Chapter 5 - The Mafia Boss Knelt for Her Son
Elena screamed Noah’s name until her throat hurt.
Dominic caught her before she ran barefoot into the street.
“Let me go!”
“Elena.”
“She has my son!”
“We’ll get him.”
“You don’t know that!”
He held her shoulders.
Not harshly.
Firmly.
“Look at me.”
She did.
The cold gray eyes she had first seen in the basement were gone.
This man was furious.
But controlled.
“I will bring Noah home.”
“How can you promise that?”
Dominic lowered his voice.
“Because Catherine made one mistake.”
“What?”
“She took something that belongs to you.”
Elena stared.
“And?”
His jaw hardened.
“I care what happens to you.”
The words silenced her.
Gabriel entered with Noah’s security tablet.
“The tracker is active.”
Elena turned.
“What tracker?”
Dominic looked uncomfortable.
She understood.
“You put a tracker in Noah’s backpack?”
“Technically Gabriel did.”
Gabriel raised one hand.
“Under instruction.”
Elena stared at both men.
Then grabbed Dominic’s face and kissed his cheek.
He froze.
“Today,” she said, “I approve.”
The signal led to Crane Harbor.
Warehouse 14.
Catherine chose the place deliberately.
Luis Alvarez had worked there.
He had died two hundred yards away.
Elena wanted to enter.
Dominic refused.
This argument lasted only four minutes because Catherine called again.
“Bring Dominic and the original documents.”
Elena answered.
“I’m coming too.”
A pause.
Then Catherine laughed.
“Of course you are.”
Warehouse 14 stood beside black water beneath freezing rain.
Dominic entered first.
Elena beside him.
He wore no weapon.
The documents were inside a metal case.
Noah sat on a chair forty feet away.
His hands were free.
Marcus stood behind him.
Elena’s heart nearly stopped.
“Mom!”
“Noah!”
Marcus placed one hand on the boy’s shoulder.
Dominic stepped forward.
“Touch him and you die.”
Marcus smiled.
“There’s the brother I remember.”
Then Catherine appeared.
Elegant.
Silver hair.
Cream coat.
She looked nothing like a monster.
That frightened Elena.
Dominic stared at his mother.
Twelve years.
Grief.
Funeral.
Memories.
All standing alive in front of him.
“Why?”
Catherine smiled sadly.
“You were always emotional.”
“You faked your death.”
“Necessary.”
“You let Isabella and me bury you.”
“Necessary.”
“You ordered Marcus to kill me.”
Her eyes moved toward Elena.
“Also necessary.”
Marcus’s smile faded slightly.
Elena noticed.
Necessary.
Marcus heard it too.
Catherine did not love him.
He was useful.
Nothing more.
Dominic noticed as well.
“You told Marcus he deserved the empire.”
Catherine’s gaze sharpened.
“Don’t.”
Dominic continued.
“You told him our father humiliated him.”
“Dominic.”
“You convinced him I stole his birthright.”
Marcus looked at her.
“What is he talking about?”
Dominic smiled coldly.
“She never planned to give you anything.”
Catherine’s expression changed.
Marcus looked at her.
“Tell him he’s lying.”
Silence.
That was answer enough.
Marcus stepped away from Noah.
Catherine snapped.
“Do not be stupid.”
“No.”
Marcus laughed.
“I’ve apparently been stupid for fifteen years.”
Noah suddenly kicked backward.
His sneaker struck Marcus’s shin.
Marcus cursed.
Noah ran.
Elena sprinted.
She reached him halfway.
Dropped to her knees.
Pulled him into her arms.
“Mama!”
“I’m here.”
Dominic moved between them and Catherine.
Catherine’s men raised weapons.
So did Gabriel’s men hidden outside.
Nobody fired.
Marcus looked at Dominic.
“You knew she used me?”
“No.”
“You still hate me.”
Dominic’s voice was quiet.
“You chained me to a wall.”
“Fair.”
Marcus almost smiled.
Then his expression collapsed.
“I wanted you to know what it felt like.”
Dominic understood.
Their father.
Different childhoods.
One golden son.
One unwanted boy.
Pain did not excuse what Marcus did.
But it explained the shape of it.
Catherine reached for the metal case.
Elena stood.
“It’s empty.”
Catherine froze.
“What?”
Dominic smiled.
“The documents were delivered to federal investigators thirty minutes ago.”
Catherine’s face changed completely.
For the first time—
fear.
She reached inside her coat.
Marcus saw it.
“Don’t.”
Catherine ignored him.
Marcus moved.
The gun fired.
One shot.
He staggered.
Catherine stared.
She had shot her own son.
Dominic caught Marcus before he fell.
Chaos erupted.
Gabriel’s men entered.
Catherine was disarmed.
Noah screamed.
Elena shielded his face.
Marcus lay on the floor.
Blood spread beneath his side.
Dominic pressed both hands against the wound.
“Stay awake.”
Marcus laughed weakly.
“You always were the favorite.”
“Shut up.”
“Bossy.”
“Marcus.”
His eyes drifted toward Noah.
Then Elena.
“I’m sorry.”
Elena stared.
For everything?
Impossible.
But his voice held something real.
She nodded once.
“Stay alive long enough to prove it.”
Federal agents arrived.
Catherine was taken away in handcuffs.
As she passed Dominic, she whispered:
“You destroyed your family.”
Dominic looked at Elena holding Noah.
Then at Gabriel.
Then at Marcus being loaded into an ambulance.
“No.”
May you like
He answered quietly.
“I finally found out who it was.”
