Chapter 7 - ENEMIES AT THE SAME TABLE
Damien Cross survived.
Barely.
His private plane never left the airport.
Vanessa had poisoned his drink, then pulled a gun when the poison worked too slowly.
Damien’s bodyguard had stopped her.
Vanessa escaped.
Two hours later, Damien arrived at Ashford Manor under armed escort.
He looked terrible.
Pale.
Angry.
A bandage covered his ribs.
Adrian waited at the dining table.
Damien looked at the wheelchair.
For once, he didn’t make a joke.
“Nice house.”
“Sit.”
Damien did.
Emily watched from the doorway.
Marcus stood behind Adrian.
Damien noticed Emily.
“The housekeeper.”
Emily folded her arms.
“The idiot who helped save your life.”
Damien stared.
Then laughed.
“I like her.”
Adrian didn’t.
“Start talking.”
Damien looked at him.
“I didn’t order your shooting.”
“I know.”
“That’s new.”
“I learned yesterday.”
Damien leaned back.
“Three years of you trying to destroy me over something I didn’t do.”
“You weren’t exactly innocent.”
“No.”
Damien grinned.
“But I wasn’t guilty of that.”
Adrian tossed Victor’s phone onto the table.
“Vanessa worked for Victor and Helena.”
Damien read several messages.
His expression darkened.
“She played both of us.”
“Yes.”
Damien laughed bitterly.
“That’s embarrassing.”
“She told you she loved you?”
“No.”
“She told me she hated you.”
“Apparently that was enough.”
Adrian almost smiled.
Then Damien became serious.
“She mentioned something before she shot me.”
“What?”
“A ledger.”
Adrian frowned.
“What ledger?”
“She said Helena has insurance.”
“She called it the Black Ledger.”
Marcus spoke.
“I’ve heard rumors.”
Adrian turned.
“You never told me?”
“Because I thought it was a myth.”
Damien looked between them.
“What is it?”
Marcus answered.
“A complete record of Moretti operations going back thirty years.”
“Bribes.”
“Payments.”
“Judges.”
“Police.”
“Politicians.”
“Murders.”
Emily stared.
Adrian’s face hardened.
“My father kept records.”
Damien shook his head.
“Not like this.”
“If Helena has that ledger, she owns anyone named inside it.”
Adrian thought.
“Where would she keep it?”
Damien smiled faintly.
“Vanessa knows.”
“Then we find Vanessa.”
Emily stepped forward.
“No.”
Everyone looked at her.
She continued.
“Vanessa expects you to come after her.”
“She knows your people.”
“She knows Damien’s people.”
“She knows Marcus.”
Adrian studied her.
“What are you suggesting?”
“She doesn’t know me.”
Damien laughed.
“Absolutely not.”
Emily glared at him.
“I wasn’t asking you.”
Adrian’s voice was colder.
“No.”
Emily turned.
“Adrian.”
“No.”
“You need someone she won’t recognize.”
“I need you alive.”
The words came out before he could stop them.
Silence.
Emily stared at him.
Damien’s eyebrow lifted.
Marcus looked toward the ceiling.
Adrian ignored everyone.
“You have a son.”
“And you have an empire that can get him killed if Helena wins.”
Emily stepped closer.
“You saved Noah.”
“Now let me help save you.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
Finally, he nodded.
“One condition.”
“What?”
“You wear a wire.”
Damien smiled.
“And if Vanessa pulls a gun?”
Adrian looked at him.
“Then you better hope I get there first.”
That evening, they found Vanessa through a burner phone Marcus traced to a motel near Newark Airport.
Emily entered alone.
Room 214.
She knocked.
Vanessa opened the door.
Her eyes were bloodshot.
Her hair was messy.
And she had a pistol in her hand.
“Who are you?”
Emily lifted both hands.
“My name is Emily Harper.”
Vanessa stared.
Then recognition hit.
“The maid.”
“Housekeeper.”
Vanessa laughed.
“Of course.”
Emily stepped inside.
“I know you have the Black Ledger.”
Vanessa’s smile disappeared.
“Who told you that?”
“Damien.”
Vanessa raised the gun.
Emily’s heart slammed against her ribs.
“He’s alive?”
“Yes.”
“Damn it.”
Emily kept talking.
“Helena is going to kill you.”
Vanessa’s face changed.
“She needs me.”
“No.”
“She needed you when Adrian trusted you.”
“He doesn’t anymore.”
Vanessa looked toward the window.
Fear.
Real fear.
Emily saw it.
“Help us.”
Vanessa laughed.
“You think Adrian will forgive me?”
“No.”
Emily said it immediately.
“But prison is better than a grave.”
Vanessa stared.
Then she slowly lowered the gun.
“The ledger isn’t with Helena.”
Emily held her breath.
“Where is it?”
Vanessa whispered.
“With Adrian’s mother.”
Emily frowned.
“His mother is dead.”
Vanessa looked terrified.
“No.”
“She isn’t.”
Then the motel window shattered.
Vanessa jerked backward.
May you like
Blood sprayed across the wall.
Emily screamed.
