My head was spinning. My world was shattering. My worlds were colliding. My work world and my other world, the one I pushed away. He'd been there and my dad and Paul did nothing? There was something else going.
I gripped the wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white. A car pulled my behind me, a Porsche, Paul stepped out. He saw the SUV and moved to the front, spotting me. I sighed. As much I did hated his guts, he was my brother and I loved him deep deep down. He slapped the window of the car. I lowered the glass.
"I'm leaving so don't waste your breath."
"Did you come to see mom?"
"Yes. Don't worry you don't have to threaten me to not come back. I'm probably never coming back."
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing. I just won't be a problem. Congrats on baby number 2."
"I know you hate me."
"What makes you say that?"
He opened the car door and slipped in. "I'm not a bad person."
"You swept Peter under the rug for the company. Didn't defend Alessandra. All you wanted was money and power."
"And to save Lux."
I laughed, "Lux is fine."
"Not it's not."
"Please do tell me why."
"Lux expanded to being a shipping company. We ship almost anything now. But three or four times a month, a few ships heading to Columbia, Mexico, Florida, California, New York and and a few other places are let's put it sketchy."
"Sketchy how?"
"They got loaded at midnight. Every time. And then always unload at midnight."
"Does this family not know the justice system called police?"
"I've tried. They tell me the same thing: you're too suspicious."
"Then why try to take over the company?"
"To stop the ships. I'm not stupid. I know illegal goods that get shipped."
"Does dad know?"
"Of course. I would go as far to say he has a hand in this."
"Paul why was Dante over around September?"
"He asked where you were. Of course we didn't know. Then dad took Dante to his study to talk to him privately. I wanted to take his head off."
"Paul I don't think Dante had anything to do with Alessandra's kidnapping."
"What?"
"In the will, Alessandra would take place of any potential heir that would pass before dad. Kidnapping or not kidnapping Alessandra wouldn't have made a difference if Dante took over the company. Who loses more? Not you or Paul or mom or-"
"Nonna," we said at the same time. Nonna disliked Alessandra with her whole heart. She was child out of wedlock and Nonna was all about the rules and traditions. If killing or kidnapping Alessandra was what she needed to do to make sure, Alessandra wasn't in the inheritance, she would do it.
"Pearce you have to find out what happened."
"Paul don't make me promise."
"Why not?"
"Because I may not be able to keep that promise. I think my cover was blown. I think Dante knows that I'm a FBI agent. I going to have dinner with him around 7."
"Is there any point of telling you not to go?"
"Probably not."
"Is it worth it?"
"Yes. To keep my team alive, yes. By the way, after tonight if I don't come back, help Peter get my team out of Boston. Dante owns like half the police force. There could so many other people he owns, like judges and senators. My team would never make it out alive."
"He sounds like Kingpin."
"Really? You're comparing him to a Marvel comics villain?"
"A pretty terrifying villain."
"Well at least he was fictional."
"Look after mom okay? And Peter."
"You don't have to tell me."
I smiled at him. He reached out and gave my hand a squeeze. "Be careful."
The sun was setting, when I drove up to my apartment. I had called Jessica and Ross on the payphone to let them know I was heading home to grab a dress and a pair of heels. My first instinct was to run over to Jake's and just wrap my arms around him but I just needed a few moments alone. I didn't bother turning on the lights of my apartment since I wasn't going to be there long.
I rummaged through my closet until I found a short black dress, black heels and some stockings. I threw on a leather jacket and observed my reflection in the full length reflection. I smeared on some red lipstick that I found on the dresser, probably belonged to Jessica. I didn't know what look a I was going for, I thought I looked fierce but I just looked gothic. Giving up, I turned off the lights in my bedroom. Max wasn't here, probably with Jake. When I opened the door Jake was standing outside.
He was surprised. "I heard noise coming from your apartment...You look great by the way."
"I try."
"Where are you going? I thought we were in hiding?"
"Don't ask me Jake."
"That just makes me ask even more."
I laughed a little.
"Is it Dante?"
I nodded.
"I understand."
He wrapped his arms around my waist and I placed my head on his chest. His heartbeat thumped against his chest, comforting me. I closed my eyes and took his in lavender scent.
"If I don't come back-"
He cut me off with a kiss. I didn't protest.
"Don't say that," he said breaking apart.
"If I don't come back I just wanted to let you know, I really hoped this would've worked out. Us."
"Well if we're admitting things: I'm falling very hard for you Pearce Hudson."
I parted from Jake with one more kiss and a promise to look after Max. Even though he kept insisting I'd come back, I made him promise. I just wanted some certainty.
Earlier when I pulled up, I spotted a black SUV with tinted windows across the street. Dante's men. I approached the vehicle from the siding, finding Jack Bloom, leaning up to the dashboard with binoculars.
"I told Dante to get rid of you guys," I yanked open the car door and slid. A black strap vintage watch caught my eye. "Nice watch."
Surprised Jack nearly dropped his binoculars, "Shit Pearce!" He glanced at his watch. "Belongs to my dad."
"We have a problem."
"That's the understatement of the year."
I explained the situation assuring him that James, when he was interrogated by Jessica or one of the guys, didn't know anything about Jack being involved.
"It doesn't matter," he said. "If he knows."
"What about your family?"
"I moved them to Florida. Away from all of this. Don't worry about me."
"I have to you can't die because of me or this case. You saved me, I can't let you die."
"But I let all those other girls die. I let a lot slide not anymore."
"You're willing to die over your mistake?"
"Aren't you?"
"When I became a FBI agent I saved lives. Put away bad guys. I need that high. That thrill. When I put away Dante, I wouldn't be putting away a murderer. I'd be putting away a drug lord, trafficker etc."
"I wanna do some good in this world."
"Did you find out anything about the ledger?"
"I haven't seen it since...I can't remember when I last saw it."
"Well it won't matter after we're all dead."
"Very optimistic."
"Look at us being being pathetic with our lives."
"Our pathetic lives."
I made Jack stop at the Four Season hotel so I could say good bye to Ross and Jessica. I waited in the lobby as Ross showed alone.
"Jessica refused to come."
"It's fine, not like we're close or anything."
"You were always the best. At the academy, at Quantico. So if anyone can make it out alive its you."
"Thanks. You're not bad yourself. Paul and Peter will get you out if something happens. By the way talk to Paul, he has lots to say."
"Okay," he leaned down and planted a kiss on my forehead.
"I love you. You know that right?"
"Quite right to."
There were no tears. No emotions. I felt empty climbing back in the car. We drove silently. Memories flooded me, the good ones and the bad ones. I mentally held onto them. I had no idea what was coming up, so I was going to cherish everything I had left. Jake. Gosh! Jake, I really hoped we had more time. No we will have more time. There was a 50/50 chance Dante knew and I was grasping at the 50 he didn't know. But as we neared his mansion, those percentages lowered to 60/40, 70/30, 80/20, 90/10, 100/0.
Jack gave me a pained look as he curved by the main entrance. I gave back a tight smile. There was no turning back now. I pulled at my dress and licked my lips. I had to look good for my funeral. One of his men opened the door. Tremble ran down my body.
"Dante?" I called out.
"In the living room," I heard him call back.
I took small steps and reached the living room. Dante was in a dark blue polo shirt and grey dress pants. He was hunched over a chessboard on the coffee table. The pieces were scattered on the board, some stood surrounding it. He didn't look up when I walked in. All concentration on the game.
"Do you what they call the move when a queen is used as bait?"
"Nope."
"A queen is the greatest piece on the board but sometimes she is captured by an enemy pawn or rook, knight or bishop to save the king."
"I was never really into chess."
"They call it Queen Sacrifice."
I watched as his fingers topple over a polished black, beautifully carved piece, the queen.