Not because he ordered her.

Because her apartment door had been destroyed.

She stood at the windows overlooking Chicago.

Dante approached with two glasses of water.

“No wine?”

“You've had a difficult evening.”

“That's never stopped rich people downstairs.”

He handed her a glass.

She noticed his tattoo again.

“You didn't have that five years ago.”

He looked at his hand.

“No.”

“What does it mean?”

The black-and-gray design incorporated a rose, a broken clock, and Roman numerals.

“The clock stopped at 2:17.”

“When your father died?”

He nodded.

“And the rose?”

His eyes lifted to hers.

Rosa understood.

“Oh.”

“I was twenty-five and dramatic.”

“You're still dramatic. You declared your love in a restaurant.”

“Fair.”

Her smile faded.

“Why did you really stay away?”

Dante took a long moment.

“Because becoming my father scared me less than becoming the reason you got hurt.”

“And tonight?”

“Tonight proved staying away didn't protect you.”

Rosa looked outside.

“You don't get another five years.”

“I don't want them.”

A phone rang.

Not Dante's.

Rosa checked hers.

Unknown number.

She answered.

“Hello?”

Victor Hargrove's voice came through.

“You've made this unnecessarily complicated.”

Dante immediately moved closer.

Rosa put the call on speaker.

“You forged my signature.”

Victor laughed softly.

“Careful with accusations.”

“You stole my deed.”

“Again. Careful.”

Dante's eyes hardened.

Victor continued.

“Sell the property tomorrow. Ten million.”

Rosa looked at Dante.

He shook his head—not telling her what to do, but warning her.

Rosa answered.

“Twenty.”

Dante's eyebrows rose.

Victor went silent.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

“You think that building is worth twenty million?”

“No. But apparently avoiding whatever you've already promised your investors is.”

Silence.

Dante smiled slowly.

Victor's voice changed.

“Eleven.”

“Twenty.”

“Thirteen.”

“Twenty.”

“You're a waitress.”

“And you're negotiating with me.”

Dante covered his mouth to hide his reaction.

Victor snapped, “Fifteen.”

“No.”

“What do you want?”

Rosa's expression became cold.

“I want you to admit what you did.”

Victor laughed.

“Good night, Rosa.”

“Wait.”

He paused.

“You forged the paperwork because you needed control before Friday.”

Dante suddenly understood what she was doing.

“Who told you that?”

Rosa smiled.

“Nobody.”

Victor had answered too quickly.

She continued.

“Friday must matter.”

Victor disconnected.

Dante stared at her.

“You baited him.”

“I serve wealthy men for a living. Most of them can't resist correcting someone.”

Dante laughed.

A genuine laugh.

Rosa hadn't heard it in years.

Then his phone buzzed.

Marco sent a message.

Dante read it aloud.

“Hargrove Development has a financing deadline Friday at noon. Without your property, the project collapses.”

Rosa slowly sat down.

“So that's why.”

“Yes.”

“What happens now?”

“We go to the authorities with Leonard's statement and the forged document.”

“And Victor?”

“He loses his leverage.”

Rosa studied Dante.

“You could destroy him another way.”

“Yes.”

“Will you?”

Dante looked at her.

“Which way do you want?”

For the first time, he was asking.

Not deciding.

Rosa answered immediately.

“The legal way.”

Dante nodded.

“Then that's what we'll do.”