Chapter 6 - Forever
The private elevator doors opened before Marcus had fully stopped the car.
Vincent ran.
He had never run through his own lobby before.
Employees flattened themselves against walls.
Security personnel followed.
Marcus shouted instructions behind him.
Vincent entered the penthouse.
“Eli!”
No answer.
Furniture had been disturbed near the service hallway.
A lamp was broken.
The kitchen door stood open.
“Eli!”
Bruno barked from upstairs.
Vincent took the stairs two at a time.
He reached the bedroom corridor.
Bruno stood between Eli’s door and a man in dark clothing.
The intruder had one arm raised defensively.
Blood marked his sleeve where Bruno had bitten him.
Eli was behind the dog.
Holding the stuffed shark.
Terrified.
But unharmed.
Vincent stopped.
Something savage moved behind his eyes.
The intruder saw it.
“No—wait.”
Vincent crossed the hallway.
Marcus caught his shoulder.
“Vincent.”
The word barely registered.
The intruder backed against the wall.
“I was only supposed to take pictures.”
“Of a child?”
“He said—”
Vincent grabbed his jacket.
“Who?”
“You know.”
“Say his name.”
“Victor Soren.”
Vincent’s fist tightened.
“Dad.”
The small voice behind him stopped everything.
Vincent turned.
Eli stood shaking.
Bruno remained beside him.
Vincent released the intruder immediately.
He walked to the boy.
“Are you hurt?”
Eli shook his head.
“Did he touch you?”
“No.”
Vincent crouched.
Eli threw his arms around him.
“I thought you left.”
“I didn’t.”
“You weren’t here.”
“I came back.”
“You promised.”
Vincent closed his eyes.
“I know.”
Eli held tighter.
Marcus handcuffed the intruder with security restraints until police arrived.
Vincent barely noticed.
He carried Eli downstairs.
The boy refused to release his neck.
Bruno followed.
Twenty minutes later, the penthouse filled with investigators.
Daniel arrived furious.
Claire arrived frightened.
Vincent sat on the sofa with Eli asleep against his chest.
Claire lowered herself into the chair opposite him.
“This changes things.”
Vincent’s eyes lifted.
“If you are about to tell me he has to leave—”
“I’m going to tell you he needs professional protection.”
“He has it.”
“Someone entered your home.”
Vincent looked toward Marcus.
Marcus looked ashamed.
“They had copied access credentials,” Marcus said. “Internal breach. We’re reviewing everyone.”
Claire rubbed her forehead.
“The placement hearing is tomorrow.”
“He’s not leaving.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because it remains true.”
Daniel stepped in.
“I spoke with the investigator. The arrest helps us.”
Vincent frowned.
“How?”
“Because it establishes that somebody is actively targeting you, yes—but also that you involved law enforcement rather than handling it privately.”
Vincent looked at Daniel.
“You expected me to kill him?”
“I expected you to consider it.”
Eli moved slightly.
Everyone lowered their voices.
Daniel sat.
“Victor wants you to become the old Vincent.”
“Why?”
“Because the old Vincent is easy to prosecute.”
Vincent understood immediately.
Victor did not merely want to hurt him.
He wanted Vincent to destroy himself.
If Vincent attacked anyone, threatened anyone, paid anyone off, interfered with the investigation—
the adoption would end.
Victor knew exactly where to strike.
Not the boy.
The father.
The next morning, Vincent wore a dark navy suit instead of white.
Eli wore new clothes Claire had selected.
He hated the collar.
“It’s choking me.”
“It is not.”
“I can’t breathe.”
“You’ve been talking for five minutes.”
“That doesn’t prove anything.”
Vincent fixed the collar.
Eli looked nervous.
“What happens if they say no?”
Vincent stopped.
“We keep fighting.”
“What if they say no forever?”
“They won’t.”
“How do you know?”
Vincent looked directly into his eyes.
“Because I won’t stop.”
The hearing lasted three hours.
The judge reviewed Vincent’s background.
His wealth.
His business history.
The anonymous complaint.
The intrusion.
Claire testified.
Daniel spoke.
Vincent answered questions.
Then the judge asked something unexpected.
“Mr. Crowe, why this child?”
Vincent looked across the room at Eli sitting beside Claire.
He could have offered polished language.
Instead, he told the truth.
“Because he asked me.”
The judge waited.
“He asked you what?”
“To be his father for one day.”
A few people shifted.
Vincent continued.
“I agreed because I thought one day cost nothing.”
He looked at Eli.
“I was wrong.”
The room became quiet.
“He showed me where he slept. He saved food because he was afraid tomorrow wouldn’t have any. He had a bicycle that barely worked and still treated it like treasure.”
Vincent’s voice changed slightly.
“He trusted me before I deserved it.”
The judge watched him.
“And now?”
“Now I’m trying to become the man he already believes I am.”
Silence.
The judge looked down at the file.
Then at Claire.
“Recommendation?”
Claire stood.
“Continue temporary placement with enhanced security and weekly review.”
Vincent exhaled.
The judge nodded.
“Approved.”
Eli looked at Vincent.
“Does that mean I stay?”
Vincent smiled.
“For now.”
Eli frowned.
“That’s not forever.”
“No.”
Vincent held out his hand.
“But it’s closer.”
Eli ran across the room.
Security officers nearly moved.
Vincent caught him.
For the first time, the judge smiled.
Outside the courthouse, reporters waited.
The anonymous complaint had leaked.
Questions flew.
“Mr. Crowe, are you adopting the homeless child?”
“Is he related to you?”
“Are allegations about organized crime true?”
“Who attacked your home?”
Vincent ignored them.
Then one reporter shouted, “Eli, do you really call him Dad?”
Vincent stopped.
He turned sharply.
“No questions to the child.”
The reporter stepped back.
Vincent placed one hand on Eli’s shoulder.
They entered the SUV.
Inside, Eli whispered, “They know my name.”
Vincent hated that.
“Yes.”
“Am I famous?”
“No.”
“Good.”
“Why good?”
“Famous sounds annoying.”
Vincent almost laughed.
Then Eli looked out the window.
“Dad?”
“Yes?”
“When you said you were trying to become the man I think you are…”
Vincent waited.
“What man do I think you are?”
Eli turned.
“A good one.”
Vincent said nothing.
Eli leaned against him.
That evening they returned to the park.
Security stayed at a distance.
Vincent sat on the same bench.
Eli rode Lightning.
Bruno ran beside him.
For a few minutes, life looked ordinary.
Then Marcus approached.
He handed Vincent a folder.
“What?”
“We found Victor’s objective.”
Vincent opened it.
Inside were corporate documents.
Maps.
Bank records.
Photos.
Marcus pointed to one page.
“He’s not only after you.”
Vincent looked closer.
Victor had been quietly buying debt tied to several of Vincent’s companies.
More disturbing was another document.
A photograph of Eli’s mother.
Rachel Mercer.
Taken years before she died.
Beside her stood Victor Soren.
Vincent slowly raised his eyes.
“What is this?”
“We don’t know yet.”
Marcus looked toward Eli.
“But Victor knew Rachel.”
Vincent stared at the photograph.
Suddenly the threat felt different.
Perhaps Victor had not discovered Eli because of Vincent.
Perhaps Victor had known about Eli long before Vincent ever sat on that park bench.
And if that was true, the biggest question was no longer why Victor was watching Vincent.
May you like
It was why he had been watching Eli’s mother.
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