Chapter 7 - THE BOATHOUSE
Rain began as they descended the cliff road.
Lorenzo drove himself.
Hunter sat beside him gripping Sophia’s memory card.
No one spoke.
The Atlantic hammered the rocks below.
When the boathouse appeared through the trees, a single light glowed inside.
Lorenzo stopped the car.
“Give me the card.”
Hunter handed it over.
He looked at her.
“If anything happens, take Leo and run.”
“What about you?”
“I’m not the one who needs saving.”
Hunter thought of the man in the chapel.
The man staring at Sophia’s face on a computer screen.
She disagreed.
But there was no time.
They entered.
Dante stood beside the open water doors.
Celia was near him.
Leo lay inside a portable bassinet on a worktable.
Hunter moved instantly.
Dante lifted a gun.
“Stop.”
She froze.
Leo whimpered.
Hunter's body tightened.
“He’s hungry.”
“I know.”
“He could crash.”
“Then perhaps Lorenzo should cooperate.”
Lorenzo stared at Dante.
“How long?”
Dante smiled.
“How long what?”
“How long have you hated me?”
Dante’s expression shifted.
“Hated you?”
“You killed my wife.”
“You tried to kill my son.”
“Don’t pretend this was business.”
Dante's smile disappeared.
“You want honesty?”
“Yes.”
“Fine.”
He stepped forward.
“I spent my entire life standing one step behind you.”
“Our grandfather chose you.”
“Your father chose you.”
“Every captain chose you.”
“Even when I built half the system that made you rich, people called it Lorenzo’s empire.”
Lorenzo said nothing.
Dante pointed toward Leo.
“Then Sophia arrived.”
“She convinced you to move money into legitimate companies.”
“She pushed you toward retirement.”
“She wanted you to leave everything.”
“She made you weak.”
Hunter looked at him with disgust.
“She made him human.”
Dante turned.
“You should stay quiet.”
“No.”
Hunter's voice sharpened.
“People like you always call love weakness because no one has ever loved you enough to make you afraid of losing them.”
Dante’s eyes hardened.
Lorenzo took one small step sideways.
Dante aimed at him.
“Don’t.”
Lorenzo stopped.
“Give me the card.”
“What then?”
“You leave.”
Lorenzo almost laughed.
“You expect me to believe that?”
“I expect you to understand leverage.”
Leo cried again.
Hunter could no longer stand still.
“He needs to eat.”
Dante looked at Celia.
“Give him the bottle.”
Celia did not move.
“Celia.”
Her hands shook.
“No.”
Everyone looked at her.
Dante’s face changed.
“What did you say?”
“I said no.”
Celia began crying.
“I didn't know you were going to kill him.”
Dante stepped toward her.
“You knew enough.”
“You said it would make him sick.”
“You said Lorenzo would send him to Switzerland.”
“You said nobody would die.”
Dante lifted the gun.
Lorenzo moved instantly.
Hunter heard shouting outside.
Nico’s men.
The lights went out.
Someone crashed into a table.
Leo screamed.
Hunter lunged toward the sound.
Her hands found the bassinet.
She grabbed Leo and dropped behind a wooden workbench.
Gunfire cracked once across the boathouse.
Then again.
Wood splintered.
Hunter covered Leo with her body.
“It's okay.”
He cried against her.
“I've got you.”
A man grunted.
Someone shouted.
Then Lorenzo’s voice cut through the darkness.
“Hunter!”
“I have him.”
“Stay down.”
Emergency lanterns flickered on.
Dante had moved toward the water doors.
Lorenzo stood between him and the road.
Celia crouched near the wall.
Nico and two guards entered from the side.
Dante looked surrounded.
Then another door opened behind Hunter.
Tommy rushed inside.
“Hunt!”
She stared.
“What are you doing here?”
Tommy looked terrified.
“I followed you.”
Dante laughed.
“Perfect.”
Hunter looked between them.
Then she understood.
“You know him.”
Tommy's face collapsed.
“No.”
Dante answered for him.
“Of course I know him.”
Hunter went cold.
Dante continued.
“Tommy delivered more than a key.”
Lorenzo stared at him.
Dante smiled.
“He gave us access to Hunter’s life.”
Tommy shook his head.
“I didn't know who they were.”
Hunter held Leo tighter.
“What did you do?”
Tommy's eyes filled.
“I owed money.”
“What did you do?”
“They wanted information.”
“What information?”
“Where you worked.”
“Your schedule.”
“Whether you lived alone.”
Hunter's face went numb.
Dante watched her.
“After you saved Leo, you became a problem.”
“So Tommy became useful again.”
Hunter looked at the man who had already taken Lily from her.
“You sold me again.”
Tommy started crying.
“I was scared.”
Hunter's voice became quiet.
“So was I.”
Dante reached toward a control beside the water door.
Nico raised his gun.
“Don’t touch it.”
Dante smiled.
“You think I came here without another exit?”
He pressed the button.
A hidden speedboat engine roared beneath the dock.
Lorenzo moved.
Dante fired.
The bullet struck Lorenzo high in the shoulder.
Hunter screamed.
Lorenzo staggered but stayed upright.
Nico fired back.
The shot hit the metal railing beside Dante.
Dante ducked.
Celia ran.
Tommy grabbed her and pulled her behind cover.
For once in his life, he did something useful.
Dante leaped onto the boat.
Lorenzo reached the edge.
Nico caught him.
“Boss.”
“He’s getting away.”
“No.”
Nico pointed toward the dark water.
Three security boats appeared beyond the inlet.
Dante saw them.
His smile vanished.
Lorenzo pressed one hand against his bleeding shoulder.
“You forgot something.”
Dante stared at him.
Lorenzo’s voice carried over the rain.
“This is my house.”
May you like
“And that is my ocean.”
The boats closed in.
