Chapter 8 - Betrayal in Velvet
By three in the morning, Walter had been safely relocated to Dante’s sprawling, gated estate in Prospect, Kentucky. The mansion was a fortress—monitored by high-tech security, staffed with private medical personnel, and surrounded by acres of manicured, snow-dusted grounds.
In the lavish guest suite, Walter was sleeping peacefully under thick down blankets, monitored by a top-tier neurologist who assured Piper that with proper treatment, her father’s cognitive decline could be halted and partially reversed.
Piper stood on the wide second-floor terrace overlooking the estate’s illuminated gardens. The cold air burned her lungs, but it cleared the lingering smoke from her mind.
A warm, heavy cashmere coat was gently draped over her trembling shoulders.
She turned to find Dante standing beside her, holding two mugs of steaming coffee. He handed one to her.
""Drink it,"" he said softly. ""You've been running on adrenaline for eight hours.""
Piper wrapped her cold hands around the mug, taking a grateful sip. The rich, dark brew warmed her from the inside out.
""Thank you,"" she whispered. ""For my dad. For everything. I don't know how I'll ever repay you. I don't have anything.""
Dante leaned his forearms against the stone balustrade, looking out over the dark expanse of lawn. ""You gave me something I haven't had in ten years, Piper.""
""What?""
""A reason to remember that there is something worth protecting in this city besides blood and territory."" He turned his head to look at her, the moonlight carving the sharp, handsome planes of his face into silver. ""When I saw that man aiming at you in the dining room, my heart stopped. I have stood in front of firing squads without blinking. But the thought of losing you... it terrified me.""
Piper looked into his eyes, seeing the raw vulnerability stripped of all mafia rumors and terrifying reputations. ""Dante...""
""I know what people say about me,"" Dante murmured, taking a step closer, closing the distance between them until only inches separated their lips. ""They say I have an ice-cold heart.""
Piper smiled faintly, lifting a hand to touch the warm line of his jaw. ""They were wrong. It just needed someone brave enough to melt it.""
Dante’s hand found the back of her neck, his fingers tangling in her hair, and he pulled her into a deep, desperate kiss.
The kiss was everything she hadn't known she was craving—fierce, commanding, yet breathtakingly tender. It tasted of cedar, rain, and the fierce promise of survival. For the first time in years, the crushing weight of the world lifted from Piper’s shoulders.
The moment was shattered by a loud knock on the terrace door.
Luca stood there, his face pale and grim. ""Boss. We have a problem.""
May you like
Dante broke the kiss reluctantly, keeping his arm securely around Piper’s waist. ""What is it?""
""It’s Josie,"" Luca said grimly. ""She slipped out of the downtown club an hour ago. She wasn't kidnapped, boss. Security footage shows her getting into Marcus Vance’s secondary convoy willingly. She took the original ledger from your desk.""
