Chapter 6 - A Dangerous Temptation
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Sunlight broke through the heavy gray clouds over Lake Michigan, casting pale gold beams across the marble terrace.
Emily stood by the towering glass window of the guest suite, holding a warm mug of black coffee.
She hadn't slept more than an hour.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the barrel of the suppressed pistol pointing at her face in that underground garage.
A soft knock echoed at the heavy oak door before Victor stepped inside, carrying a thick manila folder.
"Good morning, Miss Carter," the old consigliere said, setting the folder on a glass table.
"Is he awake?" Emily asked, trying to sound indifferent.
"Richard hasn't slept in three days, Miss Carter."
"He is currently in the lower study reviewing surveillance feeds from the South Side."
Emily set her coffee mug down, her gaze drawn to the folder on the table.
"What is that?"
"The truth," Victor answered softly.
Emily opened the folder with trembling fingers.
Inside were yellowed newspaper clippings, internal police memos, and bank statements stamped with forged signatures.
Her father's name was printed across every document.
"Salvatore Moretti paid off the internal affairs division twelve years ago," Victor explained, leaning on his cane.
"They manufactured evidence that your father took bribes from waterfront smugglers."
"My mother spent her life savings fighting those charges," Emily said, a tear escaping down her cheek.
"She had a stroke five years ago because the shame broke her heart."
"We know," Victor whispered.
"Richard paid for her private room at the St. Jude Care Pavilion anonymously."
Emily's head snapped up in utter shock.
"What?"
"The anonymous donor trust that covers her round-the-clock physical therapy?" Victor smiled faintly.
"That was Richard."
"He has watched over your family from the shadows since the day he took over the syndicate."
Before Emily could process the revelation, the heavy double doors swung open.
Richard stepped into the room, dressed in a tailored charcoal suit that hid his bandages perfectly.
He looked imposing, dangerous, and completely rested despite his injuries.
"Victor, leave us," Richard commanded.
Victor bowed his head and quietly exited, closing the doors behind him.
"You paid for my mother's hospital bills?" Emily demanded, stepping toward him.
Richard didn't flinch.
"It was the least I could do."
"You lied to me!"
"I protected you from the filth of my world," Richard countered, his voice steady as granite.
"If your mother knew the money came from the Callahan syndicate, she would have refused treatment and died."
Emily clenched her fists, wanting to hate him, wanting to scream at him for manipulating her reality.
Yet looking into his dark, unwavering eyes, she saw only an unbearable, suffocating loyalty.
"There's more," Richard said, pulling a folded map from his inside jacket pocket.
"Before your father died, he hid a secondary ledger containing the original audio tapes of Moretti's payoffs."
"Where?" Emily asked, her voice breathless.
"In the floorboards of your childhood home on 47th Street."
"That house was boarded up eight years ago," Emily said.
"The city condemned it."
"Moretti's crew is tearing that neighborhood apart looking for it," Richard said, stepping into her personal space.
"We leave in ten minutes."
"We?" Emily challenged.
Richard looked down at her, his eyes dark with something fierce and possessive.
May you like
"You're the only one who knows which floorboard he used, Emily."
"And I am the only one who can keep you alive while you find it."
