Page 33 of Redemption
“Look out into the ocean. Find the oil rigs on the horizon, and tell me what you see.”
I shook my head, letting out a strained breath. I held the binoculars up to my eyes and scanned the horizon.
“I don’t see anything, Gabriel.”
“Just keep looking—you will.”
“It’s blurry.”
“Here.” He took the binoculars, looked through them, adjusted the knob, and handed them back to me.
I looked again, and after a moment, I saw the oil rig. The huge metal structure was surrounded by dozens of boats, big and small, beginning the process of the cleanup operation.
“Sophia, do you see those boats? They’re proof that Rosso Drilling respects the power and authority of my threat. To them, this is no different than if the government was strong-arming them—aside from the fact they got a better deal with me. I saved them millions of dollars by extorting them. They aren’t reporting themselves to the government, and they won’t be reporting me for forcing them to do what’s right. They’re grateful to me for not reporting them, Sophia.”
I blinked, lowering the binoculars as I tried to process what Gabriel had just told me. The truth of the situation felt like a weight had been lifted. The idea that Gabriel had somehow managed to strong-arm a company like Rosso Drilling into cleaning up their mess was both unsettling and oddly impressive.
“So… you really did it?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Gabriel nodded, leaning casually against the railing. “They have no choice but to do what I demand. I did something morally right, but legally wrong.”
My mind raced as I considered the implications. “But how can you be sure they won’t come after you eventually anyway? Or that they won’t just go back to their old ways in a couple of years?”
Gabriel’s smile returned. “They understand the consequences if they do. And trust me, they’re not going to risk it.”
I swallowed, feeling a mix of relief, fear, and something else I couldn’t quite place—excitement, maybe? “So what now?” I asked, my voice steadier this time.
“Now, you can stop worrying about them and focus on what’s important to you,” Gabriel said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a thick envelope, holding it out to me. “And that starts with this.”
I eyed the envelope warily, not making any move to take it. “What’s in there?”
“The thousand dollars I owe you and your bonus, all in cash. This way, there’s no paper trail leading to you,” he said simply. “There’s no reason for you not to take it. This is enough money to erase your problems.”
I hesitated, my hand hovering near the envelope. The temptation to take it was strong, but a small voice in the back of my mind kept me from grabbing it right away.
“Gabriel, I?—”
“Just take it, Sophia,” he interrupted, his tone softening. “It’s not blood money. It’s money you earned. You deserve it.”
I looked at him, searching his face for any hint he didn’t believe his own words. But all I saw was a man who, despite his flaws and questionable methods, seemed to believe what he was saying. A man who was genuinely intent on helping me.
Finally, I took the envelope, my fingers brushing against his as I did. Guilt and excitement swirled within me, but I pushed it aside. I needed this money, and Gabriel was right—I had earned it.
“Thank you,” I said quietly, slipping the envelope into my bag.
Gabriel nodded, then turned his gaze back out to the ocean. “You should probably get going. Emma will be out of the shower soon, and I imagine you’ll want to get her home.”
I held my arms out and looked down at myself—dry, but covered in sand.
“Um, can I shower too?”
“Yes, of course.”
I nodded, feeling a strange mix of gratitude and unease as I turned to leave. But just as I reached the door, I paused and looked back at Gabriel.
“Gabriel… why are you doing this? Why help me?”
He met my gaze, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of something softer in his eyes, but it vanished as soon as I saw it.
