Chapter 2 - The Warning
Claire did not scream.
She stepped backward.
The back door opened another inch.
Then a shadow crossed the frosted glass.
Claire tightened both hands around the rolling pin.
"Whoever you are, I've called the police."
It was a lie.
The shadow stopped.
Claire reached for her phone.
Before she could dial, the door slammed.
Footsteps struck the alley pavement.
She ran to the front, locked herself outside, and called 911.
Dominic arrived before the police.
Claire never discovered who contacted him.
He emerged from a black SUV and crossed the sidewalk with frightening speed.
"Claire."
"I'm okay."
His hands closed around her shoulders.
"Are you hurt?"
"No."
"Did they touch you?"
"No."
Only then did he breathe.
Two officers entered the bakery.
Dominic looked through the window at the photograph on Claire's desk.
Something changed in his face.
"You recognize this?"
"The method."
Claire stared at him.
"What does that mean?"
He didn't answer.
"Dominic."
"Not here."
That answer frightened her more.
Twenty minutes later, Gabriel arrived with another man and took the younger children home.
Sophie refused to leave until Claire promised she was safe.
Claire hated lying to children.
"I'm safe."
Sophie hugged her tightly.
When they were gone, Dominic led Claire to a booth.
"Three years ago," he said, "someone sent Elena photographs."
Claire's stomach dropped.
"Your wife?"
He nodded.
"Pictures of her leaving the children's school. Grocery store. Doctor's office."
"Who?"
"I never proved it."
"Did it have something to do with her death?"
His silence answered.
Claire looked toward the kitchen.
The police were photographing the red-marked picture.
"Why would they target me?"
Dominic's jaw tightened.
"Because of me."
The words settled heavily.
Claire should have been furious.
Instead she saw a man who had carried guilt for three years.
"Tell me everything."
Dominic looked at her for a long moment.
"My family owned businesses in Greyhaven long before I was born. Some legal. Some weren't."
"Mafia."
He didn't flinch.
"That's the word people use."
"Is it accurate?"
"It was."
"Was?"
"I spent six years dismantling everything my father built."
Claire hadn't expected that.
"I refused to raise my children inside it."
"Did everyone accept that?"
"No."
There it was.
The missing piece.
"Someone wants you back?"
"Or wants what I abandoned."
"And I'm leverage."
Dominic's eyes hardened.
"Nobody gets to use you."
Claire almost laughed.
"Apparently someone disagrees."
He looked toward the photograph.
"You won't stay here tonight."
"My apartment is upstairs."
"Exactly."
"Dominic—"
"Claire."
She stood.
"Don't order me around because you're frightened."
He rose too.
"I'm not frightened."
"You're terrified."
That stopped him.
Claire stepped closer.
"You're terrified because this happened before."
His eyes met hers.
"Yes."
The honesty disarmed her.
For the first time, she didn't see Greyhaven's feared Dominic Vale.
She saw a widower who believed danger followed him.
"I'll stay with my friend Rachel."
"No."
Claire raised an eyebrow.
He exhaled.
"My house has security."
"Your house also has five children."
"They're already targets because they're mine."
"And you want to add me?"
His answer came quietly.
"I want you somewhere I can protect you."
Claire should have refused.
Then a police officer approached carrying a plastic evidence bag.
Inside was another photograph.
Claire's apartment.
Taken from outside her bedroom window.
She stopped arguing.
Dominic's home stood twenty minutes outside town behind stone walls and iron gates.
It was large without being ostentatious.
Claire expected cold marble.
Instead she found backpacks beside the stairs, crayons under a table, one abandoned sneaker in the hallway, and a stuffed rabbit wearing a necktie.
Lily ran toward her.
"Claire!"
Dominic caught the toddler before she collided with Claire's knees.
"Easy."
Lily protested.
Claire laughed.
Something inside her loosened.
That evening, she cooked with the children because sitting still made her anxious.
Dominic attempted to help.
He was terrible.
"You own restaurants," Claire said.
"I don't cook in them."
"You've murdered this onion."
"I've been accused of worse."
Claire looked at him.
Dominic paused.
Then she laughed.
So did he.
Across the island, Gabriel watched them.
Later, Claire found the teenager on the back porch.
"You okay?"
Gabriel shrugged.
Teenage language for absolutely not.
Claire sat beside him.
After a minute he said, "Dad likes you."
Claire nearly choked.
"Your father tolerates me."
"He doesn't laugh."
"He laughed tonight."
"Exactly."
Claire stared into the darkness.
"Gabriel—"
"I'm not asking you to replace Mom."
His voice became smaller.
"I wouldn't."
"I know."
He looked at her.
"That's why Sophie likes you."
Claire felt tears threaten.
She looked away.
Gabriel continued.
"People keep trying to introduce Dad to women. They talk to us like we're obstacles."
"You're not."
"I know that too."
Claire smiled.
"You know a lot."
"I'm fifteen."
"Ancient."
He rolled his eyes.
The next morning, Claire returned to the bakery with Dominic.
The police had cleared it.
Nothing appeared stolen.
That bothered Dominic.
"They wanted fear," he said.
"Then they wasted their time."
"You were scared."
"Being scared isn't the same as leaving."
He looked at her.
"No."
His expression softened.
"It isn't."
Business resumed.
For three days, nothing happened.
Then Greyhaven began talking.
Someone had photographed Claire entering Dominic's home.
The image appeared anonymously online.
Comments multiplied.
Some called her a gold digger.
Others mocked her appearance.
Several mentioned her infertility.
Claire read twelve comments before closing the page.
At lunch, Sophie found her crying in the pantry.
Claire wiped her face.
"Onions."
"There aren't onions in here."
"Very observant."
Sophie stepped inside.
"Was someone mean?"
Claire couldn't answer.
The girl hugged her.
Claire's arms closed around her automatically.
"I'm sorry," Sophie whispered.
"For what?"
"Grown-ups are stupid sometimes."
Claire laughed through tears.
"Sometimes."
That afternoon, Dominic arrived alone.
He placed his phone on the counter.
"I can have it removed."
"No."
"Claire."
"If you remove one post, they'll make ten more."
"I can find who started it."
"And then?"
His silence was not reassuring.
Claire leaned across the counter.
"You promised you're leaving that world."
"I did."
"Then leave it."
Dominic stared at her.
Finally he nodded.
"Okay."
It was the first time Claire understood the power she had over him.
Not fear.
Choice.
That frightened her too.
Saturday came.
All five children arrived.
Claire placed cinnamon rolls on the counter.
Noah grinned.
Ben stole icing.
Lily demanded Claire.
Everything looked almost normal.
Then Celeste entered.
She carried an envelope.
Dominic stiffened.
Celeste walked directly to Claire.
"I think you should see this."
"I don't want anything from you."
"You'll want this."
She dropped the envelope onto the counter.
Photographs spilled out.
Dominic with another man.
A warehouse.
Stacks of cash.
Guns visible on a table.
Claire stared at him.
"Dominic?"
His face went pale.
Celeste smiled.
"Ask him when they were taken."
Claire looked at the date printed in the corner.
Three weeks ago.
Dominic had told her his criminal life was over years ago.
Claire slowly raised her eyes.
"Tell me these aren't real."
Dominic didn't answer.
Then Gabriel whispered from behind them.
"Dad?"
May you like
Dominic closed his eyes.
Because the photographs were real.
