The rain in Chicago was cold and hard.
Amara Bennett walked fast. She was very tired. She had just finished working two long shifts at the diner. Her clothes were wet, and her feet hurt. She only wanted to go home to her small, quiet apartment.
To save time, Amara took a shortcut. She walked through a dark, narrow alley behind an old warehouse. It was a big mistake.
Crack.
A loud noise stopped her cold. It was a gunshot. Amara jumped and hid behind a big metal trash bin. Her heart beat fast in her chest. She stayed very still and looked through a small gap between the bins.
Three men stood under a dim street light. One man was on his knees. He was crying and shaking.
"Please, Lorenzo! I didn't know it was yours!" the man begged.
A tall man stood over him. He wore an expensive black suit. He did not care about the rain. He looked very calm and very dangerous. This was Lorenzo De Luca. People called him the Mafia King. He was handsome, but his eyes were like ice.
Lorenzo raised a gun with a silencer.
Thwip.
The man on the ground fell over. He was dead.
Amara gasped. She tried to cover her mouth with her hands, but it was too late. The sound was small, but in the quiet alley, Lorenzo heard it.
Lorenzo turned his head slowly. His gray eyes locked onto hers. He saw her.
Amara turned to run. She only took three steps before a large guard grabbed her. He was very strong. He slammed her against the cold brick wall.
"We found a witness, boss," the guard said.
Lorenzo walked over slowly. He smelled like expensive cologne and cigarette smoke. He put his hand on Amara's chin. He forced her to look up at him. Amara was shaking with fear. She thought he was going to kill her right there.
"Please," she whispered. Tears were in her eyes. "I didn't see anything. I won't tell anyone. I promise."
Lorenzo looked at the name tag on her wet uniform. "Amara," he said softly. His voice was deep and smooth.
He did not pull out his gun. Instead, he touched her cheek with his thumb. He looked at her like she was a prize he had just found.
"Put her in the car," Lorenzo ordered his men.
"But boss," the guard said. "The rules say we kill witnesses."
Lorenzo stepped closer to Amara. His face was very close to hers. He did not look angry. He looked like he wanted to own her.
"I make the rules," Lorenzo said, his voice dropping to a dark whisper. "And I am keeping this one."