Chapter 12 - WHAT GABRIEL NEVER SAID
The plan was simple.
Which meant Claire hated it.
Gabriel would attend Vincent’s family council.
Wear a wire.
Force Vincent to speak.
Federal investigators connected to Nathan’s Boston contact would listen.
If Vincent confessed, they would move in.
If he didn’t…
Gabriel had another plan.
Claire knew exactly what it was.
“You’re planning to kill him.”
Gabriel stood on the estate balcony.
“No.”
“You’re terrible at lying to me.”
He looked at her.
“You’ve known me for two years.”
“I’m an accountant. Spotting bad numbers and worse excuses is the job.”
He almost smiled.
Then she became serious.
“If you kill him, he wins.”
“He murdered my brother.”
“I know.”
“He almost killed Eli.”
“I know.”
“He kidnapped you.”
“I was there.”
Gabriel looked toward the dark lake.
“I’ve spent my entire life making sure people were afraid to touch what belongs to me.”
Claire stepped closer.
“I don’t belong to you.”
Gabriel looked at her.
“I know.”
“Then stop saying things like that.”
His voice softened.
“You’re right.”
Claire waited.
Gabriel rarely apologized.
“I don’t know how to do this.”
“Do what?”
“This.”
His eyes met hers.
“Care about someone without turning it into security arrangements, guards and locked doors.”
Claire’s heartbeat changed.
He continued.
“I noticed you long before you noticed me.”
“I noticed you.”
“You avoided me.”
“You terrified the whole accounting floor.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
Claire smiled.
Gabriel reached into his pocket.
Nathan’s ring.
“I found another recording.”
Claire’s smile disappeared.
He played it.
Nathan appeared on screen.
“If Gabriel is watching this with Claire, then apparently miracles happen.”
Claire laughed softly.
Gabriel didn’t.
Nathan continued.
“Gabe, I know you.”
“You’ll blame yourself.”
“You’ll think if you had been smarter, faster, meaner, none of this would have happened.”
Nathan leaned toward the camera.
“Stop.”
Gabriel’s eyes lowered.
“You were my little brother before you were the head of this family.”
Claire looked at Gabriel.
Nathan smiled.
“And for God’s sake, tell Claire you’re in love with her before somebody else figures it out.”
The video ended.
Claire slowly turned.
Gabriel looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him.
“Nathan knew?”
“Apparently.”
“How long?”
“No idea.”
Claire stepped closer.
“So?”
“So what?”
“Was he right?”
Gabriel gave her a look.
She waited.
Finally, the most feared man in Chicago whispered:
“Yes.”
Claire’s breath caught.
“For how long?”
“Long enough to know better.”
She touched his face.
“Maybe you don’t.”
Then she kissed him.
Gabriel stood frozen for half a second.
Then his hand moved to the back of her neck.
The kiss was careful at first.
Then desperate.
Eleven months of grief.
Two years of restraint.
One terrible night.
All of it broke loose.
When they separated, Claire rested her forehead against his.
“Come back tomorrow.”
“I intend to.”
“No.”
She looked into his eyes.
“Promise me you’ll come back instead of choosing revenge.”
Gabriel didn’t answer immediately.
Then his phone buzzed.
A photograph appeared.
The old Kane printing plant.
A chair in the center.
Peter Vale sat tied to it.
Already dead.
Words were painted across the wall behind him.
TRAITORS DIE FIRST.
Gabriel’s jaw tightened.
Claire looked at the image.
May you like
Vincent wasn’t just gathering the family.
He was preparing an execution.
