Chapter 2 - The Man Who Knew Her Mother
Mave slept badly in the guest room at the Ashcroft estate.
She woke at three in the morning with her heart racing and sat upright beneath a blanket she had not asked for.
The room was too quiet.
That was the problem.
Her apartment had always made noise.
Pipes.
Traffic.
Neighbors.
The hum of the old refrigerator.
Somebody arguing on the sidewalk.
A siren every few hours.
Silence had always felt expensive.
Here, silence felt threatening.
Mave pushed the blanket aside and got out of bed.
She was still wearing the clothes she had arrived in.
No one had told her what the next step was.
They had taken her phone, claiming Dominic's security required it.
They had given her a dinner she couldn't eat.
They had placed a diamond necklace on the dresser as though she were a bride already.
She hadn't touched it.
The door opened.
Karen stood there.
Mave turned.
"I don't want anything from you."
Karen nodded.
"I know."
"Then why are you here?"
"Because I need to tell you the truth before Dominic does."
Mave folded her arms.
"Then tell me."
Karen came inside and shut the door.
"For twenty-two years, I believed my daughter died."
Mave said nothing.
"Her name was Eleanor."
Karen sat on the edge of the chair.
"She was twenty-four. She married a man who wasn't worth her."
"Who?"
"Anthony Donnelly."
Mave froze.
She had heard that name her entire life.
Her mother had rarely spoken about him.
When Mave was a child, she'd asked once why her last name was Donnelly if there was no father around.
Bridget had simply said, "Some people leave because they are cowards."
Mave had never asked again.
Karen continued.
"Eleanor became pregnant. Anthony was involved with the Vale family."
Mave's brows drew together.
"What does that mean?"
"Dominic's father."
Mave stared.
Karen's hands trembled.
"Chicago was divided by alliances then. The Vales ran one side. The Ashcrofts ran another. There were men trying to make peace."
"Was my mother involved?"
"No."
Karen looked at her.
"Your mother was the person trying to get Eleanor out."
Mave's mouth fell slightly open.
"Out of what?"
"A war."
The door opened again.
Gerald stood there.
"Karen."
She stood.
"No."
Gerald's expression hardened.
"This isn't the time."
"It is the only time."
Mave turned toward him.
"What happened to my mother?"
Gerald looked at the floor.
Karen answered.
"She ran."
"From who?"
"From Dominic's father."
Mave took a breath.
"Why?"
"Because she had discovered the truth about the baby."
Mave felt cold.
"What baby?"
Karen looked at her.
"You."
Everything inside Mave went still.
Gerald whispered, "You were born in secret."
Mave shook her head.
"No."
"Your mother believed someone was going to kill you."
"So she hid me."
"Yes."
"Where?"
"With Bridget."
Mave stared.
"Bridget was my mother."
Karen's eyes filled again.
"Bridget was your aunt."
The word hit harder than Mave expected.
She sat down.
"No."
Karen nodded.
"Your mother left you with her because she thought it was the only way to keep you alive."
"What happened to Eleanor?"
Karen looked toward the window.
"We were told she died."
"We?"
"Dominic's father. My husband. Your mother. Several other people knew different pieces."
Mave could barely breathe.
"Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"Because we believed the men responsible were still looking."
Gerald said quietly, "And because we failed you."
Mave stared at him.
"That still doesn't explain why you're sending me to Dominic."
Karen closed her eyes.
"It does when you understand who Dominic became."
Mave stood.
"You keep saying his name like he's some kind of answer."
"He is."
"He's a criminal."
"Yes."
"He's dangerous."
"Yes."
"He's going to marry me."
Karen didn't deny it.
Mave laughed bitterly.
"You're not helping."
Karen walked toward her.
"Dominic has spent years searching for Eleanor's daughter."
Mave stopped.
"He didn't know who I was."
"Not until tonight."
"How?"
Karen's eyes moved toward the door.
"Your birthmark."
Mave touched behind her ear.
She had always known it was there.
A little crescent, pale against her skin.
Her mother had called it a moon.
Karen whispered, "Dominic remembers it."
"How?"
"He was there when you were born."
Mave's breath caught.
That changed everything.
"You said my mother left me with Bridget."
"She did."
"Then why was Dominic there?"
Karen didn't answer.
A voice came from the hallway.
"Because your father was dying."
Mave turned.
Dominic Vale stood in the doorway.
She had expected arrogance.
Coldness.
Maybe cruelty.
She had expected a man who looked like the stories.
Instead, she saw someone very still.
Tall.
Broad shoulders.
Black suit.
Dark hair.
A scar near his right eyebrow.
His expression was controlled.
His eyes were not.
They were fixed on her with an intensity that made the room feel smaller.
Karen moved aside.
Dominic looked at Mave.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then he said, "You have your mother's eyes."
Mave swallowed.
"You knew her?"
"Yes."
"Did you love her?"
Dominic's jaw tightened.
"More than anyone."
Something in his voice made Mave look away.
"Then why are you marrying me?"
"Because I said yes."
"That's not an answer."
"It is the only answer that matters tonight."
Mave stared at him.
"You're taking me because the Ashcrofts owe you."
Dominic's expression barely moved.
"That is what they think."
"What do you think?"
He stepped closer.
"That you were brought to me because someone is afraid of what will happen when I discover why you were hidden."
Mave's heart began pounding again.
"You're saying you don't want my marriage."
"I don't need your marriage."
"Then what do you want?"
Dominic looked directly at the mark behind her ear.
"Time."
"Time for what?"
"To keep you alive."
She laughed.
"From whom?"
Dominic didn't answer.
Mave's anger rose.
"You brought me into this. You can tell me the truth."
"I will."
"When?"
"When I know how much of the truth will get you killed."
She shook her head.
"You're impossible."
"Probably."
He stepped back.
"Your room will remain yours. No one will force you to share a bed with me. No one will touch you without your permission."
Mave stared at him.
"You expect me to trust you because you say that?"
"No."
"Then what?"
"I expect you to survive long enough to decide."
He turned to leave.
Mave called after him.
"Dominic."
He stopped.
"Did my mother really die?"
For the first time, his control cracked.
He looked over his shoulder.
"I don't know."
Mave's chest tightened.
"What do you mean you don't know?"
"I saw the car."
"What car?"
"The night they said she died."
He turned fully.
"I saw it burn."
Mave's eyes widened.
"But there was never a body."
Silence.
Dominic said quietly, "Exactly."
The next morning, Mave left the estate with him.
Not as a bride.
Not yet.
She rode beside him in another black car.
There were two motorcycles ahead and one behind.
"Do I always need this much security?"
"Until I know who is watching you."
She looked out the window.
Chicago passed in gray morning light.
She had grown up in this city.
Now it looked unfamiliar.
"Where are we going?"
"Home."
"You mean your house?"
"Yes."
She almost laughed.
"You really don't understand normal people."
He glanced at her.
"No."
Mave looked at his hands.
There was a ring on his right hand.
Old.
Silver.
"Your mother's?"
Dominic's gaze dropped.
"No."
"Then whose?"
"My father's."
Mave frowned.
"Why wear it?"
"Because I took it from his hand the night he died."
"How old were you?"
"Twenty-six."
She looked at him.
"You've been doing this a long time."
"I've been surviving a long time."
The car slowed.
Massive gates opened ahead.
Mave saw the Vale estate.
It looked less like a home and more like a fortress pretending to be a mansion.
The car stopped.
Dominic got out.
He came around to her side.
Mave stepped down.
A man in his fifties waited at the entrance.
He looked at her.
Then at Dominic.
His face changed.
"Jesus Christ."
Dominic's expression became hard.
"What?"
The man stared at Mave.
"She looks exactly like Eleanor."
Mave felt the ground disappear beneath her.
Dominic moved between them.
"Inside."
The man obeyed.
As Mave crossed the threshold, she noticed a framed photograph on the wall.
A young woman smiled from it.
Dark hair.
Green eyes.
A small scar above her left eyebrow.
Mave stopped.
She knew that face.
Not from photographs.
From the mirror.
Her own face.
Dominic followed her gaze.
"You've seen her before?"
Mave couldn't speak.
The photograph was labeled in a tiny silver plate.
Eleanor Vale.
Mave turned slowly.
"Why does my mother have your last name?"
Dominic looked at the photograph.
Then at her.
"Because she was my wife."
Mave stared at him.
May you like
He had one more secret.
And this one was big enough to destroy everything.
