Chapter 7 - Harper’s WarFor the next 10 days, Dante Moretti disappeared.
The newspapers called him a fugitive.
Federal investigators called him a priority target.
Vincent Caruso called him finished.
Harper called him irritating.
“You’re pacing.”
“I don’t pace.”
“You’ve crossed this room 14 times.”
Dante stopped.
They were living in a 2-bedroom apartment above an abandoned tailor shop.
The wallpaper was yellow.
The pipes rattled.
The refrigerator contained eggs, bottled water, mustard, and something Leo claimed was cheese.
Dante hated everything about it.
Harper loved watching him hate it.
“You once owned 3 penthouses,” she said.
“I still own them.”
“Technically, the federal government currently owns them.”
Dante glared.
Harper smiled.
“Character building.”
“I have enough character.”
“Debatable.”
Their old life was gone.
No chefs.
No drivers.
No marble floors.
No private elevator.
Strangely, Harper had never felt closer to him.
At night, they slept in a bed too small for Dante.
In the morning, Harper made coffee in a machine that cost $19.
Dante complained about it every day.
Then drank 3 cups.
But beneath the domestic absurdity, Harper was dismantling Vincent’s financial network.
Account by account.
Company by company.
She discovered his weakness.
Vincent had spent 8 years building legitimacy.
Hotels.
Shipping companies.
Construction firms.
Private equity funds.
He wanted to become respectable.
That made him vulnerable.
Criminal money could disappear.
Legitimate money required paperwork.
Harper loved paperwork.
She created anonymous regulatory complaints.
Not false ones.
That was important.
Every complaint contained genuine evidence discovered inside Vincent’s corporate filings.
Tax irregularities.
Undisclosed ownership.
Environmental violations.
Labor violations.
Insurance fraud.
Within 1 week, 4 Caruso companies were under audit.
2 construction sites were shut down.
A shipping license was suspended.
Vincent lost $12 million.
He had no idea Harper was responsible.
Then she went after his allies.
One by one.
Not with bullets.
With information.
A casino operator received evidence Vincent had been skimming from him.
A union leader received proof Vincent planned to replace him.
A banker discovered Vincent had secretly recorded their conversations.
Within days, trust evaporated.
Dante watched from the tiny kitchen.
“You’re terrifying.”
Harper did not look up.
“Thank you.”
“That wasn’t necessarily praise.”
“I accepted it as praise.”
“You destroyed 8 years of alliances without leaving this apartment.”
“9.”
“What?”
“9 alliances.”
Dante stared.
Harper took a sip of terrible coffee.
“The Baltimore group withdrew this morning.”
Dante walked behind her and kissed the top of her head.
“Marry me.”
Harper froze.
Dante froze.
Neither moved.
Harper slowly turned.
“What did you say?”
Dante looked genuinely alarmed.
It was the first time Harper had ever seen Dante Moretti frightened by his own words.
“I…”
She waited.
He cleared his throat.
“That was not how I intended to do that.”
“Do what?”
“Harper.”
She smiled.
“Say it.”
Dante stared at her.
There was no empire now.
No penthouse.
No tailored jacket.
No army.
Just Dante.
He knelt.
Right there on the cracked kitchen tile.
Harper stopped breathing.
“I don’t have a ring.”
“I noticed.”
“My accounts are frozen.”
“Also noticed.”
“I currently live above a tailor shop that smells like mothballs.”
“Yes.”
“This is objectively the worst proposal in recorded history.”
Harper laughed through sudden tears.
Dante took her hand.
“But when I had everything, I thought power meant never needing anyone.”
His voice became quiet.
“Then you walked into my office.”
Harper’s smile disappeared.
“You argued with me. Corrected me. Saved me from myself more times than I deserved.”
He tightened his hand around hers.
“When Vincent took everything, I realized the only thing I was afraid to lose was you.”
Tears rolled down Harper’s face.
Dante looked at her.
“Harper Reed, I cannot promise you normal.”
She laughed softly.
“I know.”
“I cannot promise safe.”
“I know.”
“I can promise that whatever remains of my life belongs to you.”
Harper knelt in front of him.
“Yes.”
Dante blinked.
“I haven’t asked the question.”
“Yes.”
“Harper.”
“Yes, Dante.”
She kissed him.
Dante wrapped both arms around her.
For several minutes, Vincent Caruso ceased to exist.
So did the federal government.
So did the Moretti empire.
There was only a terrible apartment.
A terrible coffee machine.
And 2 people who had finally stopped pretending that survival was enough.
The next morning, Leo entered without knocking.
He saw Dante and Harper sitting at the kitchen table.
Harper wore a cheap silver ring purchased from a 24-hour pharmacy.
Leo stared.
“No.”
Harper smiled.
“Yes.”
“You proposed?”
Dante looked offended.
“Why is that surprising?”
“Because I’ve seen you negotiate hostage situations with more emotional availability.”
Harper laughed.
Dante did not.
Leo hugged Harper.
Then, after an awkward pause, hugged Dante.
Dante endured it.
“Enough.”
Leo stepped back.
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
“Now I have bad news.”
Dante sighed.
“Of course.”
Leo placed a folder on the table.
“Vincent found us.”
Harper’s smile disappeared.
“How?”
“We don’t know.”
“When?”
“Maybe yesterday.”
Dante stood.
“We move.”
Leo shook his head.
“He doesn’t want to kill you here.”
“How do you know?”
“Because he sent this.”
Inside the folder was a photograph.
Peter Walsh’s daughter.
Alive.
Beside her sat Michael Bellini.
And 3 other relatives of Moretti men.
Vincent had collected hostages.
On the back:
MIDNIGHT.
NORTHERN TERMINAL.
COME ALONE OR THEY DIE.
Dante stared.
Harper looked at him.
“He’s forcing the final confrontation.”
“Yes.”
“You’re not going alone.”
“Yes, I am.”
“No.”
Dante smiled faintly.
“Now who’s repeating themselves?”
Harper did not smile.
“He’ll kill you.”
“Maybe.”
“Dante.”
He touched her face.
“He wants me.”
“He wants you desperate.”
“I know.”
“Then let me think.”
“There isn’t time.”
“There is always time to think.”
Dante kissed her forehead.
“You taught me something.”
“What?”
“That sometimes power is choosing what you’re willing to lose.”
Harper’s eyes filled.
“No.”
“But those people were taken because they stayed loyal to me.”
“You cannot trade yourself for them.”
“I can.”
“You just asked me to marry you.”
“And you said yes.”
“Then you don’t get to die tonight.”
Dante smiled sadly.
“That sounded remarkably like an order.”
“It is.”
He kissed her.
Then whispered:
“I’m sorry.”
Harper felt the needle enter her arm.
Her eyes widened.
“Dante…”
Leo caught her as her knees failed.
Harper stared at Dante in disbelief.
“You…”
“Forgive me.”
“You son…”
Darkness swallowed the rest.
May you like
The last thing Harper saw was Dante walking toward the door.
Alone.
