Dangerous Melodies - Chapter 45: Chapter 45

ROBERTO
Felix led me across the estate toward the guest house, its understated luxury impossible to ignore. I glanced around, noting the elegant lines and manicured grounds.
For a brief moment, I let myself be impressed, the tension from earlier with Marisol and Dante slipping away as I expected the comforts waiting for me inside.
The door opened, revealing opulent interiors: plush furnishings, rich wood flooring, and tasteful decor. I stepped in, my eyes sweeping the space.
This is more like it.
A sly smile tugged at my mouth.
Maybe Dante isn’t as clever as he thinks.
Felix followed me in, setting my luggage neatly by the entrance.
"Mr. Franco, if there’s anything you need, let us know. They’ll bring food shortly. Is there anything else?"
I waved him off.
"No, that will be all."
He gave a nod, face unreadable as he slipped out and pulled the door shut behind him.
At first, I barely registered the sound. I was too busy admiring the room. I moved deeper inside, appreciating the opulent details.
Yes, this will do. I’ll regroup, then make my move.
But then I heard it. That quiet click. I turned to the door, frowning. The handle didn’t budge. I twisted harder. Nothing.
A sharp edge of irritation sliced through me as I yanked again.
That irritation turned cold.
I spun to the window. Reinforced glass stared back. No latch, no give. I pressed my palms against it. Solid.
My gut twisted.
They locked me in.
"What the hell?" I muttered, a cold knot tightening in my gut.
I lunged for every door, every handle, yanking, testing. Locked. All of them.
My pulse kicked up as the truth hit. I grabbed my phone, but the screen flashed No Signal. I tried calling. Texting. Nothing.
They’ve jammed everything.
I started pacing, checking again, needing to prove myself wrong. I tried doors, handles, panels. Anything that could give. But each one pushed back, solid, unmovable.
The walls seemed to close in, and confidence gave way to something darker. My knuckles cracked under the pressure of my grip.
"You’ve got to be kidding me," I hissed, slamming a fist against the wall.
I spun around, eyes scanning the room with new clarity.
I had underestimated him. This wasn’t hospitality.
It’s a trap. A damn good one.
My chest ached with the pressure. Every breath more difficult than the last. I’d walked in thinking I held the upper hand. And now I was a prisoner.
Dante, you bastard.
Fury roiled inside me. I’d been so sure, so blind. How could I have been so stupid? I was isolated. Cut off. And no one even knew.
I dropped into an armchair, the truth crashing in like a tide.
How can Marisol let this happen? She should know better than to cross me by now.
My throat tightened. Panic clawed at the edges, sharp and cold, but I crushed it. Couldn’t afford to break. I had to find a way out.
But for the first time in years, I felt it deep and real.
Trapped.
Silence settled around me, broken only by the soft hum of the air conditioning. My eyes lifted to the cameras, tiny lenses glinting in the light.
They’re watching me. Dante and Marisol. I could almost feel it, their eyes on me, savoring every second of this.
They’ve got me right where they want me. And there’s no way out.
And for the first time in my life, I didn’t have a move.
DANTE
I stared at my computer screen, the numbers and codes blurring as exhaustion dragged at me. I’d been decoding Roberto’s crime network for hours, my jaw clenched with frustration.
The office was dim, lit only by the harsh glow of the monitor. I ran a hand through my hair, trying to jolt my brain awake.
The soft click of the door pulled my focus. Marisol walked in quietly, Mr. Buttons tucked gently in her arms.
"You look exhausted," she said, her voice low and full of concern.
I sighed, dropping my head into my hands.
"It’s done." Rubbing my temples, I let out a breath. "I was about to call you."
A heavy silence followed, the weight of it settling in.
"It’s ready. I’ll email it to the FBI Deputy Director. I don’t want to risk it falling through the cracks."
"What do you think they’ll do with it?"
"They’ll most likely execute a raid. We’ve given them everything."
She nodded, her expression turning solemn. I turned to her, the pressure tightening across my chest.
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Yes." She paused. "Will they arrest him here?"
"No. He’ll go back home. I don’t need the FBI on my property."
"Won’t they investigate you?"
"No. I have a relationship with the government. They let me operate in exchange for my help."
I told myself it was a fair trade. That the good I did outweighed the shadows I walked in.
But saying it out loud made it feel dirtier than ever.
She looked at me, eyes wide with something close to disbelief. I saw it written all over her face, quiet shock, maybe even a little fear.
I straddled both sides of the law. And now she knew it.
MARISOL
As Dante typed, he paused and glanced at me.
"Do you want to send the email?"
I nodded, but my hand trembled violently as it hovered over the mouse.
Memories slammed into me: birthdays, holidays, Roberto’s cruel revelation.
I never mattered to him.
I could still feel him tucking me in when I was little, his hand heavy but warm on my shoulder. Then came the abuse. His bitter voice. The lessons he said I needed to learn.
My stomach twisted, breath shallow. After what felt like an eternity, I clicked send.
My chest clenched so hard I couldn’t breathe. It was done. No going back.
He raised me … how could he have hurt me so deeply?
Dante pulled me into an embrace, and I broke. The sob tore out of me, raw and uncontrollable, my face pressed to his chest.
Images of Roberto’s kindness and cruelty tangled together in my mind. He had once been my entire world.
And I had just destroyed him.
"I don’t understand," I choked, my fingers digging into Dante’s shirt. "How could he... how could I still…"
He held me tighter.
"It’s okay to feel conflicted," he murmured. "What he did was unforgivable, but he was still the only father you knew. It’s not simple."
I nodded. The truth of it tore through my defenses.
How could both be true?
The loving father and the brutal torturer were one and the same.
I took a breath, trying to steady myself.
His arms tightened around me, then loosened. He pulled out his phone.
"Ryder, I just sent you evidence on the Franco cartel. You’ll have enough for a raid. Let me know your plans, so I can send Roberto home."
He ended the call and stared at the screen. Silence stretched around us, thick with consequence.
"We can’t let Roberto suspect anything," he said. "I think we should have him over for dinner before he leaves. Make it seem like his imprisonment was a small punishment."
My stomach twisted again. Pretending everything was fine felt like poison. But he was right.
"I don’t like it," I admitted.
Dante’s expression softened.
"I know. But it’s part of the plan."
I nodded.
"Okay. We’ll do it."
With the plan in place, the tension eased. Dante moved to the couch, pulling me down with him, his arms wrapping around me.
But I could feel it. He was still tense beneath the calm.
I turned to face him, my chest tight. I swallowed hard. The words scraped up from a place I hadn’t dared look.
"Dante, I don’t think I’ve ever really thanked you. For everything you’ve done for me."
"You’ve given me a chance to be free. From my father, from Marcos. You saved me."
"I was trapped for so long. There was no escape, no light. Just darkness."
I met his gaze, barely breathing.
"But you … you make me feel safe."
"I know I can trust you. That means more than you could ever know."
The words surged like a tide I couldn’t stop.
"I never imagined I’d have someone like you in my life. Someone who protects me."
"Dante…"
I hesitated, breath faltering.
"I love you."
"I’ve fallen in love with you."
DANTE
I froze. My lungs locked. My pulse thundered in my ears.
The one thing I swore I’d never let happen. And it already had.
Her love scared the hell out of me.
This is how it starts. My father, hollow-eyed at the funeral. My mother’s body by the gate.
Love destroyed them … me. I will not let this happen.
I held her tighter, keeping my voice calm even as my thoughts reeled.
"Why don’t you head to bed?" I said. "I have a few more things to finish."
She searched my eyes, probably looking for something I didn’t know how to give. Then she kissed my cheek and walked out.
When the door clicked shut behind her, I leaned back and stared at the ceiling.
The room felt colder without her in it. The silence wrapped around me, sharp and suffocating.
Her love was a gift I didn’t know how to hold, and a curse that brought me right back to the edge of the pain I’d sworn never to feel again.