Chapter 18 - Balancing the Books
The storm outside the Moretti Tower had reached its crescendo, casting blinding flashes of lightning across the Chicago skyline followed by deafening cracks of thunder that rattled the glass panes of the penthouse. Inside the private study, the air was deadly still.
Roman closed the manila folder with a slow, deliberate snap. The paper rustled loudly in the quiet room. He didn't raise his voice, but every muscle in his frame was coiled like a steel spring ready to release catastrophic force.
“Matteo and Santino are scheduled to attend the quarterly fiscal review at the downtown offices tomorrow morning at nine,” Roman said, his tone flat, calm, and utterly chilling. “They thought they were securing their retirement by cutting a backroom deal with Sterling and Pendelton. They didn't realize the ledger never lies.”
“Roman, what are you going to do?” I asked, stepping forward, my hand resting gently on his forearm. His skin felt like hot iron beneath my palm.
“I’m going to do what my father taught me,” Roman replied, turning his gaze down to meet mine, the fierce, protective warmth returning to his dark eyes as he looked at me. “I’m going to balance the books. Permanently.”
He reached out, pulling me into his arms, wrapping his strong, steady frame around me as if shielding me from the entire world.
“You did the right thing bringing this to me, Harper,” he murmured against my hair, the thunder crashing outside as the rain washed over the city. “The past is dead. And tomorrow morning, we bury the people who killed it.”
May you like
I closed my eyes, resting my head against his chest, listening to the steady, powerful rhythm of his heartbeat. The secrets were out. The illusion of a peaceful, untroubled kingdom was gone, replaced by the harsh, unvarnished reality of our world. But as Roman held me tight against the storm, I knew one thing with absolute certainty: whatever came next, whatever battles were fought in the boardrooms or the streets of Chicago, we would face them together.
The books were open. And the final audit had begun.
