The safe house was quiet, too quiet. The air was thick with tension, every creak of the old wooden floors making Rossy flinch. She sat by the small window, staring at the empty street outside, her thoughts a tangled mess.
The last few days felt like a blur. Harper had pulled her from the chaos of Zeath's world, but the sense of safety she'd expected never came. Zeath wasn't the type to let loose ends dangle, especially not a loose end as dangerous as his wife armed with the truth.
She pulled her knees to her chest, hugging herself as she replayed their confrontation in her mind. The look in his eyes haunted her—the coldness, the anger, but also the betrayal.
Had she really been so blind? How had she missed the signs? Zeath wasn't just a controlling husband or a man with secrets. He was something far darker, far more dangerous.
"You're not eating."
Harper's voice cut through the silence, startling her. She turned to see him standing in the doorway, a plate of food in his hand. His rugged face was unreadable, but his eyes betrayed a flicker of concern.
"I'm not hungry," she murmured, her voice barely audible.
"You need to eat," Harper said, setting the plate on the small table near her. "We've got a long road ahead, and you're no good to yourself—or to me—if you collapse."
Rossy shook her head, her stomach twisting at the sight of the food. "I can't stop thinking about him. About how he's out there, probably planning his next move. What if he finds us? What if…" Her voice broke, and she swallowed hard to steady herself.
Harper pulled out a chair and sat across from her. "Zeath's dangerous, but he's not omnipotent. We covered our tracks. He doesn't know where you are."
She looked at him, her chest tightening. "But for how long? He has connections everywhere—money, people loyal to him. He won't stop until he finds me."
Harper leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "Rossy, listen to me. Men like Zeath thrive on fear. They control people because they make them feel powerless. But you're not powerless. You've already done the hardest thing—you got out. Now we take the fight to him."
Her heart sank as she thought about the implications of his words. Taking the fight to Zeath meant exposing herself, putting her life on the line. And if she failed, it wouldn't just be her life at stake. Zeath wouldn't hesitate to hurt anyone she cared about.
"What if we can't win?" she whispered.
"We can," Harper said firmly. "But it's going to take time. We need more evidence, more proof of what he's done. The notebook is a good start, but it's not enough to bring him down."
Rossy nodded slowly, though the weight of their task felt crushing. How could they possibly outmaneuver a man like Zeath?
An Unexpected Visitor
Hours later, as the safe house settled into an uneasy silence, a sharp knock at the door shattered the calm. Rossy jumped, her heart leaping into her throat.
Harper was on his feet in an instant, his hand instinctively reaching for his gun.
"Stay here," he ordered, his voice low and steady.
Rossy nodded, crouching behind the couch as Harper approached the door. Her pulse thundered in her ears as she strained to hear what was happening.
Harper opened the door cautiously, his body blocking most of the entryway.
"What are you doing here?" Harper demanded, his tone filled with tension.
The response came, low and familiar, making Rossy's blood run cold.
"I'm here to talk to her, not you."
Zeath.
Her entire body froze as the realization sank in. He had found her. Somehow, he had tracked her down, and now he was here.
"Zeath," Harper said, his voice firm. "You shouldn't be here. Turn around and leave before this gets ugly."
Zeath chuckled, a cold, humorless sound that made Rossy's skin crawl. "You think you can keep her from me? She's my wife, Detective. You have no right to interfere in our business."
"This stopped being just your business when you started breaking the law," Harper shot back.
Zeath stepped forward, forcing Harper to move aside. Rossy's breath caught as he entered the room, his dark eyes scanning until they landed on her.
"There you are," he said, his voice deceptively calm.
She stood slowly, her legs trembling beneath her. "How did you find me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Zeath's lips curled into a faint smile. "You think I wouldn't be able to track you down? You're my wife, Rossy. I know you better than you think."
"Leave," Harper said, stepping between them. "You're not welcome here."
Zeath's gaze flicked to Harper, his expression hardening. "You're playing a dangerous game, Detective. You have no idea who you're dealing with."
"I know exactly who I'm dealing with," Harper replied. "And I'm not afraid of you."
Zeath's smile vanished, replaced by a cold, calculating stare. "You should be."
A Dangerous Proposition
Zeath turned his attention back to Rossy, his voice softening. "Rossy, come home. Whatever lies he's told you, we can fix this. We can make things right."
She shook her head, her chest tightening with a mix of fear and anger. "You lied to me, Zeath. You built an entire life on secrets and crime. There's no going back."
His expression darkened, and for a moment, she thought she saw a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by the cold, calculating man she had come to fear.
"You think you're safe with him?" Zeath asked, gesturing toward Harper. "You think he can protect you from the people I deal with? You don't understand the world you've stepped into, Rossy. If you keep pushing, you'll get yourself killed."
"Is that a threat?" Harper asked, his hand hovering near his gun.
Zeath ignored him, his focus solely on Rossy. "I'm trying to protect you," he said, his voice low and intense. "But if you keep this up, I won't be able to."
Her stomach twisted at his words. Part of her wanted to believe him, to believe that the man she had loved was still in there somewhere. But the evidence in the notebook, the threats, and the cold ruthlessness in his eyes told her otherwise.
"I'm not going back with you," she said firmly, surprising even herself with the strength in her voice.
Zeath's jaw tightened, his hands clenching at his sides. "Rossy—"
"No," she interrupted, stepping back. "You don't get to decide for me anymore. I'm done being in the dark. I'm done being afraid."
Zeath's eyes flicked to Harper, his expression unreadable. "This isn't over," he said softly. "You'll see. She'll come back to me. They always do."
With that, he turned and walked out, the door closing behind him with a soft click.
The Fallout
Rossy sank onto the couch, her entire body trembling. Harper stood by the door, his hand still resting on his gun as if expecting Zeath to come back.
"You did good," Harper said after a moment.
She shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. "It's not over. He'll come back. He'll never stop."
"No," Harper admitted, sitting down beside her. "But neither will we. We'll take him down, Rossy. One step at a time."
As she wiped her tears, a spark of determination lit in her chest. Zeath might have power, but she wasn't the same woman she'd been before. She wouldn't let him control her anymore.
Whatever it took, she would fight back—and this time, she wouldn't back down.
Chapter 7 sets the stage for the ultimate battle between Rossy and Zeath, with Harper by her side. How far will Zeath go to reclaim control, and will Rossy have the courage to face him head-on?
Here's Chapter 7, expanded into a 1200-word version:
---
Her Husband's Mafia Reveal: Chapter 7
The safe house was quiet, too quiet. The air was thick with tension, every creak of the old wooden floors making Rossy flinch. She sat by the small window, staring at the empty street outside, her thoughts a tangled mess.
The last few days felt like a blur. Harper had pulled her from the chaos of Zeath's world, but the sense of safety she'd expected never came. Zeath wasn't the type to let loose ends dangle, especially not a loose end as dangerous as his wife armed with the truth.
She pulled her knees to her chest, hugging herself as she replayed their confrontation in her mind. The look in his eyes haunted her—the coldness, the anger, but also the betrayal.
Had she really been so blind? How had she missed the signs? Zeath wasn't just a controlling husband or a man with secrets. He was something far darker, far more dangerous.
"You're not eating."
Harper's voice cut through the silence, startling her. She turned to see him standing in the doorway, a plate of food in his hand. His rugged face was unreadable, but his eyes betrayed a flicker of concern.
"I'm not hungry," she murmured, her voice barely audible.
"You need to eat," Harper said, setting the plate on the small table near her. "We've got a long road ahead, and you're no good to yourself—or to me—if you collapse."
Rossy shook her head, her stomach twisting at the sight of the food. "I can't stop thinking about him. About how he's out there, probably planning his next move. What if he finds us? What if…" Her voice broke, and she swallowed hard to steady herself.
Harper pulled out a chair and sat across from her. "Zeath's dangerous, but he's not omnipotent. We covered our tracks. He doesn't know where you are."
She looked at him, her chest tightening. "But for how long? He has connections everywhere—money, people loyal to him. He won't stop until he finds me."
Harper leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "Rossy, listen to me. Men like Zeath thrive on fear. They control people because they make them feel powerless. But you're not powerless. You've already done the hardest thing—you got out. Now we take the fight to him."
Her heart sank as she thought about the implications of his words. Taking the fight to Zeath meant exposing herself, putting her life on the line. And if she failed, it wouldn't just be her life at stake. Zeath wouldn't hesitate to hurt anyone she cared about.
"What if we can't win?" she whispered.
"We can," Harper said firmly. "But it's going to take time. We need more evidence, more proof of what he's done. The notebook is a good start, but it's not enough to bring him down."
Rossy nodded slowly, though the weight of their task felt crushing. How could they possibly outmaneuver a man like Zeath?
---
An Unexpected Visitor
Hours later, as the safe house settled into an uneasy silence, a sharp knock at the door shattered the calm. Rossy jumped, her heart leaping into her throat.
Harper was on his feet in an instant, his hand instinctively reaching for his gun.
"Stay here," he ordered, his voice low and steady.
Rossy nodded, crouching behind the couch as Harper approached the door. Her pulse thundered in her ears as she strained to hear what was happening.
Harper opened the door cautiously, his body blocking most of the entryway.
"What are you doing here?" Harper demanded, his tone filled with tension.
The response came, low and familiar, making Rossy's blood run cold.
"I'm here to talk to her, not you."
Zeath.
Her entire body froze as the realization sank in. He had found her. Somehow, he had tracked her down, and now he was here.
"Zeath," Harper said, his voice firm. "You shouldn't be here. Turn around and leave before this gets ugly."
Zeath chuckled, a cold, humorless sound that made Rossy's skin crawl. "You think you can keep her from me? She's my wife, Detective. You have no right to interfere in our business."
"This stopped being just your business when you started breaking the law," Harper shot back.
Zeath stepped forward, forcing Harper to move aside. Rossy's breath caught as he entered the room, his dark eyes scanning until they landed on her.
"There you are," he said, his voice deceptively calm.
She stood slowly, her legs trembling beneath her. "How did you find me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Zeath's lips curled into a faint smile. "You think I wouldn't be able to track you down? You're my wife, Rossy. I know you better than you think."
"Leave," Harper said, stepping between them. "You're not welcome here."
Zeath's gaze flicked to Harper, his expression hardening. "You're playing a dangerous game, Detective. You have no idea who you're dealing with."
"I know exactly who I'm dealing with," Harper replied. "And I'm not afraid of you."
Zeath's smile vanished, replaced by a cold, calculating stare. "You should be."
---
A Dangerous Proposition
Zeath turned his attention back to Rossy, his voice softening. "Rossy, come home. Whatever lies he's told you, we can fix this. We can make things right."
She shook her head, her chest tightening with a mix of fear and anger. "You lied to me, Zeath. You built an entire life on secrets and crime. There's no going back."
His expression darkened, and for a moment, she thought she saw a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by the cold, calculating man she had come to fear.
"You think you're safe with him?" Zeath asked, gesturing toward Harper. "You think he can protect you from the people I deal with? You don't understand the world you've stepped into, Rossy. If you keep pushing, you'll get yourself killed."
"Is that a threat?" Harper asked, his hand hovering near his gun.
Zeath ignored him, his focus solely on Rossy. "I'm trying to protect you," he said, his voice low and intense. "But if you keep this up, I won't be able to."
Her stomach twisted at his words. Part of her wanted to believe him, to believe that the man she had loved was still in there somewhere. But the evidence in the notebook, the threats, and the cold ruthlessness in his eyes told her otherwise.
"I'm not going back with you," she said firmly, surprising even herself with the strength in her voice.
Zeath's jaw tightened, his hands clenching at his sides. "Rossy—"
"No," she interrupted, stepping back. "You don't get to decide for me anymore. I'm done being in the dark. I'm done being afraid."
Zeath's eyes flicked to Harper, his expression unreadable. "This isn't over," he said softly. "You'll see. She'll come back to me. They always do."
With that, he turned and walked out, the door closing behind him with a soft click.
---
The Fallout
Rossy sank onto the couch, her entire body trembling. Harper stood by the door, his hand still resting on his gun as if expecting Zeath to come back.
"You did good," Harper said after a moment.
She shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. "It's not over. He'll come back. He'll never stop."
"No," Harper admitted, sitting down beside her. "But neither will we. We'll take him down, Rossy. One step at a time."
As she wiped her tears, a spark of determination lit in her chest. Zeath might have power, but she wasn't the same woman she'd been before. She wouldn't let him control her anymore.
Whatever it took, she would fight back—and this time, she wouldn't back down.