Chapter 16 - Elena’s Statement
Victor stared at his daughter as agents cut the ties from his wrists.
“Elena, listen to me.”
“No.”
“I protected this family.”
“You hurt this family.”
His face twisted. “Everything I did was for you and Nico.”
Nico, still on the floor while a medic checked his injured arm, laughed bitterly.
“You kidnapped me.”
Victor looked at him. “I didn’t order that.”
“You built the people who did.”
Elena’s voice stayed steady. “You told me fear was love. You told me obedience was loyalty. You told me every bruise was my fault because I made you angry.”
Victor glanced at Adrian. “He’s filling your head.”
Adrian took one step backward.
A small gesture.
Elena noticed.
“No,” she said. “That’s the difference. He keeps telling me I get to decide.”
Victor’s expression became ugly. “You think Vale is good? Ask him how many lives his family ruined.”
“I already know his father had blood on his hands.”
Adrian stiffened.
Elena continued, “And Adrian gave the evidence to the FBI.”
Victor stared.
That was the choice he could not understand.
Mara approached with two agents. “Victor Moretti, you are under arrest for conspiracy, kidnapping, obstruction, assault, witness intimidation, and additional charges pending.”
Victor’s eyes stayed on Elena.
“You do this, our name dies.”
Elena shook her head. “No. Your version of it does.”
They took him away.
Nico was transported back to the hospital. Julian went into federal custody. A statewide bulletin was issued for Marcus Kane, while Bell’s office was sealed under warrant.
At 5:40 a.m., Elena stood outside the hotel as snow turned to freezing rain.
Adrian draped his coat over a railing beside her rather than around her shoulders.
“You’re cold,” he said.
She looked at the coat.
Then at him.
“May I?” he asked.
She nodded.
He placed it around her carefully.
The gesture was so ordinary it almost broke her.
“Adrian.”
“Yes?”
“I don’t know what our marriage is now.”
“Neither do I.”
“You could annul it.”
“So could you.”
She looked at him.
He continued, “When this is over, you choose. Stay. Leave. Start over. Keep the name. Burn the paperwork. I won’t use the debt to hold you here.”
For the first time since the wedding, Elena felt something stronger than fear.
Then Mara ran out of the hotel.
“Kane’s plane never took off.”
Adrian turned.
“Where is he?”
Mara held up a recovered traffic-camera image.
May you like
Marcus Kane was driving north.
Toward Vale House.
