Chapter 5
At the Highland Park safehouse, Emily sat by the warm fireplace as a private doctor finished wrapping her injured ankle with a tight compression bandage.
“It’s a severe sprain, Ms. Carter,” the doctor said gently, packing his medical kit. “No heavy walking for at least a week. Keep it elevated.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” Emily said softly.
When the doctor left, the door opened, and Dominic walked back into the room. He had removed his tie, and the top button of his crisp white shirt was undone, giving him a rare, relaxed appearance that Emily had never seen before.
He walked over to the small kitchen bar, poured two glasses of amber liquid, and brought one over to her.
“Drink this,” he said, handing her a glass of aged bourbon. “It will help with the pain.”
Emily took a small sip, feeling the warmth spread through her chest. “Did you find out what Caleb is doing?”
Dominic took a chair opposite her, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. “Caleb has been stealing from our logistics network for over a year. He’s been funneling shipments to the Russian Syndicate operating out of South Chicago.”
Emily gasped. “Your own cousin?”
“Greed makes people stupid,” Dominic said coldly. “Caleb realized I was closing in on the financial discrepancies last week. He needed a scapegoat. Someone inside the house with access to my office who couldn’t fight back.”
“He wanted to frame me,” Emily realized, her eyes widening as the pieces fell into place. “That’s why those men grabbed me last night. They weren’t trying to buy information—they were planting fake payment records in my purse!”
Dominic nodded slowly. “They took your bag so they could leave it near one of the Syndicate’s drop sites. By tonight, Caleb was planning to ‘discover’ your bag full of cash and present it to my captains as proof that you were selling my secrets.”
Emily felt a wave of nausea hit her stomach. “If I hadn’t dropped that tray this morning... if you hadn’t seen the bruise...”
“He would have had you removed from the estate by noon,” Dominic said quietly, his voice dangerously soft. “And you would have disappeared into a river before nightfall.”
Emily trembled, setting her glass down on the side table. The sheer ruthlessness of the plot terrified her, but looking at Dominic, she realized something else.
“You saved my life,” she whispered.
Dominic’s eyes softened slightly as he looked at her. “I protect what’s mine, Emily. You’ve taken care of this house for three years without a single complaint. You’re honest, quiet, and loyal. That makes you worth ten of Caleb.”
He stood up, checking his watch.
“I have to go to the downtown tower. Caleb thinks we’re having a routine board meeting.”
Emily looked up at him, sudden panic flashing in her heart. “Is it dangerous?”
May you like
Dominic smiled—a faint, deadly tilt of his lips.
“For him? Very.”
