Two years after doctors declared New York's most feared mafia boss unlikely ever to wake up, a single forbidden kiss changed everything. I was only a twenty-six-year-old hospital housekeeper when Owen Hartley suddenly opened his eyes, grabbed my shoulder, and begged me not to call anyone. But when he whispered that someone inside the hospital had deliberately kept him unconscious, I realized my innocent mistake might have placed both our lives in danger.

By midnight, Owen had been moved to a private recovery room under the supervision of a physician who knew nothing about the Hartley family's business.

I stayed nearby, claiming I needed to finish my shift.

Owen watched me from his bed.

"You should leave New York."

I folded my arms.

"You nearly died because someone drugged you for two years. I'm not abandoning you because you think ordering people around is a personality."

Despite everything, the corner of his mouth lifted.

"I've been told I'm difficult."

"Whoever told you that was being polite."

His expression softened, then became serious.

"Emily, the people behind this won't stop. You saw the device, and you know Shaw was involved. That makes you a witness they can't control."

"Then tell me the truth."

He stared at the ceiling.

"Before the crash, I discovered someone was selling information about my organization. I planned to expose the traitor, but the meeting was compromised. My brakes failed on a mountain road during a storm."

"Your brother?"

"I trusted Nathan more than anyone."

He explained that Nathan had managed the legitimate side of the family business and had access to every confidential schedule.

But Owen couldn't prove his involvement.

"What about Marcus?" I asked.

Owen's expression changed.

"Marcus was my driver that night."

I stepped backward.

"He was in the crash?"

"He disappeared before the police arrived. I believed he was dead."

Suddenly, Marcus's warning made sense. He had survived, but that didn't mean he was innocent.

Owen reached for my hand.