Chapter 6 - The Devil's Offer
The massive shipping docks were swallowed by a thick, icy fog as I stepped cautiously out of the shadows.
The pungent smell of rusted metal and dark, polluted water filled my lungs with every anxious breath.
I walked slowly toward pier seventeen, my freezing hands stuffed deep into my pockets to hide their violent shaking.
A solitary, tall figure stood quietly under a flickering yellow streetlamp, smoking a cigarette.
As I got closer, the man turned around, and my blood ran completely cold in my veins.
It was Julian Rossi, the ruthless head of the only crime family in Chicago that actually dared to rival Luke’s empire.
Julian smiled warmly, casually tossing his burning cigarette into the dark water far below.
He openly praised my courage for actually showing up to meet the devil in the dark.
I firmly demanded to know how his people had accessed my heavily frozen bank accounts.
Julian casually explained that his elite hackers had been inside Luke’s highly secure financial network for over six months.
He knew exactly how much my design studio was actually worth, and he knew Luke had stolen it from me today.
Julian graciously offered to transfer all my money into a secure, untraceable account by midnight tonight.
He also offered me a private jet ticket out of the country and armed protection from the terrifying Morgan family.
I stared at him intently, knowing powerful men like Julian never gave anything away for free.
I asked him exactly what he wanted in return for my financial and physical freedom.
He stepped much closer, his dark eyes gleaming with clear malicious intent.
He wanted the massive master ledger that Luke kept hidden in the floorboards of our master bedroom.
Julian somehow knew I was the only person alive who knew the exact code to the biometric floor safe.
If I gave him the ledger, he would have enough concrete evidence to put Luke in federal prison for the rest of his life.
I hesitated deeply, realizing that betraying my husband to a rival mobster was a literal death sentence if I failed.
I told Julian that I simply couldn't risk going back to that heavily guarded estate.
Julian sighed deeply, pulling a glossy photograph from the inside pocket of his expensive wool coat.
He told me I desperately needed to reconsider my loyalty to a man who had already planned my funeral.
He handed me the photograph, and my knees nearly buckled completely beneath me.
It was a clear picture of Luke and Vanessa sitting together in a private doctor's office.
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The date stamped clearly on the corner was from exactly three weeks ago.
They were staring happily at a printed ultrasound image, and Vanessa’s hand was resting protectively over her stomach.
