Chapter 2 - The Brother's Debt
The library door clicked shut as Mrs. Gable, the head housekeeper, walked past with a tray of fresh tea, completely unaware of the political earthquake happening inside.
Leo poured himself two fingers of neat bourbon, his hand steadying as the alcohol burned his throat. He motioned for Clare to sit in one of the velvet armchairs opposite his desk—a breach of protocol so severe that Clare hesitated before gingerly perching on the very edge of the cushion.
"You mentioned your brother," Leo said, leaning back against his mahogany desk. "Tommy, right? Mrs. Gable mentioned you took this job to pay down his debts."
Clare swallowed hard, tears welling in her eyes. "He... he got mixed up with sports betting. High-stakes stuff in South Boston. The men he owes aren't local bookies, Mr. Rossi. They’re connected. When things got out of hand, Mrs. Gable offered to clear his ledger if I came here to work off the balance as an indentured servant essentially. She said it was the only way to keep him breathing."
Leo’s eyes narrowed. Mrs. Gable. She had worked for the Rossi estate for over thirty years. She had been fiercely loyal to Leo’s father, and seemingly to Leo. But she was also the one who vetted all domestic staff. She was the one who placed Clare in this exact house.
Coincidence? In Leo’s world, coincidences were bullets waiting to be fired.
"What is the exact amount Tommy owes?" Leo asked quietly.
"Forty thousand dollars," Clare whispered, looking down at her lap. "Plus weekly interest that keeps multiplying. I'll never pay it off. I know that. I'm just trying to keep him alive one month at a time."
Leo reached into his breast pocket, pulled out a checkbook and a heavy gold fountain pen, and scribbled a name and a figure. He tore the paper free and slid it across the mahogany surface toward her.
"That check is drawn on my personal account," Leo said flatly. "It will clear your brother's debt in full, with enough left over to buy him a plane ticket out of Boston."
May you like
Clare stared at the slip of paper, her jaw dropping. "Mr. Rossi... I can't accept this. What do you want in return? My soul?"
"I want your absolute discretion," Leo said, his voice hard as iron. "And I want your help. Because from this moment on, you aren't just a housekeeper working off a debt. You are my only outside witness to a conspiracy that spans five years. If Mrs. Gable placed you here on purpose, or if she tried to keep you quiet, we are both in extreme danger."
