Chapter 4 - Shadows in the Hamptons
By afternoon, the atmosphere inside the Starks estate was thick with suppressed violence. Armed guards patrolled the perimeter fences in tactical gear, and black SUVs shadowed every road leading to the property.
Upstairs in the nursery, Lily and Rose were finally playing with blocks, their laughter sounding lighter, clearer, free of the haunting shadows that had plagued them for weeks.
Veronica sat in the rocking chair by the window, watching them with a soft smile. But her mind was racing. The data she had pulled from the bug didn't just point to a local relay; it pointed to a sophisticated digital footprint that belonged to someone with deep administrative clearance inside the Starks organization.
Susan couldn't have executed this alone. She needed someone on the inside to bypass the security scanners when the teddy bear was brought in.
A soft knock sounded at the door.
Rory stepped into the room. He had changed into a dark tailored shirt, the sleeves rolled up to reveal the dense ink on his forearms. He looked exhausted, the strain of protecting his empire and his children carving deep lines around his eyes.
“How are they?” he asked softly, keeping his voice down so as not to disturb the girls.
“They asked why the teddy bear went away,” Veronica said, standing up to meet him. “I told them it had a tummy ache and had to go to the hospital.”
A faint, tired smile touched the corners of Rory’s mouth. “You’re good with them.”
“I told you, I used to work in pediatrics. Children know when you’re lying to them, but they also know when you’re trying to keep them safe.” She paused, lowering her voice. “Did Leo find anything at the relay station?”
Rory’s expression hardened. He walked over to the window, looking out toward the crashing Atlantic waves.
“The relay was set up in an abandoned beach house owned by a shell company,” Rory said grimly. “By the time Leo’s men breached the property, it was empty. But they found a computer terminal running an automated script. And a calling card.”
“What kind of card?”
“A Moretti crest carved into the wooden desk,” Rory turned to face her, his eyes burning with cold fury. “Vincent Moretti is signaling that he’s coming for everything I love.”
“It’s too neat,” Veronica countered instantly, stepping closer.
Rory raised an eyebrow. “Too neat?”
“Think about it,” Veronica said, her analytical nursing mind taking over. “If Vincent Moretti wanted to provoke a war, why leave a clumsy carving on a desk? Why leave an automated script that’s easy to trace? It feels like a distraction. Someone wants you looking outward at the Morettis while the real leak operates inside this house.”
Rory stared at her, utterly transfixed. The intelligence, the sharp intuition, the absolute fearlessness in her eyes—it struck him with the force of a physical blow.
“You have a brilliant mind, Veronica Cruz,” Rory murmured, closing the distance between them until she could feel the heat radiating from his chest. “Most people in your position would be packing their bags and begging for a ticket out of New York. You’re standing here dissecting my syndicate’s security flaws.”
May you like
Veronica’s breath hitched slightly. The air between them suddenly felt charged, heavy with an electric, undeniable tension. She looked up into his stormy eyes, realizing how easy it would be to drown in the dark gravity of a man like Rory Starks.
“I’m not easily scared,” she whispered.
