Chapter 8 - The Price of Innocence
The trap was set.
Declan allowed the rumor of my "betrayal" to spread through the estate staff. To the outside world, Nora Vance was under arrest in the basement holding cells, awaiting execution by the mob boss she had tried to rob.
In reality, I was staying in Declan's secret safe room behind the study library—the very place where I had collapsed a month ago.
At midnight, Mrs. Gable made her move.
Believing Declan was isolated, distracted by grief and anger, and that his security forces were focused on recovering the forty million dollars, Mrs. Gable slipped into the estate's subterranean communications hub.
She pulled out a satellite burner phone to contact the Blackwood Syndicate—the rival cartel who had funded Julian’s original coup.
"The girl is taken care of," Mrs. Gable whispered urgently into the phone. "Walsh thinks she stole the money. He’s going to execute her tonight. Strike the north docks at 2:00 AM—his men are completely disorganized!"
The lights in the subterranean room suddenly turned blindingly bright.
CLICK.
Mrs. Gable froze.
Standing in the doorway was Declan, flanked by Carter and six heavily armed security officers. Behind them stood me.
Mrs. Gable dropped the satellite phone, her face draining of all color. "Mr... Mr. Walsh!"
"You served my family for twenty-two years, Clara," Declan said, his voice flat, emotionless, and terrifyingly calm. "My father trusted you. I trusted you."
"They paid me three million dollars!" Mrs. Gable shrieked, backing against the server racks. "Julian promised me I’d be head of house for the new regime! You brought a gutter trash cleaner into this mansion and gave her everything! You ruined the family legacy!"
"Nora has more loyalty in her blood than my entire extended family combined," Declan said coldly.
He gestured to Carter. "Take her. Hand her over to the federal authorities along with the wiretap recordings. Let her spend her remaining years in a federal pen for corporate espionage and conspiracy to commit murder."
As the guards dragged the screaming housekeeper away, Declan turned to me.
He walked over, wrapping his heavy arms around my waist, lifting me slightly off the floor as he pulled me into a fierce, possessive embrace.
"It's clean," Declan whispered against my neck. "The house is finally clean, Nora."
May you like
"Is it over?" I asked, burying my face in his chest.
"Not quite," Declan rasped, his grey eyes flashing with dark intent. "The Blackwood Syndicate still thinks my docks are unguarded at 2:00 AM. It’s time we end this war once and for all."
