Chapter 8 - My Father’s Last Secret
My father had not ordered Roman’s assassination.
But he had known it was coming.
That truth nearly destroyed us anyway.
We returned to Blackridge after Lily’s rescue.
Nobody slept.
Roman stood in his office opposite my father.
I stayed between them.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
It was worse.
Thomas Ward looked older than he had twelve hours earlier.
“Tell him,” I said.
My father nodded.
“Six months ago, Voss allowed me access to an unsecured phone.”
Roman’s eyes narrowed.
“You were still his prisoner.”
“Yes.”
“I contacted Dean.”
Roman laughed once.
“You contacted the man who betrayed me.”
“I didn’t know that yet.”
“What did you tell him?”
“That Voss planned to eliminate you eventually.”
“Eventually?”
“Dean said he could use that.”
My stomach tightened.
Roman’s voice became dangerously quiet.
“You helped him plan the crash.”
“No.”
“Then what?”
“I gave him your travel routines.”
Roman took a step.
I put a hand against his chest.
He stopped.
My father continued.
“I thought Dean would move you away from Voss.”
“You thought the man stealing millions through my company would protect me?”
“I didn’t know about the theft.”
“You knew enough.”
Thomas lowered his head.
“Yes.”
Roman looked at me.
I could see it.
He wanted to walk away.
Maybe from the room.
Maybe from all of us.
“Roman.”
He shook his head.
“I need air.”
He left.
I turned on my father.
“How could you?”
“I was trying to stop Voss.”
“You gave Dean information about Roman.”
“I made a mistake.”
“Everyone keeps making mistakes that almost kill my daughter.”
That silenced him.
Lily was asleep upstairs with Mrs. Dalton.
Safe.
But I could still hear her screaming in my head.
My father whispered, “I’m sorry.”
“I don’t know what to do with that.”
“You don’t have to do anything.”
For once, someone wasn’t asking me for forgiveness.
That helped slightly.
Rachel entered.
“We recovered Voss’s private servers.”
“And?”
“Everything matches the drive Thomas hid.”
“Enough to convict him?”
“Enough to bury his political career, his criminal organization, and several people who thought they were untouchable.”
My father closed his eyes.
Nineteen years.
He had spent nineteen years trying to reach that moment.
Rachel added, “We also found evidence clearing Roman of direct involvement in Voss’s trafficking network.”
I looked toward the door.
“Does he know?”
“Not yet.”
I found Roman at the ruined courtyard.
His crushed supercar had never been removed.
He stood beside it.
Lily’s red toy car sat on the hood.
“You keep that thing everywhere now?”
He looked at it.
“It’s good luck.”
“You don’t believe in luck.”
“I didn’t.”
I stood beside him.
“Rachel says the servers clear you.”
“From Voss’s operation.”
“Yes.”
“Not from everything else I’ve done.”
I looked at him.
“No.”
He seemed surprised.
“I’m not going to pretend you’re innocent.”
“That might be the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me.”
I laughed.
Then stopped.
“Roman, what happens now?”
He stared at the damaged car.
“I shut it down.”
“What?”
“The illegal business.”
I thought I had misheard him.
“Roman—”
“My father built an empire that taught Dean power mattered more than loyalty. Voss taught everyone money mattered more than people.”
He picked up Lily’s toy car.
“I almost died because of that world.”
His voice softened.
“She almost got killed because of it.”
“So you’re leaving?”
“Some of it.”
“Can you?”
“I don’t know.”
“That doesn’t sound like you.”
He smiled faintly.
“I’m trying something new.”
“What?”
“Honesty.”
I leaned against the wreck.
“How terrifying.”
“Deeply.”
Roman looked at me.
“What happens with us?”
My heart jumped.
“There’s an us?”
“Claire.”
I made him suffer for three seconds.
Then smiled.
“I think there might be.”
He moved closer.
“You’re very difficult.”
“I learned from you.”
We almost kissed.
Then Lily’s voice came from behind us.
“Roman!”
We separated.
Lily ran into the courtyard wearing dinosaur pajamas.
Mrs. Dalton shouted from the doorway.
“She escaped!”
Lily reached Roman.
He lifted her.
“I thought you were sleeping.”
“I forgot something.”
“What?”
She touched his stitches.
“You’re not dead.”
“No.”
“Good.”
Then she hugged his neck.
Roman’s expression changed.
I had seen him face gunfire with less fear.
He looked at me over her shoulder.
I mouthed, “You okay?”
He nodded once.
But his eyes had gone bright.
Three days later, Dean agreed to cooperate with federal prosecutors.
Ethan did too.
My father entered witness protection temporarily.
Evelyn handed Roman control of the legitimate family companies.
Then she surprised everyone by selling her villa in Italy.
“You’re moving back?” Roman asked.
“Apparently my granddaughter figure requires supervision.”
Lily corrected her.
“I’m not your granddaughter.”
Evelyn looked at Roman.
“Not yet.”
I nearly choked.
Roman said, “Mother.”
Evelyn smiled.
The nightmare was ending.
Or so we thought.
Then Rachel called.
“Claire, we found something in Voss’s files.”
“What?”
“A life insurance policy.”
“On who?”
“You.”
I froze.
“Who is the beneficiary?”
There was a pause.
May you like
Rachel answered.
“Ethan Bennett.”
