THE MAFIA BOSS WATCHED ME PULL HIS NINE-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER'S SHOES OUT OF THE TRASH DURING HIS ENGAGEMENT DINNER—THEN HIS FIANCÉE SAID, “SHE THREW THEM AWAY HERSELF,” BEFORE HE EVEN ASKED WHY THE LITTLE GIRL WAS HIDING BAREFOOT BENEATH THE STAIRCASE.** "Put those back, Sophie."

The Chief of Police leveled his shotgun at Luca’s chest.

"End of the line, Moretti," the Chief said, spitting a toothpick onto the dirt floor.

I stood frozen. The man sworn to protect the city was acting as Carmine’s personal hitman.

"How much did my uncle pay you, Chief?" Luca asked, his voice weak but laced with venom.

"Enough to buy a private island," the Chief smirked. "Hand over the ledger and the kid. I’ll make sure you don't suffer."

"No!" Amelia screamed, standing in front of her father with her fists clenched. "Leave my dad alone!"

"Quiet, brat," the Chief snarled, stepping forward.

Answer one: Carmine’s corruption went all the way to the top of the police force.

Open two: If the police were dirty, who could we possibly give the ledger to?

The Chief reached out to grab Amelia.

I didn't think. I reacted purely on instinct.

I threw the rusted iron fireplace poker directly at his face.

It wasn't a lethal throw, but it struck him hard across the bridge of his nose. The Chief cursed, stumbling backward, his shotgun firing a blast into the ceiling.

Wood splinters rained down on us.

Luca, despite the blood loss, used the distraction. He swept his good leg out, catching the Chief behind the knees. The massive man crashed to the floor.

I dove for the shotgun, but the Chief backhanded me across the face, sending me sprawling into the wall. My vision went white for a second.

He climbed to his feet, blood pouring from his broken nose, pointing a sidearm directly at my head.

"Big mistake, maid," he hissed.

"Drop it, Chief."

A new voice echoed from the doorway.

We all turned.

Standing there was a man in a sharp federal suit, holding a badge in one hand and a Glock in the other. Behind him were six heavily armed FBI SWAT agents.

"Agent Miller," Luca breathed out, a faint smile touching his lips.

Reversal. Luca hadn't just been waiting in the cabin to die. The burner phone he threw out of the car window wasn't his only line of communication. He had planted a GPS tracker in the ledger itself, broadcasting directly to the one clean federal agent he trusted.

"Put the gun down, Chief," Agent Miller ordered. "You're under arrest for corruption, racketeering, and attempted murder."

The Chief hesitated, weighing his odds. Six lasers were pointed at his chest.

He slowly lowered his weapon and dropped to his knees. The FBI swarmed him, slapping handcuffs on his wrists.

Agent Miller walked over to Luca, kneeling beside him. "You look like hell, Luca."

"I've had better engagement parties," Luca coughed.

Paramedics rushed into the cabin, immediately tending to Luca's wounds. They loaded him onto a stretcher.

Amelia refused to let go of his hand.

"I'm coming with you, Daddy," she cried.

"You're going with Sophie, baby," Luca said gently, looking at me. "Agent Miller will take you both to a secure federal location. You'll be perfectly safe."

"I have the ledger," I said, holding out the flash drive to the agent.

Miller took it, nodding respectfully. "This is the nail in Carmine’s coffin. We have teams raiding his properties right now. It's over."

We were taken to a highly secure hotel in the city, surrounded by federal agents. For two days, we didn't leave the suite. I bathed Amelia, brushed her hair, and held her while she slept.

On the third morning, a knock came at the door.

Agent Miller stepped inside. He looked exhausted but triumphant.

"Carmine is in custody," Miller announced. "No bail. The ledger gave us enough to put him away for three lifetimes."

I let out a breath I felt like I had been holding for days.

"What about Vanessa?" I asked.

"Arrested at the airport trying to board a flight to Switzerland," Miller smirked. "She's singing like a canary to cut a deal."

"And Luca?" Amelia asked eagerly.

Miller smiled. "Your dad is out of surgery. He's asking for both of you."

We were rushed to the hospital under heavy guard.

When we walked into the private recovery room, Luca was sitting up in bed. He looked pale, but the dangerous, commanding aura of the mafia boss had returned.

"Daddy!" Amelia ran to the bed, burying her face in his good shoulder.

Luca closed his eyes, holding her tight, breathing in the scent of her hair.

He looked over her head at me.

"You kept her safe," Luca said, his voice thick with emotion. "You kept your promise."

"We kept each other safe," I said softly.

Luca gently pushed Amelia back so he could look at her. "Sweetheart, I need to talk to Sophie alone for a minute. Can you show Agent Miller that drawing you made?"

Amelia nodded and skipped out of the room.

The door clicked shut.

Luca’s expression turned serious.

"Carmine is gone," Luca said. "The corruption is purged. The business is going completely legitimate. The violence is over."

"I'm glad," I said, genuinely relieved. "You can finally give Amelia the life Caroline wanted for her."

"I intend to," Luca said.

He reached over to his bedside table and picked up a small velvet box.

"I have a question for you, Sophie," Luca said, his dark eyes locking onto mine.

I froze. My heart began to race.

"When we go back home," Luca continued, his voice steady and sincere, "I don't want you to return as a maid."

He opened the box.