Exposed to the CEO Behind the Mafia Mask

Chapter 363: Chapter 147 Ghosts Return Home

Dominic’s POV

The frustration gnawed at my gut as I sat in the back room of the Thorne family’s police precinct safe house, feeling like I was drowning in loose ends. Neither Marcus nor that street rat Nick had been permanently dealt with, and the latter was still circling Gemma like a rabid dog. Detective Adler sat across from me at the scarred wooden table, his weathered face showing the kind of sympathy only another soldier could understand. At least he had some intelligence that might give us a fighting chance in this bloody chess game.

”What have you got for us, Adler?” Daniel asked, leaning forward in his chair with the predatory focus that made him one of our most effective cleaners.

”Let’s start with our surveillance on the street scum,” Adler began, pulling out a manila folder. ”Nick hasn’t left his current rat hole since we arranged his release from county lockup. As we discussed, he’s holed up with the woman who was visiting him inside—clearly his new meal ticket.”

While Adler spoke, my mind drifted to the legitimate storefront where Gemma had been working before I pulled her into our world. There had been someone there—a colleague who had connections running back to that piece of garbage Nick.

”Do we have a name for this woman?” I interrupted, my voice carrying the edge that made lesser men flinch. ”Nick had some bitch at Gemma’s workplace feeding him information.”

Adler nodded with the grim satisfaction of a man who’d done his homework. ”We leaned on that individual—Vanessa, if memory serves. She was making regular trips to see him during his stretch, but he cut her loose. Shortly after, he started getting visits from a woman named Nancy Donovan, sister to a small-time dealer who’s been stepping on our territory in the narcotics trade.”

He started reaching for a surveillance photograph, but I didn’t need to see her face. The moment he said that cursed name, recognition hit me like a shotgun blast to the chest. The universe apparently had a sick sense of humor when it came to dragging ghosts from my past.

”She’s my ex-girlfriend,” I stated, my voice flat as a blade. Both Daniel and Adler stared at me with expressions that shifted from surprise to grim understanding. ”The whore my father abandoned our family for.”

”Well, I’ll be damned,” Daniel exhaled, running a hand through his dark hair. ”Talk about all the chickens coming home to roost. Isn’t she the one who’s been trying to crawl back into your bed?”

”The very same,” I confirmed, feeling the familiar throb of a headache building behind my temples like approaching thunder. ”Back to poison everything she touches.”

Adler scratched his grizzled chin thoughtfully. ”This complicates the game board significantly. A psychotic ex-boyfriend and a vindictive ex-lover working different angles—that’s a powder keg waiting to blow. We need to ensure this woman doesn’t get within a mile of Gemma.”

”She only made contact with Gemma once,” I pointed out, though my instincts were screaming that once was already too many times. ”Maybe she doesn’t even realize Gemma is the same woman who was tangled up with Nick.”

”Possibly. From our intelligence gathering, Stevie was the connector between them. He and Nick formed a tight bond during their shared time in the system. But we can’t afford to gamble on maybes—it was almost certainly Nancy behind those death threats Gemma received. We’ll keep eyes on her,” Adler emphasized with the certainty of a man who’d learned not to underestimate enemies.

”Agreed. I’m not taking chances with Gemma’s safety. I’ll brief her on this development,” I nodded curtly. ”But what about Marcus? Any movement on that front?”

Adler’s expression darkened like storm clouds gathering. ”The bastard’s staying deep underground. I’m itching to put that traitor in the ground where he belongs.”

”That makes three of us,” Daniel added, his voice carrying the cold promise of violence that made him so effective at his job.

”There’s one more piece to this puzzle,” Adler continued, shifting gears with practiced efficiency. ”We analyzed security footage from stores selling that specific chocolate brand and compiled a list of everyone who purchased boxes of liqueur chocolates like the ones delivered to Gemma, within the timeframe before she received hers. No immediately obvious suspects jumped out, but I want you and Gemma to review the list—you might spot a connection we’d miss. Fortunately, it’s not exactly flying off the shelves, so the list isn’t overwhelming.”

”Let me see it,” I demanded, extending my hand.

I flipped through all ten pages methodically, scanning each name with the focus of a predator hunting prey. Nothing triggered my instincts until one particular name seemed to burn itself into my retinas. It had to be coincidence—surely she wouldn’t be that reckless. I continued through the remaining pages, but that was the only name that registered. The possibility seemed completely insane.

”You’ve found something,” Adler observed, his experienced cop’s eyes catching the subtle shift in my body language. ”Who is it?”

”I recognized a name, Adler, but it would be completely irrational,” I argued, though deep down I knew better than to dismiss any possibility in this game. ”She couldn’t possibly be that stupid.”

”My friend, desperation makes people do things that defy all logic. Some individuals will burn down the world to get what they want,” Adler stated with the grim wisdom of someone who’d seen humanity at its worst. I knew he was right—I’d seen it myself too many times.

”Beatrix Atkins,” I revealed with a heavy sigh, watching Daniel’s eyebrows shoot up in recognition.

”That psychotic socialite?” Daniel asked with disbelief.

”The very same,” I confirmed, then proceeded to explain Beatrix’s twisted history to Adler, whose expression grew increasingly incredulous with each detail.

When I finished, Adler shook his head slowly. ”I’d really love to know where you and your associates keep finding these unhinged women.” Despite the gravity of the situation, I couldn’t suppress a dark chuckle.

”Could Beatrix possibly be connected to Nick and Nancy?” Daniel questioned, his tactical mind already working angles.

”Highly doubtful. They despised each other,” I replied. ”But Beatrix’s father maintains close business relationships with Marcus.”

Adler’s eyes lit up with predatory interest. ”Now that’s an angle we can exploit.”

”I should go,” I said, rising from my chair. ”I’ve taken enough of your time, and I need to bring Gemma and the others up to speed on all this.”

”Dominic,” Daniel called out, sliding a secure phone across the table, ”give Gemma her communication device back, and don’t change her number again. We need evidence against Nick. He’ll make contact again, and we’ll be monitoring every word.”

I didn’t like using Gemma as bait, but if it became necessary, I’d make damn sure I was close enough to paint the walls with anyone who threatened her. As I left our police safe house, I realized I was spending far too much time coordinating defensive strategies lately. I missed the simpler days when my biggest concern was pursuing Gemma through shopping districts, trying to claim her heart through sheer determination rather than protecting it from the ghosts of my past.