Chapter 5 - THE NEGOTIATION
The following morning, the estate was a fortress. Armed guards patrolled the gardens in tactical gear, and black SUVs blocked the main gates. Inside, the tension was suffocating.
Julian summoned Claire to his private office. It was a massive room lined with rare books, smelling of expensive leather and gun oil. He was pouring a glass of scotch, despite it barely being 10:00 AM.
“I am transferring two million dollars into a secure offshore account in your name,” Julian said without looking at her. “My men will escort you and Rosie to a private airstrip. You’ll be flown to a secure compound in Switzerland until the violence here is resolved. You can start a new life. You never have to worry about money again.”
Claire stared at him. “You’re firing me?”
Julian slammed the glass down on his desk. “I am trying to keep you alive! The men who attacked this house last night belong to the Moretti syndicate. They are animals. They know you fought back. They know you protect my children. That makes you a target, Claire. I won’t let innocent blood spill in my house.”
“I’m not leaving,” Claire said, crossing her arms.
Julian crossed the room in three long strides, stopping inches from her face. His physical presence was overwhelming, radiating heat and dominance. “This isn’t a negotiation, Ms. Beaumont. You are a civilian. You are a mother. You take your daughter and you run.”
“No,” Claire shot back, tilting her chin up to meet his furious gaze. “My daughter is currently in the kitchen eating waffles with your sons, who are terrified that the only stable adult they’ve had in a year is going to abandon them. I don’t run, Julian. I’ve run from poverty, I’ve run from bad landlords, and I’ve run from fear my whole life. I am not running anymore.”
Julian’s eyes darkened, dropping briefly to her lips before snapping back to her eyes. The air between them suddenly crackled with a totally different kind of electricity. It wasn’t just anger anymore. It was raw, volatile chemistry.
“You have no idea what you’re choosing,” he whispered, his voice rough.
“I’m choosing my job,” Claire said, her heart hammering against her ribs. “And I’m choosing those boys.”
May you like
Julian stared at her for a long, heavy moment. Slowly, he reached out, his thumb brushing a stray curl behind her ear. The touch was agonizingly gentle for a man who had killed someone in front of her hours prior.
“Then God help you, Claire. Because if you stay, I will burn this city to ash to keep you safe.”
