Chapter 4 - The Kiss That Changed the Rules
Roman moved me into a secure apartment the following morning.
I hated it.
He knew I hated it.
“You can't keep me here.”
“I can.”
“That's kidnapping.”
“No.”
“Then what is it?”
“Protection.”
“You can't define everything according to your own dictionary.”
“I've had to.”
He placed breakfast on the table.
I stared at it.
“You made that?”
“No.”
“Good.”
He frowned.
“You're difficult.”
“You're a mafia boss who decided to become an overprotective landlord.”
“I'm not your landlord.”
“You own the apartment.”
He looked annoyed.
I smiled.
For the first time in days, the tension broke.
Roman sat across from me.
“Your mother.”
“What about her?”
“The attacker mentioned her.”
“I haven't spoken to her in six months.”
“Why?”
“She left Chicago after my father vanished.”
“Where is she now?”
“Michigan.”
Roman nodded.
“We're going.”
“You can't just decide that.”
“I already did.”
I sighed.
“You really do have control issues.”
“Yes.”
At least he admitted it.
We flew to Michigan that afternoon.
My mother opened the door and froze when she saw Roman.
“Emma.”
Then she looked at him.
“No.”
“Mom?”
She stepped backward.
“You can't bring him here.”
Roman's expression hardened.
“Why?”
My mother looked at me.
“Because your father warned me about the Rossi family.”
Roman's eyes narrowed.
“Rossi?”
She shook her head.
“Vale.”
The name seemed to hurt her.
She invited us inside.
For two hours, she told us everything.
My father had worked for Roman's father.
He discovered a secret operation involving stolen money, bribed officials and internal betrayals.
But the most dangerous part was the ledger.
My father had taken it.
He planned to give it to federal authorities.
Before he could, he disappeared.
My mother believed he was dead.
Then, six months ago, she received one message.
He's alive.
My heart stopped.
“You never told me.”
“I was afraid.”
“Afraid of what?”
“They said if I spoke, you would die.”
Roman's face became cold.
“Who said that?”
My mother looked at him.
“Luca.”
Roman went still.
His cousin.
The man who had warned me.
The man who always smiled.
The man who had access to everything.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Why did you wait?”
“He told me you would never believe me.”
Roman stared at the floor.
Then he took out his phone.
“We're leaving.”
My mother grabbed his arm.
“Wait.”
She gave him a photograph.
Roman looked at it.
His face changed.
“What?”
I leaned closer.
The photograph showed my father standing beside a young Roman.
Roman stared.
“I remember this day.”
“You knew him,” I whispered.
“Briefly.”
My mother shook her head.
“He trusted you.”
Roman looked at her.
“I never knew he worked for my father.”
“He wanted to tell you.”
“Why didn't he?”
“Because someone stopped him.”
Roman's voice became quiet.
“Luca.”
My mother nodded.
The drive back to the airport was silent.
I stared out the window.
Roman sat beside me.
After an hour, he said, “I'm sorry.”
“For what?”
“For the world you just discovered.”
I looked at him.
“Did you know your family killed people?”
“Yes.”
“Did you ever?”
“No.”
“Can you promise?”
He turned toward me.
“I have done things I regret.”
I waited.
“But I did not kill your father.”
“How do you know?”
“Because the person who ordered it was in my family.”
He looked away.
“I never knew.”
When we returned to Chicago, Roman took me to his private office.
He opened a locked drawer.
Inside was a photograph.
My father.
And Roman.
Taken years ago.
“You really knew him.”
“He helped me once.”
“How?”
“I was eighteen.”
He smiled faintly.
“I made a terrible investment.”
I laughed despite myself.
“My father told you it was bad?”
“He called me an idiot.”
“Sounds like him.”
Roman looked at the photograph.
“I liked him.”
The room became quiet.
Then he said something I never expected.
“I loved him like family.”
I looked at him.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I didn't know it was him.”
He met my eyes.
“I should have recognized the name.”
I shook my head.
“You can't punish yourself for information you didn't have.”
He stared at me.
“You always do that.”
“Do what?”
“Make me feel less terrible.”
“I haven't noticed.”
A smile appeared.
Then disappeared.
“I found something.”
He opened a folder.
Inside were financial records from ten years earlier.
One account had a familiar name.
Emma Carter.
My breath caught.
“I never had an account there.”
“Someone created one.”
“Why?”
“To move money.”
“How much?”
He gave me a number.
My knees weakened.
Millions.
My father had apparently placed money into an account under my name.
Roman looked at me.
“It was never touched.”
“Why?”
“Maybe he intended to use it to expose the operation.”
I stared at the documents.
“He trusted me.”
“Yes.”
“What do we do?”
“Find him.”
Before we could continue, the office door opened.
Luca entered.
“What a reunion.”
Roman stood.
“You knew.”
Luca smiled.
“Knew what?”
“My assistant's father.”
Luca looked at me.
Then laughed.
“She finally found out.”
Roman's face hardened.
“What did you do?”
Luca shrugged.
“A lot.”
I stepped forward.
“Where is my father?”
Luca's eyes settled on me.
“Alive.”
My heart stopped.
“Where?”
He smiled.
“Ask Roman.”
I looked at Roman.
He looked furious.
“Get out.”
Luca laughed.
“You really think you can protect her?”
Roman moved.
Luca raised his hands.
“I came to warn you.”
“About what?”
“Your father.”
Roman froze.
“You said he was dead.”
“I said what I needed to say.”
“Why?”
Luca looked at me.
“Because the ledger isn't what you think.”
I stared.
“What is it?”
Luca smiled.
“A list of every person who helped build your life.”
He left.
Roman watched him disappear.
I turned to Roman.
“Did he mean me?”
“I don't know.”
“Then find out.”
“I will.”
He stepped toward me.
I didn't move.
“You're shaking.”
“I'm angry.”
“At me?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
“Everyone.”
He touched my cheek.
I should have stepped away.
I didn't.
His hand was warm.
The room felt impossibly quiet.
“You're my assistant,” he whispered.
“I know.”
“You should hate me.”
“Sometimes I do.”
“And yet…”
I looked at him.
“And yet what?”
He leaned closer.
Neither of us moved.
Then he kissed me.
It was brief.
Careful.
Like he was asking permission even after the decision had already been made.
When we separated, I stared at him.
“That was a terrible idea.”
“I know.”
“You're my boss.”
“I know.”
“You're a mafia boss.”
“I know.”
“And I'm probably going to lose my mind.”
He smiled.
“Probably.”
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
His smile disappeared.
“What?”
He listened.
Then looked at me.
“Your father has been found.”
My heart stopped.
“Where?”
Roman's expression became grim.
“In Chicago.”
“With who?”
May you like
He hung up.
“With someone we thought was dead.”
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