing as if it were a priceless piece of fine art.
"It's the best drawing I've ever seen, Zuzu," Brooks said, his voice genuine and soft. "I'm going to put this in a frame in my office."
Zuzu beamed, then yawned hugely, her tiny eyelids drooping.
Morgan stepped out of the kitchen holding two mugs of tea. She smiled gently at her daughter. "Bedtime, little bear. Come on, wash your hands."
"Will Mister Brooks be here when I wake up?" Zuzu asked, rubbing her eyes.
Brooks looked at Morgan, a quiet question in his eyes.
Morgan nodded softly.
"I'll be nearby, Zuzu," Brooks promised. "Always."
After Morgan put Zuzu to bed, she returned to the living room, handing Brooks a mug of black tea. She sat beside him on the sofa, close enough that her shoulder brushed against his arm.
"Thank you," she whispered, looking down at her hands. "For the check. For... Henderson."
"You don't owe me thanks, Morgan," Brooks said, taking a sip of the tea. "The money is nothing to me. Your peace of mind is everything."
They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, listening to the rain tap softly against the windowpane.
"Brooks?" Morgan asked gently, turning to face him. "Are you in danger? Because of... your family?"
Brooks set his mug on the side table. His face darkened slightly. "My uncle Arthur is trying to stage a takeover of the company's board. He wants to return the family to illegal operations. I shut him down three weeks ago, but men like Arthur don't accept defeat easily. He’s weak, but he’s desperate."
"Is that why you had men watching my street?" she asked quietly.
Brooks winced. "You noticed?"
"I'm a mother in a rough neighborhood, Brooks," she said with a faint smile. "I notice when the same black sedan sits at the corner for three days straight. You sent them to protect us."
"I had to," Brooks said, his hand coming over hers, wrapping her small fingers in his warm grip. "Arthur saw you in the café. He knows you mean something to me. In my world, anyone I care about becomes a target."
Morgan looked at their joined hands. "And do I? Mean something to you?"
Brooks lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a soft, lingering kiss against her knuckles.
"Morgan," he murmured, his dark eyes locking onto hers with a fierce, burning intensity. "I have spent my entire life surrounded by people who want something from me. Money, power, protection, blood. When I sat across from you in that café, when I fixed that bear... you looked at me like I was just a man. You gave me peace, Morgan. In four weeks, you and Zuzu became the only real things in my life."
Morgan felt a warmth spread through her chest, melting the last remnants of her fear. She leaned forward, resting her forehead against his chest.
"Then don't let them take it away," she whispered.
Before Brooks could answer, his phone vibrated violently in his coat pocket.
He pulled it out. It was Marcus, his head of security.
"Boss," Marcus’s voice came through, fast and urgent. "We have a situation. Arthur just left his compound in West Roxbury with six armed men. They're heading toward South Boston. He bypassed the board. He's going rogue."
Brooks stood up instantly, his entire aura shifting back into iron. "How far out are they?"
"Ten minutes. My detail is moving into position around Morgan’s building, but Arthur’s men are carrying heavy hardware. You need to get out of there now!"
May you like
Brooks looked toward the nursery door, where Zuzu was sleeping peacefully.
"No," Brooks said, his voice dropping into a terrifyingly cold register. "We're not running. If I run tonight, Arthur will hunt them forever. Tell the detail to hold the street perimeter. I will handle Arthur myself."
