Chapter 8 - The Life He Never Thought He Could HaveMatteo DeLuca survived.
More importantly, he talked.
Facing attempted murder, kidnapping, conspiracy, fraud, and enough financial crimes to occupy federal prosecutors for years, Matteo began trading information.
The result was an earthquake through Chicago's criminal world.
Police arrested corrupt hospital employees.
Federal agents raided shell companies.
Three members of Gabriel's organization disappeared before investigators could reach them.
Two surrendered.
Vittorio Russo was arrested in Costa Rica and extradited.
For the first time in decades, Gabriel's world began changing faster than he could control it.
Elena expected him to resist.
Instead, he surprised her.
He began separating the legitimate Russo businesses from everything else.
Restaurants.
Real estate.
Construction.
Medical facilities.
He placed them under independent management.
He sold interests that connected them to criminal operations.
Carmine noticed.
“You're leaving.”
Gabriel stood inside his office overlooking Lake Michigan.
“Eventually.”
“The life?”
“Yes.”
Carmine studied him.
“Because of her?”
Gabriel looked through the glass toward the neonatal unit.
Elena stood beside Isabella, laughing at something.
“No.”
Carmine raised an eyebrow.
Gabriel smiled faintly.
“Because she reminded me there could be something after it.”
Leo reached three pounds.
Then four.
His lungs strengthened.
The oxygen support decreased.
He learned to feed from a bottle.
Every milestone became a celebration.
Isabella transformed.
The frightened woman who had once cried beside an incubator became a fiercely confident mother.
One afternoon she found Elena alone.
“Thank you.”
Elena smiled.
“You've already thanked me approximately nine hundred times.”
“This is different.”
Isabella looked toward her brother through the glass.
“Gabriel.”
Elena became cautious.
“What about him?”
“He's changing.”
“People change.”
“Gabriel doesn't.”
Isabella smiled.
“Or he didn't.”
Elena looked away.
“We're complicated.”
“He likes complicated.”
“He likes control.”
“He likes you.”
“That may be worse.”
Isabella laughed.
Then her expression softened.
“He has spent his entire life believing everyone he loves eventually becomes a weapon someone can use against him.”
Elena thought about the warehouse.
“I know.”
“He tried to avoid loving people.”
“That sounds lonely.”
“It was.”
Isabella touched Elena's arm.
“You don't have to save him.”
Elena looked at her.
“He isn't Leo.”
“No.”
Isabella smiled.
“But maybe he doesn't need saving.”
She walked away.
“Maybe he just needs someone who makes him want to save himself.”
The words remained with Elena.
That evening Gabriel finally took her to dinner.
No bodyguards at the table.
No visible guns.
A small Italian restaurant in Lincoln Park.
The owner recognized Gabriel immediately but wisely pretended otherwise.
Elena noticed.
She said nothing.
They ordered pasta.
Gabriel hated the wine.
Elena loved it.
They argued about movies.
Gabriel believed The Godfather was overrated.
Elena nearly left.
“You're literally in organized crime.”
“That doesn't mean I enjoy inaccurate workplace documentaries.”
She laughed so hard the couple at the next table looked over.
Gabriel smiled.
Elena realized she had never seen him this relaxed.
After dinner they walked.
Chicago was cold.
Gabriel held her hand.
No armored cars followed visibly.
No emergency alarms sounded.
For almost one hour, they were simply two people.
“What happens now?” Elena asked.
“With Matteo?”
“With you.”
Gabriel stopped.
“What do you mean?”
“You're dismantling things.”
He looked toward the street.
“Some things.”
“Why?”
“You know why.”
“I want you to say it.”
Gabriel exhaled.
“I don't want Leo growing up believing the only inheritance available to him is violence.”
Elena waited.
“And?”
“I don't want Isabella spending her life looking over her shoulder.”
“And?”
Gabriel looked at her.
“You're enjoying this.”
“A little.”
He stepped closer.
“And I want the possibility of waking up beside someone without wondering whether my choices will get her killed.”
Elena's heart tightened.
“Someone?”
“You.”
There was no performance in the word.
No seduction.
Only truth.
“I don't know what happens with us,” Elena said.
“Neither do I.”
“I won't become part of your criminal world.”
“I know.”
“I won't ignore things because I care about you.”
“I know.”
“You cannot solve arguments by making people disappear.”
“That one may require adjustment.”
“Gabriel.”
He smiled.
“Kidding.”
“Terrible joke.”
“I've been surrounded by criminals for twenty years. My social development suffered.”
She laughed.
He touched her face.
“I love you.”
Elena stopped breathing.
Gabriel looked almost irritated with himself.
“Apparently.”
“Apparently?”
“I've never done this before.”
“That's your declaration?”
“I had something longer prepared.”
“What happened?”
“You looked at me.”
Elena smiled.
“Try again.”
Gabriel considered.
Then he took both her hands.
“Elena Jenkins, you are the first person in years who has looked at me without wanting money, power, protection, or permission.”
His voice softened.
“You challenged me while I held a gun to your head.”
“Not your strongest moment.”
“No.”
“You threatened my boss.”
“He deserved it.”
“Gabriel.”
“Sorry.”
She laughed again.
He continued.
“You remind me that power means nothing if the only thing you know how to do with it is frighten people.”
Elena's eyes filled.
“I love you.”
This time the words came without hesitation.
Elena leaned forward.
“I love you too.”
May you like
Gabriel kissed her beneath the streetlights.
Across the street, inside an inconspicuous SUV, Carmine pretended not to watch.
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