Chapter 7 - Dominic's Last Debt
The address belonged to an old church.
Dominic recognized it immediately.
His father's funeral had been held there.
Chloe wanted to go.
Dominic didn't try to stop her.
That mattered.
At eleven fifty-five, they entered together.
The church was empty.
One candle burned near the front pew.
An elderly priest stepped from a side room.
"Dominic."
Dominic stopped.
"Father Anthony?"
The priest smiled.
"You grew up."
"That's usually what happens."
Chloe almost laughed.
Father Anthony looked at her.
"Michael's daughter."
"You knew him too?"
"I knew both your fathers."
He carried a sealed envelope.
"Dante left this with me twenty-one years ago."
Dominic stared.
"Why now?"
"He gave instructions."
"What instructions?"
"If Michael's records were ever exposed, I was to give this to both of you."
Dominic accepted the envelope.
Inside were two letters.
One for Dominic.
One for Chloe.
Dante had known the operation surrounding Varga might eventually destroy everyone involved.
He had tried to dismantle his own illegal interests.
Too late to erase what he'd done.
But not too late to change what his son inherited.
The restaurant Laura had been transferred years ago into a legitimate trust.
A second fund had been created anonymously.
For Michael's family.
Chloe stared at the paperwork.
"My father never mentioned money."
"Because he refused it," Father Anthony said.
"Why?"
"Pride."
That sounded exactly like Michael.
"But Dante kept the fund."
"How much?"
Father Anthony told her.
Chloe sat down.
It was enough to pay for Sam's education.
Enough to change their lives.
Dominic read his letter silently.
Then folded it.
"What did he say?" Chloe asked.
Dominic looked toward the altar.
"That I didn't owe him loyalty to his mistakes."
Chloe understood.
Their fathers had left them debts.
Not financial ones.
Shame.
Fear.
Secrets.
But they'd also left a choice.
Outside the church, Chloe stood beneath the awning.
The rain had begun again.
Just like the first night.
Dominic looked at her.
"What will you do with the fund?"
"Sam's college."
"He's ten."
"Have you seen tuition?"
Dominic smiled.
"And the rest?"
"I don't know."
"Good."
"Good?"
"You don't have to decide everything tonight."
She studied him.
"Look at you giving healthy advice."
"Don't tell anyone."
They returned to Laura.
The investigation had changed Dominic.
Or maybe it had revealed the person beneath the armor.
He began selling businesses that existed too close to the world his father had inhabited.
He kept Laura.
He expanded legitimate investments.
He created scholarships through a foundation using Dante's old trust.
Chloe watched him do it without asking for applause.
Six months passed.
Sam flourished.
He joined a baseball team.
He complained about homework.
He stopped checking the apartment lock three times before bed.
That was how Chloe knew he was healing.
One evening, Dominic attended Sam's game.
He wore a suit.
Of course.
"You know normal people wear jeans to baseball games," Chloe said.
"I own jeans."
"I don't believe you."
"I can provide documentation."
Sam hit a double.
Dominic stood faster than Chloe did.
"Run!"
She stared at him.
Dominic noticed.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You're smiling."
"Am I forbidden?"
"No."
Sam scored.
For a few minutes, they were simply three people watching baseball.
No ledgers.
No Varga.
No debts.
Afterward, Sam ran toward his teammates.
Dominic and Chloe remained by the bleachers.
"I've been thinking," Dominic said.
"Dangerous."
"About the restaurant."
"Less romantic than I expected."
His expression changed.
"Was I supposed to be romantic?"
Chloe laughed.
"I've never seen you panic that quickly."
"I wasn't panicking."
"You absolutely were."
He shook his head.
Then handed her a folder.
She opened it.
Partnership agreement.
Twenty-five percent ownership in Laura.
Chloe stared at him.
"No."
Dominic frowned.
"No?"
"I won't accept a gift that big."
"It's not a gift."
"Then what?"
"You rebuilt the operation."
"I'm paid."
"Not enough."
"Dominic."
"Read page four."
She did.
The shares vested based on performance.
She had the option to buy them.
Fair valuation.
No personal conditions.
No relationship clauses.
Nothing tying her to him.
She looked up.
"You had lawyers make this annoyingly ethical."
"Three of them."
"Why?"
"Because I knew you'd assume there was a trap."
"There isn't?"
"No."
She closed the folder.
"I'll think about it."
"That's all I'm asking."
That evening, Chloe realized something.
Dominic had once solved problems by controlling them.
Now he was learning to offer choices.
She had once survived by distrusting everyone.
Now she was learning that trust didn't mean surrender.
Two damaged people weren't magically healed because they cared for each other.
They simply became willing to do the work.
A week later, Chloe accepted the partnership.
That night, Dominic cooked dinner.
Or attempted to.
Sam stared at the blackened chicken.
"You own a restaurant."
"I don't cook in it."
"Obviously."
Chloe laughed so hard she had to sit down.
Dominic ordered pizza.
Later, after Sam fell asleep, Chloe and Dominic stood on the balcony.
"There's something I need to tell you," Dominic said.
She stiffened.
His face was serious.
Too serious.
"What?"
"I got an offer."
"For what?"
"Laura."
"You're selling?"
"No."
"Then?"
"A group wants to expand it nationally."
Chloe blinked.
"That's good."
"Maybe."
"Why do you look like someone died?"
"Because they want me in Chicago for six months."
Her smile disappeared.
"Oh."
"I haven't answered."
"Why?"
Dominic looked at her.
"You know why."
Chloe turned toward the city.
She had spent her entire life fearing abandonment.
Her father disappearing into gambling rooms.
Her mother dying.
Every landlord threatening eviction.
Every employer reminding her she was replaceable.
She could tell Dominic not to go.
A part of her wanted to.
Instead she asked, "Do you want it?"
"I want to build something legitimate enough that Sam someday forgets what my name used to mean."
"Then go."
Dominic stared at her.
"That's it?"
"No."
She stepped closer.
"I'll miss you. I'll hate it sometimes. We'll probably argue."
"Definitely."
"But I'm not going to become another obligation you carry."
His eyes softened.
"And you're not going to become one of mine."
He touched her cheek.
"Chloe—"
His phone rang.
He almost ignored it.
Then he saw the caller.
Federal prosecutor.
Dominic answered.
He listened.
His expression darkened.
"When?"
Chloe's stomach tightened.
"What happened?"
Dominic ended the call.
"Mercer's trial starts Monday."
"I know."
"He changed his plea."
"To guilty?"
"No."
Dominic looked at her.
"He offered them another name."
"Whose?"
Dominic didn't answer.
His phone vibrated again.
A document arrived.
He opened it.
At the top was the name of the person Mercer claimed had ordered Dante Rossi's death twenty-two years earlier.
Dominic stared at it.
Then slowly handed the phone to Chloe.
She read the name.
May you like
Her knees nearly gave way.
Because the person Mercer had named was supposed to have been dead for years...
