Chapter 6 - The Last Betrayal
Six months changed everything.
Cara became operations director for Dante’s legitimate hospitality businesses.
She was good at it.
Very good.
She fired abusive managers.
Raised staff wages.
Created emergency assistance funds.
Revenue increased.
So did Dante’s visits.
One evening, Cara found him sitting alone at Bellini’s.
The restaurant had been sold after the scandal.
Dante had bought it.
Of course he had.
Cara approached his table.
“You bought my old workplace?”
“The pasta is good.”
“You hate their pasta.”
“I changed the chef.”
She sat opposite him.
“Why am I here?”
Dante slid an envelope toward her.
Cara opened it.
Inside were legal documents.
“What’s this?”
“Complete separation of my legitimate companies from the remaining family operations.”
Cara looked up.
“You’re leaving?”
“I’m changing.”
“That sounds dangerous.”
“It is.”
Dante leaned back.
“My father taught me power meant making people afraid to betray you.”
“And?”
“He was wrong.”
Cara waited.
Dante continued.
“The people who tried to kill me were the people closest to me. The person who saved me was someone I barely noticed.”
Cara’s expression softened.
Then Marco burst through the restaurant doors.
“Boss.”
Dante stood immediately.
“What?”
“Vanessa made a deal with prosecutors.”
Cara frowned.
“That’s good, isn’t it?”
Marco shook his head.
“She gave them names. Accounts. Locations.”
Dante remained calm.
“Expected.”
“Not this.”
Marco placed a photograph on the table.
It showed another man.
Dante’s expression changed.
“Who is he?” Cara asked.
“My uncle, Salvatore.”
Marco nodded.
“He funded Adrian.”
Dante looked toward the window.
“Where is he?”
“Gone.”
Cara understood.
“He’s coming after you.”
Marco looked at her.
“Both of you.”
Dante immediately turned.
“Get Cara out.”
“No.”
“Cara.”
“We already did this.”
“This is different.”
“Why?”
“Because Salvatore knows you’re my weakness.”
The words hung between them.
Cara stared at him.
Dante seemed to realize what he had admitted.
Marco quietly walked away.
Cara lowered her voice.
“Your weakness?”
Dante looked at her.
“Yes.”
Neither spoke.
Then Cara asked, “What exactly does that mean?”
“It means the thought of someone hurting you scares me more than someone hurting me.”
“Dante—”
“I spent six months trying not to say it.”
She stood.
“Then say it.”
He did.
“I love you.”
Cara’s breath caught.
No grand speech.
No performance.
Just four words from a man who rarely admitted anything.
She stepped closer.
“You have terrible timing.”
“I know.”
“Your murderous uncle is apparently coming after us.”
“I know.”
“And this is when you decide to tell me?”
“Yes.”
Cara shook her head.
“You’re unbelievable.”
“Is that a rejection?”
She kissed him.
Dante froze.
Then his hand gently touched her cheek.
When they separated, Cara whispered, “That’s your answer.”
Marco called from across the restaurant.
“I hate interrupting this, but we have a serious problem.”
Cara looked at Dante.
“Go.”
“You’re coming with me.”
She smiled.
May you like
“Finally learning.”
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