Chapter 6
Edmund Ashworth was found before midnight.
Not far.
One of my guards spotted him leaving through the old catering gate in a borrowed staff jacket.
Elegant men always look ridiculous when plans force them into uniforms.
He was brought to my library.
Genevieve sat across from him.
Father and daughter did not look at each other.
Interesting.
I placed Lorenzo’s signet ring on the table between us.
Edmund smiled faintly.
“You finally found it.”
“You brought it into my house.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Proof.”
“Of what?”
“That your family once agreed.”
“No.”
I leaned back.
“That Lorenzo agreed.”
Edmund’s smile faded.
“Your uncle represented Rienzi.”
“My uncle tried to overthrow my father.”
“History is written by whoever keeps the chair.”
I almost smiled.
At least he was honest.
Edmund explained Lorenzo’s plan.
Not a takeover.
A merger of influence.
Four families bound through marriage, shared routes, and mutual vetoes.
No single boss could close profitable operations simply because he found them distasteful.
There it was.
The real reason.
My father had ended extortion around schools.
Stopped using debtors’ relatives as pressure.
Closed several trafficking-adjacent routes old captains called traditional business.
I continued those changes.
Men like Edmund called them waste.
“Genevieve marries me.”
“Yes.”
“Then?”
“She establishes a family council inside the household.”
I laughed quietly.
“She establishes?”
“She would have legitimacy.”
“Through my bed.”
Genevieve flinched.
Edmund remained calm.
“Through marriage.”
Same meaning with cleaner clothing.
Then he told me the part he expected would hurt most.
Four of my captains had already agreed.
Not to remove me.
To restrain me.
If I tried to resist after the wedding, they would threaten division until I accepted the council.
I looked at Rafe.
He shook his head.
Not him.
I believed him for now.
“Names.”
Edmund smiled.
“No.”
I picked up Lorenzo’s ring.
“Then your daughter answers.”
Genevieve looked at him.
He looked back.
And for the first time I saw something between them that was not conspiracy.
Fear.
Hers.
Of him.
Interesting.
She whispered:
“Dad.”
He said one word.
“Remember.”
Her face closed immediately.
A command with history behind it.
May you like
I knew that tone.
Apparently Genevieve had been raised inside obedience too.
