Chapter 9 - The House That Was No Longer Haunted
Two years later, Vincent reopened the old Costa house.
Not as headquarters.
As a family home.
The marble floors remained.
The kitchen remained.
Even the farmhouse sink remained.
But the silence was gone.
Elias came home from university on weekends.
Matteo visited constantly.
Mrs. Gable brought food every Sunday.
And Charmian lived there only because she chose to.
One rainy night, Vincent woke at three in the morning.
He walked downstairs.
The kitchen light was on.
For one second, his old instincts returned.
He reached for the gun.
Then stopped.
Someone was at the sink.
Charmian.
She was washing dishes.
She turned.
"You scared me."
He laughed.
"I should say that."
She smiled.
"No blood this time."
He looked at the sink.
"Good."
She held out a towel.
"Help me."
He took it.
They washed dishes together.
It was almost absurd.
The most feared man in Chicago drying plates at three in the morning.
Charmian glanced at him.
"Do you ever miss it?"
"The old life?"
"Yes."
He thought.
"No."
"Not even the power?"
He shook his head.
"Power made me lonely."
She smiled.
"You're not lonely now."
"No."
He looked at her.
"Not anymore."
She placed a plate aside.
"Vincent."
"Yes?"
"I need to tell you something."
He turned.
She held up a small box.
His heart stopped.
Inside was a ring.
Not an engagement ring.
A simple silver band.
"I thought men like you proposed."
"Men like me are learning to listen."
She laughed.
"Then listen."
He did.
"I don't need you to save me."
"I know."
"I don't need your money."
"I know."
"I don't need your protection."
"I know."
She smiled.
"But I want your life beside mine."
Vincent stared at her.
Then he took her hand.
"Then you have it."
She slipped the ring onto his finger.
He looked at it.
Then at her.
"That's my ring."
"Yes."
"You're proposing to me?"
"Yes."
He laughed.
"I've been outmaneuvered."
She grinned.
"For once."
He kissed her.
Then the house alarm went off.
Both froze.
Vincent's old instincts returned.
He grabbed the weapon from the drawer.
Matteo's voice came through the intercom.
"Boss."
Vincent answered.
"What?"
"Sorry."
"Why?"
A pause.
"It's Elias."
They ran upstairs.
Elias stood at the door holding a package.
His face was pale.
"What's wrong?"
He handed it over.
Inside was a photograph.
Gideon Voss.
Taken in prison.
On the back:
YOU FORGOT ONE NAME.
Vincent stared.
"Who?"
Elias shook his head.
"I don't know."
Charmian looked at the photograph.
Then noticed something behind Voss.
A tattoo on the neck of the man beside him.
Her face changed.
"I know that symbol."
Vincent looked at her.
"Where?"
"My father's files."
She opened the old database.
One organization.
The name made Vincent go cold.
The Black Circle.
His father's hidden alliance.
May you like
It had never been destroyed.
It had only been waiting.
