Elias sat down.
Adeline watched his face.
“My father knew your name.”
“Yes.”
“He knew who you were when he saved you.”
Apparently so.
Elias ran his thumb across the edge of the photograph.
Adeline sat beside him.
“He didn't want your money.”
“I know.”
“He wanted you to do something useful with surviving.”
Elias gave a quiet, humorless laugh.
“That sounds like him.”
“You knew him for fifteen minutes.”
“That was enough.”
Adeline studied him.
“What are you going to do?”
“With Haverin?”
“With yourself.”
That question was harder.
For years, Elias had measured power in obedience, territory and fear.
Then Daniel Hayes had pulled him from a burning vehicle without asking for his name.
And Daniel’s daughter had risked her job to feed her brother.
Neither had power.
Yet both had changed him.
“I don’t know,” Elias admitted.
Adeline nodded.
“Good.”
“Good?”
“People who think they already know everything rarely change.”
Ben called from the kitchen.
“Are you two having a life-changing conversation?”
Adeline shouted back.
“No.”
“Because the refrigerator just died.”
Elias looked toward the kitchen.
Ben added, “And if the billionaire mafia guy wants to feel useful, now would be an excellent time.”
Adeline burst out laughing.
Elias stared at the ceiling.
“I saved your life twice this week.”
“Three times if you buy a refrigerator.”
Adeline laughed harder.
THE MAFIA KING WHO HID IN A FUNERAL HEARSE
EVERY ALPHA FAILED TO SUMMON THE MOON GODDESS—THEN SHE CALLED AN OMEGA M...
EVERYONE SAID THE OLD DRAGON WAS TOO WEAK TO STAND—UNTIL A STABLE GIRL F...
And Elias Baron realized he could not remember the last time a room containing him had sounded like that.
---
CHAPTER 5
The evidence Daniel left did not destroy Cormac Haverin overnight.
It did something more useful.
It gave investigators a trail.
Accounts were frozen.
Companies were searched.
Several of Haverin’s legitimate business partners walked away rather than risk being dragged into the investigation.
Rourke’s betrayal collapsed with them.
But Elias made another decision no one expected.
He called Bruno into his office.
“I’m closing the East Harbor operation.”
Bruno stared at him.
“That’s almost thirty percent of revenue.”
“I know.”
“You’ve run it for nine years.”
“I know.”
Bruno leaned back.
“Is this because of Adeline?”
“No.”
Bruno waited.
Elias sighed.
“Partly.”
“Thought so.”
“I’m restructuring everything that can survive legally.”
“That could take years.”
“Then start today.”
Bruno smiled faintly.
“Daniel Hayes really ruined you.”
Elias looked at the photograph he now kept on his desk.
“Apparently.”
Adeline entered without knocking.
“You wanted me?”
Bruno stood.
“I suddenly remember somewhere else I need to be.”
When he left, Adeline placed an envelope on Elias’s desk.
“What’s this?” he asked.
“My resignation.”
Elias looked up sharply.
“Why?”
“Ben’s treatment is working. I got offered a daytime position at a hotel.”
“You hate hotels.”
“How would you know?”
“You complained about hotel sheets for twenty minutes last Thursday.”
“They tuck them too tightly.”
“I remember.”
She smiled.
Then grew serious.
“I can’t stay here forever.”
“Why?”