Chapter 4 - THE WOMAN WHO NEEDED HIM WEAK
Vincent waited until dinner.
Arya entered his room carrying nothing.
She had changed into a black dress.
No engagement ring.
Vincent noticed immediately.
“Where is it?”
She looked at her hand.
Then back.
“Being cleaned.”
“Try again.”
Her jaw tightened.
“I took it off.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m tired.”
Vincent stared.
“Of jewelry?”
“Of this.”
She gestured around the room.
The medical bed.
Transfer board.
Wheelchair.
Medication table.
Him.
There it was.
Finally honest enough to hurt.
Vincent said:
“Sit.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Then stand.”
Her eyes flashed.
“I am not one of your men.”
“No.”
His voice stayed quiet.
“My men show up.”
She flinched.
Good.
Then Vincent placed copies of the medication records on his lap.
Arya’s face changed.
“What is that?”
“You tell me.”
She stared.
Vincent continued.
“Dr. Lemmon sent your assistant weekly updates.”
Silence.
“Why?”
“I was worried.”
“About what?”
“Your health.”
“Then why didn’t you come to therapy?”
“I had things to do.”
“Why pay him through Dominic?”
Her face went pale.
Vincent knew.
She knew he knew.
“Dominic handled it.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
Arya looked away.
Vincent’s voice dropped.
“Did you ask Lemmon to keep me sedated?”
“No.”
“Did you tell him I was becoming agitated?”
“Yes.”
“Was I?”
“You were angry.”
“I was paralyzed.”
“You threatened a nurse.”
Vincent stopped.
“When?”
“Month two.”
He remembered.
A nurse tried moving his leg without warning.
He had grabbed her wrist.
Immediately released.
Apologized later.
Ugly.
But real.
Arya continued.
“You weren’t stable.”
“Then why hide the payments?”
“Because you reject anything Dominic suggests.”
“Why steal the red portfolio?”
Silence.
There.
Arya closed her eyes.
“I didn’t steal it.”
“You took it.”
“I moved it.”
“To where?”
“Dominic.”
“Why?”
“Because Harbor Point has to close.”
Vincent stared.
“Why?”
“Because there’s no money.”
That surprised him.
“What?”
Arya laughed bitterly.
“You have no idea what’s happening downstairs.”
“Then tell me.”
“The organization is bleeding.”
“From what?”
“Legal fees.”
“Security.”
“Medical.”
“Three construction projects stalled.”
“Federal scrutiny after the shooting.”
Vincent frowned.
He knew finances were weaker.
Not catastrophic.
Unless—
“Dominic is hiding losses.”
Arya did not answer.
Vincent’s face hardened.
“How much?”
“Forty million.”
He stared.
“Where?”
“Atlantic Towers.”
“That project was profitable.”
“It isn’t.”
“Why?”
“Dominic borrowed against it.”
“For what?”
Arya’s eyes filled.
“To cover debts.”
“What debts?”
“His.”
Vincent felt everything settle.
Dominic gambling?
Investments?
Skimming?
“Explain.”
“He made bets on commercial real estate.”
“How much?”
“Almost thirty million.”
Vincent closed his eyes.
Idiot.
Then opened.
“And Harbor Point?”
“He needs the sale.”
“To refill company accounts.”
“Yes.”
“Bellmont?”
“Serrano brings cash quickly.”
Vincent stared.
“So you helped.”
Arya’s face collapsed.
“I thought if the organization failed, everything failed.”
“Everything meaning?”
“Us.”
Vincent laughed.
“You haven’t been part of us in months.”
She looked hurt.
“That isn’t fair.”
“No?”
“I stayed.”
“You slept forty feet away.”
“I stayed in this house.”
“Because you loved me?”
Silence.
Vincent’s throat tightened.
“Say it.”
Arya looked down.
“At first.”
There.
“At first?”
“The first two months.”
“And then?”
“I couldn’t…”
She stopped.
“Couldn’t what?”
“Look at you.”
No scream.
No explosion.
The words hurt too cleanly.
Arya began crying.
“I tried.”
Vincent looked toward his legs.
“You were disgusted.”
“No.”
“Afraid?”
“Yes.”
“Of me?”
“Of this becoming my whole life.”
Honest.
Terrible.
Human.
Vincent nodded slowly.
“You should have left.”
“I couldn’t.”
“Why?”
She laughed through tears.
“Do you know what people would say?”
Vincent stared.
“You stayed because leaving a paralyzed fiancé looked bad.”
“Partly.”
His chest hurt.
“Anything else?”
“My family.”
“The alliance.”
“Yes.”
There it was.
The engagement had become a business structure.
Then Arya said:
“And Dominic.”
Vincent’s eyes changed.
“What about him?”
She looked away.
“How long?”
Silence.
“Arya.”
“Four months.”
Vincent closed his eyes.
No shock.
Some part already knew.
He opened them.
“You slept with my cousin while helping him take control.”
“Yes.”
Not excuses now.
Good.
“Did Dominic arrange the shooting?”
Her head snapped up.
“No.”
Too fast?
Maybe truth.
“Did you?”
“No!”
Real horror.
Vincent watched.
She continued.
“I swear.”
“Who did?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did Dominic know it was coming?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Think.”
“He was with me at dinner when you were shot.”
Alibi for trigger, not planning.
Vincent nodded.
“Did he ever talk about what happens if I don’t recover?”
Arya looked sick.
“Yes.”
“What?”
“He said the family needs someone who can be physically present.”
Vincent almost smiled.
“Convenient.”
“I told him you were still boss.”
“For how long?”
She cried.
“Until I stopped believing you were coming back.”
The phrase hurt.
Coming back.
As if Vincent had gone somewhere.
He was right here.
“I never left.”
Arya looked at him.
“I know that now.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“You know because I caught you.”
She had no answer.
Vincent pressed the call button.
Frank entered.
Arya’s face went pale.
“What are you doing?”
“Ending this.”
“Vincent.”
“The engagement is over.”
She closed her eyes.
“Okay.”
“You’ll leave tonight.”
“Where?”
“Your family has houses.”
She nodded.
“And Dominic?”
“He doesn’t know yet.”
Vincent’s voice hardened.
“Do not call him.”
Arya stared.
“Why?”
“Because I want to know what he does when he thinks you’re still helping.”
Frank understood.
Arya looked frightened.
“Vincent.”
“I’m not going to hurt him.”
She stared.
That might be the first thing she truly doubted.
“I mean it.”
Vincent looked at Frank.
“She leaves safely.”
Arya stood.
Then stopped near the door.
“Did you ever love me?”
Vincent considered.
“Not enough.”
Her eyes filled.
He continued.
“And you loved the man I was.”
She whispered:
“Yes.”
“Not the one in the bed.”
Silence.
Then:
“I’m sorry.”
Vincent looked away.
“So am I.”
She left.
Tessa came in twenty minutes later to turn him.
She immediately noticed.
“Where’s Ms. Arya?”
“Gone.”
“Gone where?”
“Out.”
Tessa studied him.
“You look terrible.”
“Thank you.”
She began preparing pillows.
He said:
“She was sleeping with Dominic.”
Tessa stopped.
“I’m sorry.”
Vincent stared at the ceiling.
“No pity.”
“That wasn’t pity.”
“What was it?”
“Sympathy.”
“Difference?”
“Pity looks down.”
She adjusted his shoulder.
“Sympathy sits next to you.”
Vincent looked at her.
That line entered somewhere too deep.
“Dominic stole money.”
“Your cousin?”
“Yes.”
“Your doctor was being paid.”
“Yes.”
“Arya helped.”
“Yes.”
Tessa sighed.
“Busy day.”
Vincent laughed.
Then winced.
She helped roll him.
As she checked his skin, Vincent asked:
“Would you leave someone if they became disabled?”
Tessa’s hands stopped.
“That’s not a fair question.”
“Why?”
“Because nobody knows who they are until it happens.”
He stared.
She continued.
“People leave for all kinds of reasons.”
“Would you?”
Tessa looked at him directly.
“If I stopped loving them, I’d leave.”
His jaw tightened.
“At least honest.”
“But I wouldn’t make them feel disgusting first.”
Silence.
That was the difference.
Tessa tucked the pillow beneath his ankle.
Then:
“And I wouldn’t steal their company.”
Vincent laughed again.
He looked at her.
“Your sister.”
Tessa’s face changed.
“What?”
“You still won’t tell me.”
“No.”
He nodded.
“I’m trying to learn boundaries.”
“Poorly.”
“Progress.”
She smiled faintly.
Then the bedroom door opened.
Dominic.
No knock.
His face looked irritated.
“Arya’s phone is off.”
Vincent stared.
“Interesting.”
Dominic looked around.
“Where is she?”
“Gone.”
The younger man froze.
“What did you do?”
Vincent smiled.
There.
Not:
What happened?
What did you do?
Possession.
Fear.
“Sit down, Dominic.”
His cousin did not.
Vincent looked at the folder in his hand.
Another contract.
Another attempt.
Then:
“I know about the thirty million.”
Dominic went completely still.
Vincent continued.
“I know about Serrano.”
Silence.
“Dr. Lemmon.”
Dominic’s face drained.
“And Arya.”
That one broke him.
Dominic looked toward Frank.
Then Tessa.
Vincent saw his eyes calculating.
Exit.
Witnesses.
Options.
“Everybody out.”
Vincent said.
Tessa stared.
“No.”
Dominic looked at her.
“What?”
Tessa crossed her arms.
“He shouldn’t be alone during evening repositioning.”
Dominic almost laughed.
Vincent looked at Tessa.
She was giving him cover.
A reason to stay.
He understood.
“Stay.”
Dominic’s jaw tightened.
Then Vincent said:
“Now tell me, cousin.”
May you like
His voice became colder.
“Did you put the bullet in my back?”
