Chapter 11 - The Daughter Nobody Claimed
Sofia was both.
That was Sebastian’s confession.
Biologically, she was Lorenzo Vale’s daughter.
But Sebastian had raised her from infancy.
“I loved her,” he said over the radio.
Dante answered coldly.
“You kidnapped her.”
“I saved her.”
“From what?”
“Victoria.”
Mara listened.
Every villain in this war believed he had been protecting someone.
Henry lied to protect Mara.
Evelyn vanished to protect Mara.
Lorenzo hid Adrian to protect Dante.
Adrian stayed dead to protect his family.
Sebastian stole Sofia to protect her.
Protection had become the favorite excuse of damaged people.
“Where is Victoria taking her?” Mara asked.
Sebastian hesitated.
“Crane Island.”
Dante looked at Adrian.
“You know it?”
“No.”
Sebastian answered.
“Private research station forty miles north.”
“Why?”
“Records.”
Mara frowned.
“What records?”
“North Crown’s master archive.”
Evelyn went pale.
“You said it was destroyed.”
“I lied.”
“Of course you did.”
Sebastian continued.
“Victoria keeps insurance against every politician, judge, officer, investor, and executive she owns.”
Dante understood.
“If we get that archive—”
“North Crown dies.”
Mara looked at the data module recovered from Belladonna.
“And this?”
Sebastian was silent.
“Answer.”
“Lorenzo’s copy of the master encryption key.”
Everything shifted.
They finally had the weapon.
But Victoria had Sofia.
Dante spoke.
“We trade.”
“No,” Sebastian said.
“She’ll kill Sofia after getting the key.”
“So what do you suggest?”
Sebastian’s voice lowered.
“We destroy everything.”
Adrian laughed.
“That’s been your answer for twenty-two years.”
“I was wrong.”
“Convenient.”
“I know.”
A long silence.
Then Sebastian said something nobody expected.
“I’ll surrender.”
Dante stared at the radio.
“What?”
“I’ll testify.”
Adrian looked suspicious.
Mara too.
Sebastian continued.
“I’ll give federal investigators everything I know.”
“Why now?”
“Because Victoria took my daughter.”
Dante’s voice hardened.
“She isn’t your daughter.”
Sebastian inhaled slowly.
“I changed her diapers.”
Dante said nothing.
“I sat beside her when she had pneumonia.”
Silence.
“I taught her to drive.”
Silence.
“I walked her into college.”
Sebastian’s voice cracked.
“Blood isn’t the only thing that makes a father.”
Mara looked at Henry.
He looked away.
Dante finally spoke.
“Meet us at Crane Island.”
They approached before dawn.
Crane Island looked abandoned.
Low concrete buildings.
Old radar tower.
Helipad.
No lights.
Too quiet.
Luca prepared a tactical team.
Adrian checked weapons.
Evelyn reviewed archive schematics Sebastian transmitted.
Mara stayed beside Dante.
He looked at her.
“You’re staying on the boat.”
“No.”
“Mara.”
“We’ve been over this.”
“This is different.”
“Everything keeps being different.”
He touched the ring.
“You know what I meant when I gave you this?”
“Protection.”
“More.”
Mara looked up.
Dante hesitated.
This man could order fleets.
Threaten boards.
Stand before guns.
Yet three words frightened him.
“I couldn’t explain it then.”
“Try now.”
He looked toward the island.
“Vale rings are given to family.”
Mara’s heartbeat changed.
“I figured that out.”
“My father gave mine to me when I turned eighteen.”
Dante touched her hand.
“I put it on you because I wanted every person in my world to understand you were untouchable.”
“Dante—”
“But I also wanted…”
He stopped.
Mara waited.
“I wanted you to belong somewhere nobody could take from you.”
Her throat tightened.
“I don’t need to belong to you.”
“I know.”
“Good.”
“I want you to choose me.”
Mara stared.
That was different.
Completely.
She touched his face.
“I might.”
Dante smiled faintly.
“Might?”
“Survive first.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She kissed him.
This time she asked with her eyes.
He answered.
No violence.
No desperation.
Just warmth.
Then gunfire erupted on the island.
They separated immediately.
“Romantic timing,” Mara muttered.
They went ashore.
Victoria’s guards occupied the archive facility.
Sebastian arrived from the opposite coast.
He met them near the entrance.
Dante nearly shot him.
Mara lowered Dante’s arm.
“Later.”
Sebastian looked at her.
“You really do control him.”
Dante said, “Keep talking and find out.”
They entered through a utility tunnel.
Evelyn led.
She had worked here once.
Mara realized just how deep her mother had gone into North Crown.
At the central archive room, they found Sofia.
Tied to a chair.
Alone.
Mara rushed forward.
“Wait!”
Dante shouted.
Too late.
Pressure sensor clicked beneath Mara’s foot.
A digital timer activated.
02:00.
Mara froze.
Sebastian went white.
“Bomb.”
Sofia struggled.
Dante approached slowly.
“Don’t move.”
Mara glared.
“Hadn’t planned on it.”
Adrian examined the wiring.
“Pressure release trigger.”
“If I lift my foot?”
“Detonates.”
“Can you disable it?”
Adrian looked.
“Maybe.”
“Comforting.”
Dante crouched.
“Look at me.”
Mara did.
“Don’t look at the timer.”
“Easy for you to say.”
“Look at me.”
She did.
Adrian cut one wire.
01:31.
Nothing.
Another.
01:04.
Sofia cried.
Sebastian tried reaching her.
Luca restrained him.
00:49.
Mara’s breathing accelerated.
Dante touched her hand.
“I’m here.”
00:30.
Adrian swore.
“Secondary circuit.”
00:21.
Mara whispered, “Dante.”
“I’m here.”
“If this goes—”
“No.”
“Listen.”
“No.”
“Dante.”
He looked at her.
She smiled faintly.
“I was starting to like you.”
His eyes filled with fury.
“That is a terrible confession.”
00:10.
Adrian ripped open the detonator housing.
00:08.
00:07.
00:06.
A gunshot exploded.
Adrian fell.
Mara screamed.
May you like
Victoria stood in the doorway holding a pistol.
00:05.
