Chapter 6 - The Night Callum Chose Her Over the Family
The photographs arrived at 7:12 the next morning.
No message.
No threat.
Just six images.
Callum touching Sadie's face.
Sadie kissing him.
His hand around her waist.
Her forehead against his.
Dominic understood leverage.
He did not need to explain.
Sadie stared at the photographs on Callum's phone.
“Well.”
Callum watched her.
“Well?”
“I've looked better.”
He almost laughed.
“This isn't funny.”
“I know.”
“Dominic is telling me he knows where you are.”
“He already knew.”
“He is telling me he knows what you mean to me.”
Sadie's expression changed.
“What do I mean?”
Callum realized what he had said.
The room became quiet.
He could lie.
He did not.
“Too much.”
Sadie's breath caught.
“Callum.”
“I know.”
“No, you don't.”
“Then tell me.”
She turned away.
“This is exactly what I didn't want.”
“What?”
“To become useful against you.”
He stood.
“You were useful against me before I kissed you.”
“That is not comforting.”
“No. It is factual.”
She faced him.
“If I leave Chicago—”
“No.”
“Listen.”
“I am.”
“If I disappear for a few months, Dominic loses leverage.”
“No.”
“You cannot keep saying no like it becomes law.”
“I am aware.”
“Then stop.”
Callum took a breath.
“You leaving does not make you safe.”
“It makes you less vulnerable.”
“I don't care about being vulnerable.”
“I do.”
He stared.
Sadie continued.
“You are trying to dismantle your family's criminal structure. Half your people already think I'm the reason.”
“They would be wrong.”
“Does that matter?”
Callum had no answer.
She picked up her coat.
“Where are you going?”
“Home.”
“No.”
Sadie glared.
“Seriously?”
“Your apartment is compromised.”
“I need clothes.”
“We'll send someone.”
“I need my life.”
That stopped him.
Sadie looked around the luxurious condominium.
“I cannot become another object you protect by putting it somewhere locked.”
Callum's expression changed.
“You think that is what I'm doing?”
“I think you're scared.”
“Yes.”
The immediate admission silenced her.
Callum continued.
“I am scared Dominic will hurt you because of me.”
Her anger weakened.
“But I don't know how to protect you without controlling you.”
Sadie looked at him for a long moment.
“That is at least honest.”
“I am trying.”
“I know.”
She sat again.
“Then ask.”
“What?”
“Ask what I want.”
Callum almost smiled bitterly.
This woman could turn everything he understood into homework.
“What do you want?”
“I want to go to my apartment with security.”
He hated it.
“Fine.”
“I want access to the investigation.”
“Within legal limits.”
“I want to continue working.”
“No.”
Sadie stared.
Callum corrected himself.
“I strongly dislike that.”
“Better.”
He rubbed his face.
“I am becoming domesticated.”
“Don't be dramatic.”
“You are giving me communication lessons.”
“Someone had to.”
They went to her apartment that afternoon.
The door was unlocked.
Callum knew immediately.
Sadie had locked it before leaving Tuesday.
Inside, nothing looked disturbed.
That was worse.
Professionals.
They searched room by room.
Then Sadie stopped in her bedroom.
Her father's photograph was missing.
Nothing else.
Only that.
A message.
Dominic knew exactly which wounds to touch.
Sadie sat on the edge of the bed.
Callum crouched in front of her.
“Look at me.”
She did.
“This ends.”
“How?”
“I don't know yet.”
“That is not reassuring.”
“It is honest.”
His phone rang.
Nora Hayes.
Callum answered.
Nora had represented the Russo family for twenty-one years.
She was also one of the few people Callum trusted outside Matteo.
“Callum, we need to meet.”
“Why?”
“Dominic contacted me.”
“What does he want?”
“You.”
“Be specific.”
“He is offering a deal.”
Callum glanced at Sadie.
“What deal?”
“If you withdraw cooperation, return the microfilm, and publicly state the family restructuring was a misunderstanding, Dominic will step away from operations.”
Callum almost laughed.
“And?”
“And Ms. Miller will be left alone.”
Sadie heard.
Her face became still.
Callum's voice turned cold.
“So he admits threatening her.”
“Not directly.”
“Of course.”
“There is another condition.”
“What?”
“You terminate all contact with her.”
Callum stared at Sadie.
She shook her head before he even spoke.
“No.”
Nora heard.
“I assume Ms. Miller is present.”
“Yes.”
Nora sighed.
“Callum, Dominic has support. You are losing access to accounts. People are frightened.”
“Good.”
“That is not necessarily good.”
“I am done purchasing loyalty.”
“He may hurt her.”
Callum's jaw tightened.
“I know.”
After the call ended, Sadie stood.
“You cannot take that deal.”
“I wasn't going to.”
“I mean it.”
“So do I.”
“If you did, I'd never forgive you.”
Callum stared.
“For giving you safety?”
“For teaching Dominic that threatening me works.”
That sentence settled it.
He nodded.
“Agreed.”
Sadie exhaled.
Then the apartment windows shattered.
Callum moved before thought.
He tackled Sadie to the floor as gunfire tore through the living room.
Matteo shouted from the hallway.
Glass exploded.
Wood splintered.
Callum covered Sadie's body with his.
Three seconds.
Five.
Then silence.
A car screamed away outside.
Matteo rushed in.
“Boss!”
Callum lifted his head.
Sadie was beneath him.
Wide-eyed.
Alive.
“Are you hit?”
“No.”
He checked anyway.
Shoulders.
Arms.
Torso.
“No.”
Then Sadie's expression changed.
“Callum.”
“What?”
“Your side.”
He looked down.
Blood spread across his shirt.
He had been shot.
The bullet entered above his hip.
For the first time in years, Callum genuinely lost balance.
Sadie caught him.
“Matteo!”
Her voice changed completely.
Sharp.
Commanding.
“Get pressure here.”
Callum almost laughed.
“Now you sound dangerous.”
“Shut up.”
She pressed both hands against the wound.
Pain arrived fully.
Callum's vision narrowed.
Matteo called emergency services.
Sadie leaned close.
“Stay awake.”
“I am awake.”
“You're closing your eyes.”
“They are tired.”
“Callum.”
He opened them.
Her face hovered above him.
Fear.
Anger.
Tears.
“Do not do this.”
He almost smiled.
“Do what?”
“Turn this into some heroic sacrifice.”
“Wasn't planning to.”
“Good.”
Her hands were covered in his blood.
The image seemed strangely familiar.
Days earlier, he had seen blood on her shoe.
Now she saw his.
“Sadie.”
“What?”
“Your father.”
“What about him?”
“He would be proud of you.”
She began crying.
“You don't know that.”
“I know competence.”
“This is not the time.”
“I am excellent with timing.”
“You are literally bleeding on my floor.”
Then darkness took him.
Callum woke after surgery.
Hospital.
Private room.
Matteo asleep in a chair.
Sadie stood near the window.
Her clothes had been changed.
But dried blood remained beneath one fingernail.
His.
“Hey,” he said.
She turned.
The relief on her face disappeared almost immediately beneath anger.
“You idiot.”
He smiled weakly.
“Good morning.”
“It is midnight.”
“Close enough.”
She moved beside the bed.
“How bad?”
“Bullet missed anything important.”
“Then why do you look worried?”
Sadie sat.
“The shooters were using one of Dominic's vehicles.”
“Good.”
“Good?”
“Evidence.”
“You nearly died.”
“Also evidence.”
She stared.
Callum's smile faded.
“Sorry.”
“I thought you were dead.”
His chest tightened.
“I wasn't.”
“I know.”
She looked down.
“When they took you into surgery, Nora called.”
“What did she say?”
“Dominic denies everything.”
“Of course.”
“Police recovered the car abandoned three miles away.”
“Prints?”
“Clean.”
“Weapons?”
“No.”
Callum nodded.
Sadie continued.
“The FBI offered protective custody.”
“For you?”
“For both of us.”
“No.”
She gave him a look.
He sighed.
“What do you want?”
“Protective custody.”
He stared.
“You want me to hide?”
“I want you to not get shot again.”
“That is reasonable.”
“You're learning.”
He smiled.
Then Sadie became serious.
“There is something else.”
“What?”
“Police found a photograph inside the abandoned car.”
She handed him her phone.
The picture showed Arthur Miller.
Alive.
The date stamp was from two days after his supposed death.
Callum sat upright too quickly.
Pain tore through his side.
“Careful.”
He ignored it.
“Where was this taken?”
“Navy Pier.”
“Why would your father be alive after the medical examiner said he died?”
“I don't know.”
“Was the body misidentified?”
“No. Dental records matched.”
“Then the timestamp is wrong.”
“Maybe.”
Callum enlarged the photograph.
Arthur stood beside someone.
Only an arm appeared at the edge.
A woman's arm.
Bracelet.
Distinctive.
Callum recognized it.
His mother had owned the same bracelet.
But Lucia had died three years before Arthur.
Impossible.
Sadie noticed his expression.
“What?”
“That bracelet.”
“What about it?”
“My mother owned one.”
Sadie frowned.
“Coincidence?”
Callum stared at the image.
“Maybe.”
But the Russo family had taught him one lesson well.
Coincidences were often just information missing its explanation.
Two days later, forensic analysis solved part of the mystery.
The photograph had been printed twelve years ago.
But the image itself was older.
Digitally altered date metadata.
Arthur was not alive after his death.
Someone wanted Sadie to think he might be.
Why?
To destabilize her.
To make her question evidence.
Dominic was getting desperate.
Callum gave federal investigators full access to everything he controlled.
Bank accounts.
Company servers.
Historic communications.
He also surrendered information regarding his own illegal activities.
His attorneys nearly revolted.
“You are exposing yourself to prosecution,” Nora said.
“I know.”
“Years.”
“I know.”
“You could negotiate first.”
“No.”
“Why?”
Callum looked at Sadie.
“Because I am done trading truth for protection.”
Three weeks later, Dominic Russo was indicted on conspiracy, racketeering, obstruction, art trafficking, and financial crimes.
Not murder.
Not yet.
He disappeared six hours before agents arrived at his home.
This time, he did not leave a phone behind.
He left a message.
For Callum.
YOU CHOSE HER OVER BLOOD.
Callum read it twice.
Then deleted it.
Sadie asked, “What did he say?”
“That I chose you over blood.”
Her expression became uneasy.
Callum looked at her.
“He's wrong.”
Sadie blinked.
“What?”
“I chose truth over blood.”
May you like
He took her hand.
“You are simply part of the truth.”
