Chapter 7 - The Safehouse in the Woods
The car drove two hours north into the deep pine forests of New Hampshire, pulling up to a secluded stone estate hidden behind heavy iron gates and high security fences.
The house was built like a fortress—thick stone walls, bulletproof glass, and an array of security cameras monitoring the perimeter.
"This is my grandfather's house," Jack explained as he guided me into the warm, timber-lined living room where a roaring fire was already burning in a massive stone fireplace. "No one knows this property exists except Marcus and Gabriel."
Marcus brought in two mugs of hot tea, leaving us alone in the quiet room.
I sat on the soft leather sofa near the hearth, clutching the warm mug in my hands, still processing the reality that someone had just tried to kill us with a sniper rifle on the forty-second floor of a Boston skyscraper.
Jack stood by the window, staring out into the dark forest, his hand resting on the grip of his holstered gun.
"It was Dominic Moretti," I said quietly.
Jack turned around slowly. "What?"
"The sniper attack," I said, leaning forward. "Moretti’s financial assets were frozen by federal auditors yesterday morning because of the tax discrepancies I flagged in my report last week. He realized you were using legitimate legal channels to systematically bankrupt his faction without firing a single shot. He was cornered."
Jack walked over to the sofa, sitting down beside me, his long frame sinking into the leather.
"You're too smart for your own good, Emily," Jack murmured softly, reaching out to gently touch a tiny scratch near my hairline caused by the flying glass. "You were supposed to be safe in that office. I brought you into my company to build a clean future, and instead I almost got you killed."
I looked into his eyes—eyes that were usually so guarded, so cold, now filled with an overwhelming tenderness and regret that made my heart ache.
"I chose to stay, Jack," I whispered, leaning into his hand as his thumb gently stroked my cheek. "I knew who you were when I signed that contract."
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"You didn't know everything," Jack whispered back, his face moving closer to mine, his breath warm against my lips. "You didn't know that from the moment you handed me that turkey sandwich in the lobby, I knew my life was never going to be the same."
Before I could answer, Jack leaned in and pressed his lips to mine in a deep, desperate kiss that swept away every remaining shred of fear inside me.
