𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗮 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲.
𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐞
I am the judge, the jury, and the executioner.
Francesca "Frank" Monroe. One of the most successful criminal defense attorneys in the history of Chicago. The woman everyone...
"Every murder turns on a bright hot light, and a lot of people . . .have to walk out of the shadows."
- Albert Maltz
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"Your father and Wayne Pierce were unlikely friends. Bound by a shared purpose – to rid Chicago's streets of the drugs that ravaged its youth. Wayne, a man of integrity, had seen firsthand the devastating effects of addiction when he lost his own godson. He refused to profit from the drug trade, despite the opportunities it presented for his family's empire to grow." Papa's voice grew heavy as he recounted a story etched deep in his memory. "When your father and Wayne approached me with their plan, I didn't hesitate for a second to join in. But Wayne's younger brother, Theodore, had other ideas. He couldn't see the nobility in their cause, or maybe he simply refused to. He craved wealth and power. Drug money fueled not only the illegal arms trade but his insatiable greed. Blinded by ambition, he defied Wayne's ideals, secretly running a drug operation." Papa's grip on his scotch glass tightened and I could see the rage in his eyes. "When exposed, he didn't hesitate to pull the trigger on his own flesh and blood and your father John, to protect his criminal empire." Papa took a long swig from his drink, as if it were the only thing keeping him from losing control. "I was hellbent on making Theodore pay for his heinous crimes. But then a call came from the Don himself, and I was forced to drop the whole thing. Don Sergio didn't want a turf war on his territory, and to some degree I could understand, but the searing need for revenge still burned in my veins. Now I wasn't one to cower, darling, but neither was I one to disobey orders."
These were Papa's exact words.
I was raised with the understanding that vengeance was mine to take, which left me feeling grateful for the Don's decision to spare Theodore. The Don's choice was somewhat understandable, considering that both Wayne Pierce and a mere detective from the Chicago PD held no significance to his empire.
I had no business throwing the ugly truth at Hector about his father's murder, but I couldn't keep lying to him. He needed to understand the extent of my need for revenge, and now with the knowledge of his uncle's betrayal, perhaps he would finally see things my way.
I wished he would.
But as I wished for his understanding, I couldn't ignore the longings that were coursing through my body. The need for his touch, the feeling of his breath against my neck before he peppered it with kisses, the mere scent of his skin, and the rasp of his voice - all of it made me forget my initial intentions. I had never planned on falling for Hector, but now, if he was going to stand in the way of my revenge, I was willing to destroy him in the process.
Theodore was a dead man, and I was determined to make sure of it. He had caused so much pain and suffering, and now it was time for him to pay for his actions. And with the help of Noah, who insisted on helping me, we had finally pinned down Aleksander Ivanov's cellphone number. It was the smartest and fastest way to track him and get a clear clue on his whereabouts.
