Chapter 3 - The Husband Who Had Been Watching
Elena wanted to go to the warehouse.
Dominic refused.
They argued for thirteen minutes.
Gabriel timed it.
“You’re not going.”
“My husband is there.”
“Former husband.”
“Thank you for the legal correction.”
“Elena.”
“If Derek works for Marcus, he knows why Marcus threatened Noah.”
“Which is precisely why you stay here.”
She folded her arms.
“You were chained in a basement three days ago.”
“And?”
“Your judgment isn’t exactly undefeated.”
Gabriel turned away to hide a smile.
Dominic pointed toward him.
“Don’t.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“Your shoulders did.”
Elena grabbed her coat.
Dominic blocked the door.
For the first time, he looked physically like the man Boston feared.
Tall.
Broad.
Controlled.
Dangerous.
Then Elena poked one finger into his chest.
“Move.”
He stared at her.
No one apparently poked Dominic Crane.
Ever.
“Elena.”
“Derek abandoned Noah.”
Her voice changed.
“He watched me work double shifts. He knew we nearly lost our apartment. He knew Noah cried for him for six months.”
Dominic’s expression softened.
“If he’s part of this, I need to hear it from him.”
Dominic remained silent.
Finally—
“You stay beside me.”
“Fine.”
“You do exactly what I say.”
“No.”
“Elena.”
“I’ll consider reasonable suggestions.”
Gabriel laughed.
Dominic closed his eyes.
“This is going very badly.”
Warehouse 9 sat beside the frozen harbor.
Dominic’s men entered quietly.
Derek was inside.
Alive.
Healthy.
Wearing an expensive coat Elena had never seen.
He was counting stacks of cash.
She stepped from the shadows.
“Nice jacket.”
Derek dropped the money.
“Elena?”
Two years of anger hit her at once.
“You look surprised.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Apparently interrupting your career.”
Derek saw Dominic.
His face changed.
“You’re alive.”
Dominic smiled without warmth.
“Disappointed?”
Derek backed away.
“No.”
“Marcus will be.”
Derek looked toward the exits.
Gabriel’s men blocked them.
Elena stepped closer.
“Why?”
“Elena—”
“Why did you leave Noah?”
Derek’s face cracked slightly.
“I was trying to protect you.”
She laughed.
It came out bitter.
“You emptied our savings.”
“I owed people.”
“Marcus?”
Derek nodded.
Years earlier, Derek had gambled at Crane casinos.
Debt became favors.
Favors became work.
Marcus discovered Derek’s wife had medical training and cleaned luxury homes.
Eventually he realized she could unknowingly provide access to private properties.
Elena understood.
“The mansion.”
Derek looked ashamed.
“You getting that cleaning job wasn’t an accident.”
The room went quiet.
Dominic’s gaze hardened.
Marcus had sent Elena there.
“Why?”
Dominic asked.
Derek swallowed.
“He needed someone to discover you.”
Elena stared.
“That makes no sense.”
“It does,” Dominic said.
His voice became colder.
“Marcus wanted a witness.”
Derek nodded.
“A poor single mother. No influence. No connections.”
Elena felt sick.
Marcus planned for her to find Dominic’s body.
Then authorities would discover a dead mafia boss.
Elena would become the perfect frightened witness.
She could say she found him already dead.
Marcus would publicly mourn his brother.
No suspicion.
No investigation.
One problem.
Dominic had not died quickly enough.
“And when I helped him?”
Derek looked away.
“Marcus panicked.”
Elena slapped him.
The sound echoed.
Derek did not raise his hand.
He did not even look angry.
He simply accepted it.
“You put Noah in danger.”
“I never thought Marcus would threaten him.”
“You never thought?”
Her voice broke.
“You weren’t there to think about anything!”
Dominic stepped closer, not touching her, but present.
Steady.
Derek looked between them.
Then laughed bitterly.
“So that’s what this is.”
Elena frowned.
“What?”
“He likes you.”
Dominic’s expression became dangerous.
“Careful.”
Derek laughed again.
“The great Dominic Crane.”
Elena snapped.
“Shut up.”
Derek’s smile vanished.
She pointed toward the money.
“Tell us everything.”
He did.
Marcus had built a secret organization inside Crane Enterprises.
Security men.
Accountants.
Politicians.
Dock workers.
Even family advisers.
He planned to announce Dominic dead within forty-eight hours.
Then claim control.
But that was not the worst part.
Derek pulled a flash drive from his coat.
“I copied something.”
“What?”
“Marcus’s contingency list.”
Dominic inserted it into a laptop.
Names appeared.
Dozens.
People Marcus intended to eliminate or blackmail after taking control.
Near the bottom—
Elena Morales.
Beside her name:
Witness. Remove after statement.
Underneath it—
Noah Morales.
Leverage if necessary.
Dominic’s face went blank.
Elena could not breathe.
Derek whispered, “That’s why I stayed.”
She looked at him.
“What?”
“I couldn’t leave after I saw Noah’s name.”
“Then why didn’t you warn me?”
“Because Marcus watches everything.”
A gunshot shattered the warehouse window.
Dominic grabbed Elena and pulled her down.
Gabriel shouted.
Lights went out.
Men moved in the darkness.
Derek pushed Elena behind a steel pillar.
“Take the drive!”
Another shot.
Derek jerked.
He fell.
Elena screamed his name.
For all her anger, he was still Noah’s father.
She dropped beside him.
Blood spread across his shoulder.
Not fatal.
But serious.
Derek grabbed her hand.
“Listen.”
“Save your strength.”
“There’s another file.”
“What file?”
“At the bank.”
His breathing shook.
“Safe deposit box 417.”
“What’s inside?”
Derek looked at Dominic.
“Proof Marcus didn’t start this.”
Dominic frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Derek swallowed.
“He’s working for someone.”
“Who?”
Derek’s eyes filled with fear.
“Your mother.”
Dominic went completely still.
“My mother died twelve years ago.”
Derek shook his head.
“No.”
Another shot hit the pillar.
May you like
And Derek whispered the sentence that changed everything.
“Dominic, your mother is alive.”
