Chapter 14 - The First VossThe next six hours changed everything.
The city was under lockdown.
The FBI seized the ledger.
Victor disappeared.
Vivian was arrested.
Nolan vanished before questioning.
Adrian was taken to a secure hospital.
And Damen stood in the center of the storm.
Evelyn found him on the roof.
“Who is the first Voss?”
Damen didn't answer.
She stepped closer.
“You were afraid when my mother said his name.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
He looked across the skyline.
“My grandfather.”
Evelyn blinked.
“I thought your grandfather died.”
“He did.”
“Then…”
Damen turned.
“He died twenty-nine years ago.”
“But my mother said he isn't dead.”
“He isn't.”
“How?”
Damen's face tightened.
“He staged his death.”
Evelyn understood.
“The real king.”
“Yes.”
“Where is he?”
Damen looked at her.
“In prison.”
“What?”
“Federal prison.”
She stared.
“That makes no sense.”
“He built the Black Crown before the government even knew it existed.”
“And he has been running it from prison?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Money.”
“Threats.”
“People who owe him.”
Damen took out his phone.
A message had arrived.
Unknown number.
Bring Evelyn.
Then another.
Come alone.
Damen deleted it.
Evelyn shook her head.
“We're going.”
“No.”
“You can't keep protecting me.”
“I can.”
“No.”
She took his hand.
“I choose this.”
Damen looked at her.
“You don't know what you're choosing.”
“I know enough.”
They went.
The federal prison sat beyond the city.
Heavily guarded.
They entered through a private arrangement.
An old man waited inside a glass room.
He looked fragile.
Almost harmless.
Then he smiled.
Damen stopped breathing.
“Grandfather.”
The old man leaned closer.
“Finally.”
Evelyn stood beside Damen.
The old man studied her.
“So this is Adrian's daughter.”
Damen stepped between them.
“Don't.”
The old man laughed.
“You always were protective.”
He looked at Evelyn.
“You resemble your mother.”
Evelyn's voice was steady.
“Did you kill my father?”
“Which one?”
“Adrian.”
“No.”
“Michael?”
“No.”
“Then who did you kill?”
He smiled.
“Everyone who stood between me and power.”
Evelyn felt sick.
“What do you want?”
“You.”
Damen moved.
The guards raised weapons.
The old man lifted a hand.
“Not as a prisoner.”
He looked at Evelyn.
“As the next ruler.”
She froze.
“What?”
“You have Adrian's blood.”
Michael's love.
Your mother's mind.
And Damen's protection.
“You are uniquely qualified.”
“I don't want your empire.”
“You don't understand.”
He leaned closer.
“The Black Crown is collapsing.”
“Good.”
“No.”
His smile vanished.
“Without someone to control it, Chicago will burn.”
Evelyn looked at Damen.
He said nothing.
The old man continued.
“Your mother created the network to protect the city.”
“Your father wanted to destroy it.”
“Victor wants to own it.”
“And Damen…”
He smiled.
“…wants to bury it.”
Evelyn stared at Damen.
“Is that true?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because power always demands a price.”
The old man laughed.
“Then pay it.”
A guard entered.
“Sir.”
“What?”
“We have a problem.”
An explosion rocked the prison.
The old man's smile widened.
“Victor.”
Damen turned.
“He came for you.”
The old man shook his head.
“No.”
He looked at Evelyn.
“He came for the crown.”
The lights failed.
Gunfire erupted outside.
Damen pulled Evelyn close.
“Stay with me.”
They ran.
The prison became chaos.
At the exit, Victor appeared.
He pointed a gun at Damen.
Then at Evelyn.
“Give me the ledger.”
“It was taken.”
Victor smiled.
“Not that ledger.”
He pointed to Evelyn.
“The one inside her.”
She frowned.
“What?”
Victor laughed.
“Your father didn't hide the final key in a book.”
He pointed to her ring.
“He hid it in you.”
Evelyn froze.
“What?”
Victor's smile widened.
“The ring was only half of it.”
Damen stared at her.
Then at Victor.
“What did Adrian put in her?”
Victor stepped forward.
“A memory.”
Evelyn's heart raced.
A memory she had forgotten.
A memory from childhood.
A room.
A man.
A conversation.
She suddenly remembered.
She was twelve.
Adrian kneeling before her.
Placing the ring around her neck.
Whispering:
“Never trust the man who says he loves you.”
Then he had looked toward the door.
At a young Damen.
Evelyn's breath stopped.
She had seen him before.
May you like
Years before their first meeting.
And he had been holding a gun.
