Chapter 9 - The New Ledger
Two weeks later.
The November sun was low and pale over the lake, casting long, thin shadows across the stone terrace of the Reyes estate.
Dominic stood near the balustrade, wearing a gray cashmere sweater and dark trousers. His color had returned; his shoulder had healed enough for him to discard his sling, though he still moved with a slight, careful stiffness.
A black Mercedes stood idling near the front portico.
Nora walked out of the house, carrying a single small leather suitcase. She wore a dark blue coat, her hair pinned neatly into her usual knot, her posture straight and proud.
She stopped beside Dominic at the terrace railing.
"The hospital called this morning," she said, looking out over the gray water. "Lucia’s counts are up. The doctor says she can come home by the end of the month."
"Good," Dominic said. "The apartment in Lincoln Park is ready. The lease is under her name. The rent is paid for ten years."
Nora turned to look at him. "You didn't have to do that."
"I do what I choose to do, Nora," Dominic said softly. "It’s not a debt. It’s an investment."
She let out a short, faint smile—the first true smile he had ever seen on her face. It transformed her entire appearance, softening the hard lines around her mouth and making her brown eyes shine with a warmth that startled him.
"You're still an arrogant man, Mr. Reyes," she said.
"And you're no longer my housekeeper," he replied.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, dark red leather book—brand new, with clean gold edges and a silver pen tucked into the spine.
He held it out to her.
Nora frowned slightly. "What’s this?"
"My father kept a ledger of debts," Dominic said, his gray eyes fixing on hers with an intensity that made her breath catch. "I am starting a new one. I need someone who knows how to keep accurate records."
Nora looked down at the red book, then up at his face. "What kind of records?"
"The names of the men who run the five families," Dominic said calmly. "The ones who think they can buy union gates and shoot men in the dark. I intend to clean this city, Nora. But I can't do it alone."
Nora stared at him for a long, silent moment. The wind blew a dark strand of hair across her cheek. She reached out, her large, strong fingers wrapping around the red leather book, taking it from his hand.
"How much does the job pay?" she asked, her voice flat and practical.
May you like
Dominic smiled—a real, dark, genuine smile that reached his slate-gray eyes.
"Whatever you want," he said.
