Page 95 of Unspoken Obsession

His property is going to be swarming with law enforcement any minute and I don't want them to look at me too. Monroe's small crew of officers knew I was never here.

I have my closure, and now all that's left is to process it. To sit with my sadness and let it settle, so I can finally move on to better, happier things.

"Move out -- before the real cops get here," I shout to my crew.

The car doors slam, and black SUVs pull away in all directions so no one can follow them. We don't need to clean up today; the cops will tidy up the unholy mess we've made.

I go straight to the hotel because all I want to do is see Frankie and Damion.

I want to tell them they are safe and will never have to worry about Antonio Musetti again.

Frankie is waiting for me at the door when I walk into the room.

She rushes forward and slams into me.

"You're ok. I was so worried. I can't believe you are ok." She steps back and inspects me for damage.

She is crying when she looks up at me and my heart explodes with love for her. I pick her up and wrap her legs around my waist, holding her tighter than I've ever held her before.

"It's over, little fox. He's in jail. He will never get out."

Laughter bubbles from her. A manic release of all the tension she has been holding onto for years, while her father controlled and threatened her life. Damion is safe now and we can be together.

She leans back to grab my face in her hands and press her lips against mine.

"I love you." She blurts out. Then her cheeks turn red with embarrassment.

"I love you too, little fox. I love you more every moment I am with you."

FRANKIE

It's been eight weeks since they arrested my father. His lawyers told me he'd like to see me, but I declined his invitation. I admit I was still nervous, thinking that he might be released - that he might pay someone off and buy his freedom - but the detective who came to talk to me has reassured me it isn't possible - and the media is having a field day with his story. No one will touch him for fear that'll taint them; not even money can buy him out this time.

The media has leaked his entire life of crime and all the disgusting things he has been doing behind closed doors, and they are tearing him apart. Trial by social media, his closest 'friend' putting distance between themselves and him publicly denying any alliance. His world is being torn down brick by brick, and now he's the most hated man in the city and even if he got out, which he can't, he would have to flee and never come back because someone would take him out.

He doesn't stand a chance. Even inside I believe they will get to him, to make sure he can't throw any of them under the bus.

He lost his empire, and now he is just an old man in an orange jumpsuit.

I flick the television on and see him on the news as they were leading him from the courthouse back to the cells after his sentencing. He got fifteen consecutive life sentences with no chance of parole. There will be more — they're not done with him yet.

He looks broken and destroyed. His eyes are sunken, his pain visible in his sullen expression.

It gives me satisfaction to see him that way - the way he made so many people suffer - he deserves nothing less than to spend an eternity with only his own company. Stripped of the control he needed, now his every moment is controlled by someone else, it must be torture for him.

"They forced him to wait in absolute agony for three days before bringing in a doctor to operate on his knee. Monroe gave paracetamol for the pain. Nothing else." Dante chuckles, standing behind the sofa, watching the TV screen. "He won't be able to run away from anything ever again."

"I'm glad. After all the people he's made suffer, he deserves to be tortured," I say, not taking my eyes off the screen. I want to watch him being put into that car. I want to see the cuffs on his wrists. It is a reassurance that I need. My mind is still struggling to accept that everything is ok now. That he can't get to us. It will take time for years of trauma to heal, but we've started.

Even with my father locked away and his trial over - we are not out of danger. Dante is moving us into his penthouse later today because we have received threats from my father's allies. They are furious. All of his business connections are falling apart. Not only those involved in human trafficking - but everything else as well. They're scared, and being actively perused by the cops, they blame us.

"Dante, I was wondering about my father's casino. It is in my family name and I can claim it. The lawyers have been hounding me, I presume his associates want to protect their interests. I amhis only heir and instead of leaving his allies to fight over his empire - isn't there something I can do?" I'd burn it down if I could.

Dante looks at me in surprise. "Do you want to run a casino?" That was not what I meant, at all.

"I do not know. I've never thought it was where my life would go, but with your help, we could run it together. We could create a new family. I was just thinking about it last night." The emails keep coming and I cannot ignore them forever, eventually, some man in a suit will knock on the door. "His allies are furious about losing money with his business closed and the casino being the only asset not frozen by law enforcement. I can take over anything that I'm comfortable running -- close the rest. It might help keep the peace."

"It's not a bad idea. The people he was working with on the human trafficking -- they are ghosts. We think they've fled the city." He says, and I'm not surprised. The news has had a field day with this, crucifying everyone involved and naming names. Politicians, celebrities, and socialites from all over the globe are being shamed. "Three of his allies are scared he will testify against them for a reduced sentence. They are looking for support. He wasn't even offered that option, but at least those rats are out of business. The other allies that have stayed are linked to the casino and some illegal merchandise he was shipping, along with a money laundering business. They're clean in the trafficking case, but they are not good people. Just remember that if you take this one - you are running an underworld empire. It won't be easy." He means it won't be easy for a woman.

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