Chapter 7
The confession hung in the air, thick and undeniable. Colette had not only tried to cripple him, but she had actively sold the future of his empire to his greatest enemies. The Rossis wanted Julian out of the way, but they didn't want the chaotic bloodbath of an assassination. A tragic, crippling fall that left the boss incapacitated and his easily manipulated wife in charge was the perfect, bloodless coup.
"They promised me protection!" Colette cried, desperate to find some leverage in a room where she had none. "If you hurt me, Julian, they will know! They will use it as an excuse to start a war! You need me alive to tell them the deal is off!"
Julian let out a low, humorless breath that might have been a laugh. He picked up the new mahogany cane resting against his desk, studying the smooth, unblemished wood.
"Do you believe I fear a war with the Rossi family, Colette?" Julian asked, his deep voice resonating with an absolute, chilling authority. "Have I ever given you the impression that I negotiate with traitors to avoid a fight?"
Colette shivered. The luminous warmth of the room provided no comfort against the freezing reality of his words. "Julian, please. I was stupid. I was greedy. But I can help you! I know their timeline! I know who they have on their payroll inside your organization!"
"Are you under the illusion that you possess information my intelligence network has not already uncovered?" Julian asked. "Did you think you were the only rat I have been watching for the past six months?"
Colette stared at him in horror. He had known. He had suspected the Rossis were making a move, and he had let her play her hand just to see how far she would go. And she had walked right into his trap, dragging his son's innocence into it along the way.
"What are you going to do to me?" Colette asked, her voice entirely broken.
Julian stood up, leaning his weight onto the new cane. He walked slowly around the desk, his polished leather shoes making no sound on the thick rug. He stopped just a few feet away from her, looking down at the woman he had almost married.
"Will you enjoy the isolation of a federal witness protection program, Colette, or would you prefer I hand you directly back to the Rossis so you can explain your spectacular failure to them in person?" Julian asked softly.
May you like
Colette’s eyes widened in sheer panic. If the Rossis got hold of her after she failed and exposed them, they would torture her to death. "No! Please! Witness protection! I'll tell the feds everything! Just don't give me to them!"
"Will you sign a full confession detailing the Rossi family's involvement in this conspiracy before my men drop you at the FBI field office tonight?" Julian asked, sealing her fate with absolute finality.
