Chapter 5 - Whispers in the Conservatory
The revelation hung between them like thick, poisonous smoke.
""She set me up,"" Piper whispered, her hands clenching into tight fists. ""She sent me here so Vance could kill two birds with one stone. Eliminate you, and frame the disgruntled florist whose family was destroyed by your syndicate.""
""Precisely,"" Dante said, stepping closer to her. He reached out, his thumb gently brushing across her cheek, catching a stray tear she hadn't realized had fallen. His touch was warm, astonishingly gentle for a man whose name terrified the entire state. ""They underestimated you, Piper. They thought you were just a helpless girl drowning in medical debt.""
""I am drowning in debt,"" she admitted, looking up into his dark, mesmerizing eyes. ""But I'm not helpless. My dad taught me everything about this city's routes. If Camille used our old network, I know exactly where the physical records are hidden.""
Dante’s gaze sharpened. ""Where?""
""The old greenhouse on River Road. The city condemned it after my father’s business collapsed, but the foundation has an underground root cellar that doesn't appear on any municipal blueprints. My dad kept his personal backups there.""
Before Dante could respond, his phone buzzed violently on the desk. He picked it up and put it on speaker.
""Boss,"" Luca’s rough voice came through. ""We interrogated Vance’s driver in the basement. He cracked. Camille just pulled up to the St. Matthews Care Facility.""
Piper’s heart stopped. ""My dad.""
""She’s with three armed men,"" Luca continued. ""They know the assassination attempt failed. They’re moving to erase the loose ends.""
Dante’s voice turned to pure steel. ""Lock down the hospital perimeter. Don't let anyone leave that floor alive if they touch a hair on Walter Monroe’s head. We’re on our way.""
He hung up, turning to Piper. Without hesitation, he reached into his jacket, pulled out a small, sleek semi-automatic pistol, and racked the slide back with a mechanical snap. He offered it to her handle-first.
""Ever fired one?"" Dante asked.
""My dad was a Marine before he became a florist,"" Piper said, taking the weapon with steady hands and checking the safety. ""He made sure his daughter could shoot straight.""
May you like
Dante looked at her, his eyes blazing with admiration and something much deeper—a fierce, protective desire that defied every rule he had lived by.
""Josie stays here under full guard,"" Dante ordered, grabbing his overcoat. ""You and I are going to end this tonight.""
