Chapter 14 - The Price of Peace
The morning sun broke through the dissipating rainclouds over Manhattan, casting pale, golden light across the penthouse apartment on the sixty-second floor of the residential tower adjacent to the headquarters.
The apartment was silent, protected by triple-glazed bulletproof glass and an armed detail stationed at every access point in the building. In the master bedroom, Paige lay asleep in a plush, newly assembled crib, her breathing deep, even, and unobstructed. The synthetic poison had been completely flushed from her system by the private medical team Dante had flown in from Johns Hopkins at dawn.
Elena sat on the edge of the large king-sized bed, wearing a borrowed cashmere sweater that swallowed her frame. She was watching Paige sleep, a cup of untouched tea cooling on the nightstand beside her.
The door clicked open, and Dante walked in. He had showered, the blood and soot washed away, leaving only the clean scent of cedar and soap. He wore a simple black sweater and dark trousers, looking less like a corporate titan or a cartel enforcer, and more like a tired, haunted man.
He walked over to the crib and looked down. Paige stirred slightly, her tiny fingers stretching out of the blanket, curling into the empty air before settling against her cheek.
""The federal task force took Pendelton into custody an hour ago,"" Dante said quietly, his eyes never leaving the infant. ""The corporate assets are locked in the trust. You and Paige will have twenty million dollars accessible immediately through an independent Swiss bank, with full diplomatic security details wherever you choose to live.""
Elena looked up at him, her eyes tired, measuring the distance in his posture. ""And where will you be, Dante?""
Dante looked out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the sprawling city below. ""The syndicate will retaliate for what happened to Salvatore’s men. Pendelton’s arrest will trigger a federal RICO investigation into the legacy shipping accounts. My name is on those original manifests from twenty years ago. The feds will have an arrest warrant with my name on it before the market closes today.""
Elena stood up, walking over to stand beside him at the edge of the crib. ""You could come with us. New Zealand, Argentina... somewhere without extradition.""
Dante shook his head slowly. ""As long as I am near her, she is in crosshairs. If I run, they hunt her to get to me. But if I stay... if I turn myself in to the Southern District after the cartel war is finished... the file closes. The empire dies with me, and she gets to be Paige Ramos. A girl with a future.""
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Elena reached out, her hand resting against his forearm, feeling the steady, iron pulse beneath his skin. ""You’re giving up everything you spent your life building.""
""I built a mausoleum, Elena,"" Dante said, his voice dropping into a tender, broken cadence. ""She’s the only thing I’ve ever done that is truly alive.""
