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“Thank you for that. I changed my life around. I had been too reckless, too…”
“Arrogant?” I supply.
He narrows his eyes. “Maybe a little.”
“You would’ve been arrested if you stayed long enough.”
“I know.”
“What work did you get into after you left?”
“I moved to New Mexico.”
“Really? What did you do there?”
“I worked for the police to help track down other mafias.”
I gape at him. “Are you serious?”
He nods. “I knew what to look for more than anyone else, even veterans.”
“I’m sure,” I murmur.
“You look shocked.”
“I am! Becoming a police officer was a bold move. What made you decide to go down that path?”
Jesse's gaze remains steady, his expression a mix of resolve and transparency. " I needed to find a way to make amends, Vanessa. The things we did in the mafia, the lives we affected…I couldn't simply walk away without trying to balance the scales. To do something that felt right, to make amends for the past… to take down the kind of people I used to be. If I had been arrested, I would’ve been put away for a long time.”
“It didn’t happen,” I say softly.
“Because of you. So, I worked with the police, tracking down other criminal organizations and dismantling them piece by piece, but it came with its own challenges, and after a while, I needed a change. That's when I moved to the private sector."
“But being a police officer even for a little while was a noble pursuit, Jesse. I had no idea."
Jesse grimaces. "After a while, I realized that true justice is often a blurry line. So, for the past two years, I've been working as a private investigator. It gives me more flexibility and allows me to navigate the gray areas."
“A private investigator? It sounds like you found a different kind of freedom. How has it been, working on your own terms?"
"It's a different world, Vanessa. More freedom, but it comes with its own set of challenges. You learn to trust your instincts, to see through the layers of deception. It's about finding a balance between justice and the truth."
“A very different world,” I murmur. “I know all about that. The Shadow Syndicate's downfall has created a void and an opportunity for those willing to navigate the aftermath. I'm planning on forging my own way forward."
"It's a different landscape now, Vanessa. Opportunities and risks all tangled up. How do you see yourself navigating it?"
"I'm not content with lingering in the shadows. I want to shape my own narrative and make alliances that align with my goals. It's about seizing opportunities and embracing the risks that come with it."
“What opportunities are you talking about?”
I lift my chin. He’s trying to keep a straight face, but he breaks and grins at me that reckless grin that made him the first young man I ever said “I love you” to.
"Jesse, I have a vision. I want to form my own alliance, a new power, a new… Something that aligns with my goals, something we can shape together. Will you join me?"
"Vanessa, forming a new… syndicate is a significant undertaking. What's your vision, and how do you see me fitting into it?"
His measured response hints at a cautious optimism, an acknowledgment of the magnitude of the proposition. He has changed some. Before, he would’ve marched ahead, guns ablazing, asking questions never.
"This isn't about recreating the past. It's about forging a new path. I see you as a crucial part of it, Jesse. Your skills, your insight… it's what I need to make this vision a reality."
