Later that night, Dante sat alone, reading a thin manila folder. It was Clara’s background check. He demanded to know everything about the people in his house.

He read about her father leaving when she was ten. He read about her mother's passing. He read about her younger brother, Leo, who had cerebral palsy, and the staggering medical debts that had forced Clara to drop out of nursing school.

But it was the police report that caught his eye. Three years ago, Clara had been arrested for embezzling from a luxury hotel. She had served six months in a county jail.

Dante frowned. It didn't fit. The woman who held his daughter like a lifeline wasn't a thief.

He tapped his earpiece, calling his hacker. "Look into Clara Hayes's arrest record. Dig deeper."

Ten minutes later, the answer came. Her ex-boyfriend, a gambling addict, had stolen the money. He had threatened to hurt Clara's disabled brother if she didn't take the fall.

Dante closed the folder. Clara had sacrificed her future, her freedom, and her reputation for the people she loved. She possessed more loyalty in her little finger than the hardened criminals in his syndicate. He realized then that he wasn't just grateful to her. He was captivated.