Chapter 6 - The Secret in the SafehouseWhile Dante dismantled Salvatore’s empire piece by piece in the North End, Elena lay resting in the master suite of Dante’s high-security penthouse overlooking the Charles River.
The room was warm, filled with the hum of a state-of-the-art medical ventilator and attended by two private physicians Dante had flown in from Johns Hopkins within the hour. The three little girls were fast asleep in a massive king-sized bed down the hall, wrapped in silk sheets and clutching silver-plated spoons they refused to let go of.
Elena opened her eyes as the balcony door slid open.
Dante stepped inside, brushing the cold night air off his shoulders. He wore a fresh black shirt, the sleeves rolled up to reveal his scarred forearms. He walked over to the bedside, pulling up a chair and taking her thin hand in his.
"The doctors?" Dante asked softly.
"They said... they said it might be too late, Dante," Elena whispered, a tear slipping down her hollow cheek. "My lungs are scarred. Seven years of breathing mold and chemical dust... money can't buy new lungs."
"Money can buy the best surgeons on this planet," Dante replied fiercely, squeezing her hand. "And if they aren't enough, I'll move heaven and earth to find someone who is. You aren't leaving me again, Elena. Not now. Not ever."
Elena managed a weak, heartbreaking smile. "You haven't changed at all. Still think you can bully death itself."
"I buried an empty box once because I thought you were gone," Dante said, his voice dropping to a raw, ragged whisper. "I spent seven years living in a graveyard. I’m not letting you go back there."
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Suddenly, the secure intercom on the wall buzzed.
Nico’s voice crackled through the speaker: "Boss. We have a problem. Salvatore didn't sign everything over. There’s a hidden ledger. And it mentions someone inside your own organization."
