Chapter 4 - The Night Everything Changed
Warehouse 17 was abandoned.
Or it was supposed to be.
The building stood near the river, surrounded by empty lots and rusted fencing.
Lena stayed beside Dominic.
Raphael and Marco moved ahead.
The door was unlocked.
Inside, dust covered everything.
Then Lena smelled something.
“Coffee.”
Dominic stopped.
“What?”
“Fresh coffee.”
They heard a cup fall.
Someone ran.
Raphael chased him.
Then the lights went out.
Gunfire erupted.
Lena ducked.
Dominic pulled her behind a concrete pillar.
“Stay here.”
“I can help.”
“Stay.”
A bullet struck the pillar.
Lena froze.
Dominic fired back.
The exchange lasted less than a minute.
Then silence.
Marco shouted.
“Clear!”
Dominic turned toward Lena.
“Are you hurt?”
She shook her head.
Then noticed blood on his sleeve.
“You are.”
“It's superficial.”
“You're bleeding.”
“I've been worse.”
She grabbed his arm.
“Sit.”
“This isn't the time.”
“You're bleeding on my jacket.”
Dominic looked at her.
For the first time, he laughed.
Quietly.
“You're worried about the jacket?”
“I'm a chef. Stains matter.”
He sat.
Lena examined the wound.
“Bullet grazed you.”
“Yes.”
“Lucky.”
“I've been told that before.”
She tore a strip from a clean cloth in her bag.
“You'll need stitches.”
Dominic watched her work.
“You're remarkably calm.”
“I've worked twelve-hour shifts with three people screaming at me.”
“Not the same.”
“No.”
She tied the bandage.
Their faces were suddenly close.
Neither moved.
Then Raphael called from across the warehouse.
“We found something.”
They followed him.
Behind a false wall was a metal box.
Inside was a ledger.
Dominic stared.
“That's it.”
Lena looked at the book.
Her mother's handwriting appeared on the first page.
She touched it gently.
“She saved this.”
Dominic nodded.
“She did.”
Lena looked at him.
“Why didn't you tell me she helped your family?”
“Because I didn't know how.”
“Try.”
Dominic took a breath.
“Your mother saved my life.”
Lena froze.
“What?”
“Six years ago, Salerno planned an ambush.”
He looked at the ledger.
“Your mother discovered it.”
“How?”
“She overheard your father.”
Lena felt her heart crack.
“My father knew?”
“Yes.”
“And my mother warned you?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did she die?”
Dominic's silence was answer enough.
Lena stepped back.
“You knew?”
“I knew enough to suspect.”
“You should have told me.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“Stop saying that.”
Her voice broke.
“Everyone says they're protecting me while they hide the truth.”
Dominic looked at her.
“You're right.”
The admission stunned her.
“I should have told you.”
“Yes.”
“I was afraid you'd blame your father.”
“I do.”
“I was afraid you'd hate me.”
Lena swallowed.
“I don't hate you.”
Dominic's expression softened.
“You should.”
“Maybe.”
He stepped closer.
“But I don't.”
The moment lasted only seconds.
Then headlights appeared outside.
Salerno's men had arrived.
Dominic pulled Lena behind him.
“Stay close.”
This time, she didn't argue.
Because she understood something.
She wasn't simply the woman Dominic had been forced to protect.
May you like
She had become someone he was willing to stand in front of a bullet for.
And that frightened her more than the guns.
