Chapter 9 - The Offer|
The room seemed to lose all air.
"My brother?" My voice cracked. "Mateo is twelve years old! He has nothing to do with any of this!"
"To men like Chen, family is leverage," Alexander said firmly. "They will use your brother to get to you, and they will use you to get to me."
"Then I'll take my family and leave New York," I said, standing up rapidly, my hands clenching into fists. "We'll go somewhere they can't find us."
"They own airports, train stations, and highway cameras, Sophia," Alexander said, his voice dripping with harsh reality. "You won't make it past New Jersey."
I sank back onto the couch, burring my face in my hands. The world was spinning. Two hours ago, my biggest worry was paying for an inhaler. Now, my family was in the crosshairs of global criminals.
"So what am I supposed to do?" I asked, looking up at him with burning eyes.
Alexander knelt down on one knee in front of me, bringing his eyes level with mine. The sheer authority he usually projected was softened by a genuine, protective warmth.
"Let me protect you," he said.
"How?"
"Move your family into my estate in Upstate New York. It's heavily guarded, completely secure, and has the best medical staff in the country for your brother. I will pay off your debts, cover Mateo's medical expenses, and guarantee your mother never works another day in her life."
I stared at him, suspicious. "And what do you want in return? No one gives away protection like that for free, not even out of gratitude."
May you like
Alexander offered a small, mysterious smile.
"I want you to teach me," he said softly. "Teach me the Quiet Current. The style that saved my life six years ago."
