Chapter 13 - The Secretary Who Stopped Being Afraid
Mercer demanded Caitlyn come alone.
Damian refused.
Caitlyn ignored him.
They argued for twenty minutes.
Finally Damian slammed his hand against the table.
“You are not walking into another trap.”
“And Madeline dies if I don’t.”
“She is Mercer’s daughter.”
“She is innocent.”
Damian stopped.
That sentence mattered.
Because years earlier, people had looked at Damian Hamilton and assumed the sins of his father belonged to him.
Caitlyn knew better.
So did he.
The meeting location was an abandoned train depot outside Albany.
Caitlyn wore a wire.
Federal agents surrounded the property.
Damian remained close enough to intervene.
Mercer stood beside Madeline.
A gun against his daughter’s side.
Caitlyn carried Noah’s notebook.
“Give her to me.”
“Notebook first.”
“You murdered my parents.”
Mercer smiled.
“Your father should have stayed an accountant.”
“You drugged Noah.”
“Harris handled that.”
“You ruined four lives.”
“No.”
Mercer’s expression hardened.
“I survived powerful men. Your father was simply too stupid to understand the rules.”
Caitlyn kept him talking.
Every word transmitted to federal agents.
“What rules?”
“Everyone has a price.”
“My father didn’t.”
“That’s why he died.”
Damian heard the confession through his earpiece.
His fists tightened.
Mercer continued.
“Damian pretends he’s different from Anthony. He isn’t.”
“You’re wrong.”
“Really?”
Mercer laughed.
“You think a monster becomes good because he kisses his secretary?”
Caitlyn stared at him.
“No.”
She took another step.
“A monster becomes better when he chooses differently even when nobody rewards him for it.”
Mercer’s smile vanished.
“You love him.”
Caitlyn did not answer.
She did not need to.
Mercer raised the gun.
Damian moved before anyone could stop him.
He entered the depot.
“Let them go.”
Mercer turned.
“There he is.”
Damian walked forward.
“No weapons.”
He opened his jacket.
Empty.
“Take me.”
Caitlyn’s heart pounded.
“Damian—”
“Quiet.”
She recognized the tone.
Boss voice.
But his eyes told her something else.
Trust me.
Mercer pushed Madeline aside and aimed at Damian.
“You destroyed everything.”
“No. Anthony did.”
“You helped.”
“Yes.”
Damian continued walking.
“And I spent years pretending I could clean blood with money.”
Another step.
“I was wrong.”
Mercer’s hand shook.
Damian stopped ten feet away.
“But Caitlyn taught me something.”
Mercer sneered.
“What?”
“That surviving isn’t the same as living.”
Then Noah’s voice suddenly came through Caitlyn’s hidden earpiece.
“Now.”
She dropped.
A sniper fired.
Mercer’s gun flew from his hand.
Damian tackled him.
Agents flooded the depot.
Madeline ran toward Caitlyn.
It was over within seconds.
Mercer screamed while agents handcuffed him.
“You think this changes anything?”
Damian stood over him.
“Yes.”
“How?”
Damian looked toward Caitlyn.
“It ends with us.”
Mercer was taken away.
Caitlyn ran to Damian.
“You came inside.”
“You went inside first.”
“I had a plan.”
“So did I.”
“Your plan was terrible.”
“It worked.”
She hit his chest.
Then hugged him.
Damian wrapped his arms around her.
“I love you,” Caitlyn whispered.
He froze.
She immediately regretted saying it there.
Then Damian pulled back.
“You choose now?”
She laughed nervously.
“Apparently.”
He stared at her.
“I have spent months trying not to say that first.”
“Why?”
“Because everything I love has historically been kidnapped, threatened or investigated.”
“That’s not romantic.”
“I told you I’m bad at this.”
She smiled.
“So say it.”
Damian touched her face.
“I love you.”
Behind them Vincent shouted:
“Finally!”
Everyone turned.
Vincent raised both hands.
“What? We’ve been waiting months.”
Even the federal agents laughed.
Damian looked ready to fire him again.
May you like
But Caitlyn kissed Damian before he could.
And for once, the dangerous Damian Hamilton did not care who was watching.
