Chapter 74 Options
Sage's POV
"I'm suggesting we at least hear him out and see what information he has before we make any final decisions." I sat back down because my legs were shaking too much to keep standing. "Let him show us what he's got and then we can decide if it's worth pursuing or not."
Ryder and Jaxon exchanged a look that told me they both thought I was making a huge mistake, but neither of them argued when I stood up and walked back toward the office where Dante was waiting.
I opened the door and found him sitting exactly where I left him with that same infuriating smile on his face.
"Welcome back. I was starting to think you weren't coming."
"You've got twenty-two minutes left and I want to see the evidence you claim to have about my father's murder." I sat down across from him and folded my hands on the desk. "Show me what you've got."
"Straight to business again. I really do like that about you." He pulled out a file folder from inside his jacket and put it on the desk. "This contains everything I've gathered over the past year about Vincent's activities leading up to his death. Phone records, bank statements, copies of threatening letters he received. All of it pointing to someone inside the Steel Wolves who had access to his private information."
I opened the folder and started reading through the documents while my heart hammered in my chest. The threatening letters were just like the same ones I'd found in Dad's office, which meant Dante was telling the truth about at least part of his story.
"Where did you get these?"
"I still have friends in the club who owe me favors and who were willing to share information if I asked nicely." He leaned back in his chair. "The important thing is what they reveal about Vincent's state of mind in the weeks before he died. He was paranoid and scared and making desperate deals to protect you from someone who was using you as leverage against him."
"Do you know who that someone was?"
"I have a pretty good idea based on the phone records and the pattern of contacts Vincent made during that time period." He pulled out another sheet of paper and slid it across the desk. "This is a list of the five people who had access to Vincent's schedule and private communications. One of them is your father's killer and I'm about ninety percent sure I know which one it is."
I looked down at the list and felt my stomach drop when I saw the names written there. Jaxon. Ryder. Diesel. Marcus. Dr. Martinez.
"You think one of these five people killed my father?"
"I know one of them did because the evidence all points in that direction. The question is whether you're willing to do what it takes to find out which one." He stood up and walked around the desk until he was standing beside me. "Marry me and I'll give you everything I have including the name of the person I think pulled the trigger. Refuse and you'll spend the rest of your life wondering if you made the right choice."
I looked up at him and saw something in his eyes that I couldn't quite read. It might have been genuine concern or it might have been calculated manipulation designed to make me trust him.
Either way, I was running out of time to decide.
"I need more than just your word that you'll protect me and give me answers. I need proof that you can actually deliver on what you're promising." I stood up so we were face to face. "Give me the name right now. Tell me who you think killed my father and then I'll consider your offer."
"That's not how this works. I give you the name after you agree to marry me, not before."
"Then we don't have a deal because I'm not agreeing to anything based on promises and maybes." I moved toward the door. "Thanks for the information but I'll figure out who killed Dad on my own."
"Wait." His hand caught my arm and I immediately reached for the knife in my boot. "Don't touch me or I'll cut you."
He released me immediately and held up his hands. "Sorry, I just need you to understand something before you walk out of here and make a decision you can't take back."
"What?"
"Diego doesn't just want to marry you for federal protection and connections. He wants to marry you because once you're his wife, he can legally control every aspect of your life including where you go and who you see and what you do with your time." Dante's expression was serious. "If you marry Diego, you'll be giving up every freedom you have in exchange for his protection."
"And marrying you would be different?"
"Yes, because I don't want to control you or own you. I just want a wife who understands the world we live in and who can handle the dangers that come with being connected to someone like me." He moved closer but didn't try to touch me again. "I'm offering you a partnership based on mutual respect and survival. Diego is offering you a cage with bars made of contracts and obligations."
I wanted to believe him but the problem was that I'd heard similar promises from men before and they always ended up being lies designed to manipulate me into doing what they wanted.
"I'll think about your offer but I'm not making any promises right now."
"That's all I'm asking. Just think about it and remember that the clock is ticking on Diego's deadline." He checked his watch. "Our hour is almost up. Do you have any other questions before I go?"
"Just one. If I refuse both you and Diego, if I decide to run away and leave all this behind, would you try to stop me?"
Dante smiled and it was the saddest smile I'd ever seen. "No, I wouldn't try to stop you because I'm not in the business of forcing women to be with me against their will. But I would tell you that running doesn't solve the problem and it doesn't keep you safe from people who have the resources to find you anywhere in the world."
"So you're saying running is pointless?"
"I'm saying running delays the inevitable but it doesn't prevent it." He moved to the door and paused with his hand on the knob. "Think about my offer, Sage. Really think about whether marrying me is worse than marrying Diego or spending the rest of your life looking over your shoulder waiting for someone to catch up with you."
He walked out before I could respond and I stood there in the empty office trying to process everything that just happened.
I had no idea what the hell I was supposed to do about any of it.