Page 89 of Charity's Redemption

“Have you spoken to him?” Charity asked.

“Yes. I was there when they questioned him. He’s in good spirits and doesn’t seem concerned in the least.”

“Did he tell you about her?”

Nico glanced back at me. “He did. He came clean about their relationship. She’s there for him and no one else. She doesn’t leave the apartment, and if she needs anything, he provides it in the house.”

“So she’s a slave…” Charity said.

“Without using those terms, yes.”

“So he’s confident she won’t turn on him?”

“It would appear that way.”

Charity sat back in her seat, her lips parted as she relaxed. Then she tipped her gaze towards mine, clashing in the silent room.

“What did you and my dad talk about?”

I opened my mouth, ready to speak when Nico interrupted.

“Wait, there is something else you need to know,” Nico said, leaning forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his knees.

“What is that?”

“The evidence her father stole and the DNA I had Adelaide scrub from the system got flagged. The IT department called Internal Affairs into the precinct. Everyone and their mother is being investigated.”

I pinched my fingers together in a steeple and placed them on my lips.

“What does that mean?”

“It means your father is at risk.”

Charity’s wide eyes wandered the room as though she floundered and tried finding her way to the surface. Panic set in as her chest rose and fell with staccato breaths.

“Way to go, brother. What a way to keep putting it on her.” I leaned over and dug my fingers into her thighs. If she wouldn’t come back to us with conversation, then at least let the pain drag her back to the present. “This was why your father asked for a meeting today,amore.”

She pulled in a deep breath, her gaze crashing with mine. “What? He knew about this and didn’t tell me?”

“He wanted to make sure none of this blew back on you.”

She scoffed. “He met you… to protect me?”

“Among other things.”

I really didn’t want to have this conversation with her, especially when she’d had two major blows in a row. It would be better if she was calm and receptive, but she wouldn’t let it go now.

“Like?”

“He wants to be part of your life, Charity. Even if that means fraternizing with the Mafia. He’s not willing to give up his daughter.”

Her brows pinched together as she closed her eyes, her finger resting under her nose.

“Are you okay?”

“Fit as a violin.”

A smile pulled at my lips as I stood, then poured her a glass of whiskey and handed it to her. “Fiddle,amore.”

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