Chapter 6 - THE BODYGUARD WHO BROKE THE RULE
Marcus Reed didn't like me.
He rarely spoke unless necessary, never smiled, and looked at every room as though he expected the walls to attack him.
I understood his caution.
What I didn't understand was why he seemed angrier whenever Dominic treated me kindly.
The answer came on a Thursday evening.
I was leaving the diner when Marcus appeared beside his SUV.
"Miss Carter."
I stopped.
"If you're here to warn me about touching Dominic again, I've already received the lecture."
He didn't smile.
"I need to tell you something."
"About Dominic?"
"About Dennis Crowley."
My stomach tightened.
"Have they found him?"
"Not yet."
Marcus glanced toward the road.
"He was investigating illegal transfers through Blackwater Maritime. He believed someone inside the Vale organization was helping Arthur regain control."
I folded my arms.
"Who?"
Marcus hesitated.
"Me."
For a moment, I thought I'd misunderstood.
"What?"
He looked down.
"I used to work for Arthur."
I stepped backward.
"Does Dominic know?"
"Yes."
"Then why does he trust you?"
Marcus's face tightened.
"Because I helped him escape Arthur's control when he was young."
I studied him.
He continued.
"I was nineteen when I first worked for the Vale family. I followed orders I should have questioned. I saw things I wish I could forget."
His jaw moved.
"One night, I found Dominic hurt and alone. I took him to the hospital where your mother worked."
My heart stopped.
"You brought him to Grace?"
He nodded.
"She threatened to call the police if I tried to take him back."
Despite myself, I smiled.
"Sounds like Mom."
Marcus looked away.
"She was the bravest person I've ever met."
For the first time, I understood why he'd reached for his weapon in the diner.
He wasn't merely protecting Dominic's reputation.
He had spent decades fearing the consequences of letting anyone close enough to hurt him.
"Marcus," I said gently, "your boss isn't twelve anymore."
He looked at me.
"I know."
"Then why do you still treat everyone who approaches him like an enemy?"
His expression changed.
"Because sometimes I forget that."
That evening, Marcus gave his statement to independent investigators.
He described his early involvement with Arthur, his decision to help Dominic, and threats he'd received afterward.
He also acknowledged violent acts committed during his years in organized crime.
There was no dramatic promise that everything would be forgiven.
His testimony could expose him to consequences.
But Marcus agreed to cooperate.
Dominic called me that night.
"Marcus told me you convinced him to speak."
"No. He made that decision himself."
A pause.
"That's what you always say."
"Because it's usually true."
Dominic laughed softly.
Then his voice grew serious.
"Lily, Arthur knows about you."
My blood went cold.
"How?"
"We're trying to establish that."
I looked toward Ben, who was studying at the kitchen table.
"Are we in danger?"
"Possibly."
I appreciated that he didn't lie.
Dominic continued.
"Your attorney and the authorities should know. If you want additional protection, we can discuss arrangements through them."
I swallowed.
"Thank you."
Then he said something unexpected.
"I'm sorry your kindness has brought trouble into your life."
I looked toward the photograph of my mother.
"It didn't cause the trouble, Dominic. The people threatening us did."
He was quiet.
Then whispered, "Grace would have been proud of you."
My eyes filled.
"Maybe."
"I know she would."
The following morning, a woman entered the diner carrying a red umbrella.
She was in her early sixties, elegantly dressed, with silver hair pinned at the back of her head.
She ordered tea.
Then looked at my name tag.
"Lily Carter?"
"Yes, ma'am."
She smiled sadly.
"I knew your mother."
My heart skipped.
"Who are you?"
The woman took a photograph from her purse.
It showed Grace standing beside a little boy and a younger woman.
"I was a social worker at St. Catherine's," she said. "My name is Margaret Ellis."
I stared.
Margaret leaned forward.
"Your mother left something with me before she died."
"What?"
"A statement about Dominic's childhood."
My breath caught.
May you like
Then she added:
"And Lily, I believe the man who threatened her has been living under another name for years."
