CHAPTER 1
The Invisible Woman
Penelope Abbott had spent most of her life trying not to be noticed.
At twenty-eight, she knew exactly how people saw her.
Too quiet.
Too shy.
Too soft.
Too much.
Her oversized cardigans hid curves she had never learned to love. Thick glasses shielded her eyes from unwanted attention. While other women seemed born for confidence, Penny preferred spreadsheets and silence.
That was why working at Harbor Freight and Logistics suited her perfectly.
On paper, it was one of Boston’s largest shipping companies.
In reality?
Everyone knew it belonged to Vincent Romano.
The king of Boston’s underworld.
The man whispered about in dark bars and police stations.
The man nobody dared cross.
Penny had only spoken to him three times in four years.
And every single conversation lasted less than thirty seconds.
Which was perfectly fine with her.
Because Vincent Romano terrified her.
The problem was…
Vincent Romano noticed everything.
Especially her.
Every morning, Vincent entered the accounting department without saying a word.
His expensive shoes barely made a sound against the polished floor.
Yet somehow, Penny always felt him before she saw him.
She would glance up from her computer and find those cold blue eyes already resting on her.
Watching.
Studying.
Observing.
It made her nervous.
What she didn’t know was that Vincent wasn’t looking at her the way other men did.
He wasn’t judging her body.
He wasn’t criticizing her appearance.
He wasn’t seeing flaws.
He was seeing peace.
In a world built on violence and betrayal, Penny Abbott was the only honest thing left.
And that terrified him more than any enemy ever could.
The disaster began on a rainy Tuesday.
The office was nearly empty.
Everyone else had gone home.
Only Penny remained, finishing a financial reconciliation report.
She should have left hours ago.
Instead, she kept working.
And accidentally discovered a secret worth killing for.
A discrepancy.
A massive one.
Two point four million dollars.
Missing.
Penny stared at her screen.
Then checked again.
And again.
The numbers didn’t change.
Someone inside the Romano organization was stealing.
A lot.
Her stomach dropped.
The culprit’s name appeared on the screen.
Tommy Sullivan.
One of Vincent’s most trusted men.
Penny’s pulse thundered in her ears.
She knew enough about organized crime to understand one thing:
Finding a traitor could be just as dangerous as being one.
She reached for her purse.
Time to go home.
Pretend she never saw anything.
Forget everything.
Unfortunately…
Someone else already knew.
“Working late, Penny?”
The voice made her freeze.
Slowly, she turned around.
Tommy Sullivan stood in the doorway.
Smiling.
And suddenly she knew.
She wasn’t going home tonight.
CHAPTER 2
The Hunt
Vincent Romano received the phone call at 6:03 a.m.
Seven words changed everything.
“Boss… Penny Abbott is missing.”
For several seconds, the penthouse remained completely silent.
Then the coffee mug shattered in Vincent’s hand.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Because everyone in the room suddenly understood something terrifying.
The boss wasn’t angry.
He was scared.
And a scared monster was far more dangerous than an angry one.
“Find her.”
The order came out as a whisper.
Then his voice exploded through the penthouse.
“FIND HER!”
The windows rattled.
Leo actually stepped backward.
Vincent’s eyes had gone completely dark.
“No trucks leave Boston.”
“No ships leave the harbor.”
“No private planes take off.”
“Shut everything down.”
“Burn this city apart if you have to.”
Then he delivered the order nobody would ever forget.
“Bring her to me.”
For the next fourteen hours…
Boston belonged to the devil.
Criminal hideouts were raided.
Informants disappeared.
Gang leaders suddenly became very cooperative.
Every street corner, every warehouse, every abandoned building was searched.
Vincent personally led the hunt.
Not for money.
Not for power.
For her.
Only her.
Because somewhere in this city was a woman who still apologized when other people bumped into her.
And he would destroy anyone who made her cry.
CHAPTER 3
The Devil Wept
The warehouse smelled like blood and rust.
Vincent barely noticed.
The moment he saw the chair beneath the hanging lightbulb…
His world stopped.
Penny.
Bruised.
Tied up.
Broken.
Her lip was split.
One eye swollen shut.
Dirt covered her clothes.
Fear haunted her face.
Vincent fell to his knees.
Not because he chose to.
Because his legs stopped working.
“Penny…”
His voice cracked.
The ruthless king of Boston looked seconds away from breaking apart.
She lifted her head weakly.
Tried to smile.
And that nearly destroyed him.
When the restraints finally fell away, Penny collapsed directly into his arms.
Vincent held her like she might disappear again.
His hands trembled.
Actually trembled.
The men surrounding them exchanged stunned looks.
They had never seen their boss like this.
Never.
Not once.
Because Vincent Romano feared nothing.
Except losing her.
And in that moment…
As he buried his face in her hair and whispered promises into the darkness…
Everyone finally understood.
Penny Abbott wasn’t the accountant.
She wasn’t the bookkeeper.
She wasn’t some employee.
She was the one thing capable of bringing the king to his knees.
And heaven help anyone foolish enough to hurt her again.
