Chapter 10 - The Man Who Survived Elise
They flew to New York that afternoon.
Naomi hated the private jet.
Not because it was luxurious.
Because Roman insisted that flying was safer than rail.
"Statistically?" Naomi asked.
"Security-wise."
"That's not what I asked."
Roman looked at Victor.
"She does this constantly now."
Victor nodded.
"You created the problem."
"I fed your children," Naomi said from across the cabin.
"Exactly."
Tessa had returned home under federal protection.
Naomi had argued against coming to New York until Evelyn explained that Grant might not survive surgery.
That changed everything.
If he had information about Elise, they might have hours.
Roman traveled with Naomi and Victor.
The babies stayed in Virginia with Dr. Shah and federal protection.
Roman hated leaving them.
Naomi saw him check the nursery camera every two minutes.
"Stop."
He looked up.
"What?"
"Watching them breathe."
"I'm checking security."
"You're watching Jude's chest."
Roman glanced at the screen.
"Maybe both."
Naomi understood.
She had done the same with Micah.
Every parent believed vigilance could negotiate with fate.
She didn't correct him again.
St. Vincent's placed Grant under federal guard.
He had lost significant blood but was conscious.
Roman wasn't allowed inside initially.
Grant had requested Naomi alone.
Roman objected.
Loudly.
Evelyn ignored him.
"She's a witness, not your employee."
"I know."
"Then stop behaving like she requires your permission."
Roman looked toward Naomi.
She almost smiled.
"Everybody enjoys saying that to you."
"I've noticed."
Evelyn fitted Naomi with a recording device.
"Don't promise him anything."
"I wouldn't know what to promise."
"Good."
"What if he asks me to help him?"
"Say federal agents are here."
Naomi nodded.
Roman caught her hand before she entered.
She looked down.
He released immediately.
"Sorry."
"What?"
"Be careful."
Naomi softened.
"I will."
Grant's hospital room smelled antiseptic and cold.
Machines beeped.
Elias Grant looked nothing like the elegant physician from photographs.
Pale.
Weak.
Bandages around his shoulder and abdomen.
He opened his eyes.
"Naomi Bell."
She remained near the door.
"You know me."
"Elise talked about you."
Naomi's heart jumped.
"How?"
Grant smiled faintly.
"Sit."
"I'll stand."
"You sound like her."
"Elise?"
"Yes."
Naomi stayed still.
"What happened to her?"
Grant's eyes closed.
"I failed her."
"That's not an answer."
"Roman teaching you?"
"No. Grief."
Grant looked at her again.
"Kincaid discovered Elise had copied financial records."
"I know."
"He wanted the drive."
"I know."
"He also wanted Roman's signature transferring emergency control of the Vale trust."
"I know."
Grant seemed surprised.
"Then you know most of it."
"I know Elise died."
Grant looked toward the ceiling.
"That wasn't the plan."
"Victor said."
"I was supposed to sedate her."
Naomi's stomach turned.
"What?"
"At the foundation dinner."
"You were there?"
"I was supposed to meet her."
"Why?"
"Convince her to stop."
"By drugging her?"
Grant closed his eyes.
"Kincaid had my daughter."
Naomi froze.
"You have a daughter?"
"Emily. Twenty-two."
"Where?"
"I don't know."
Naomi suddenly saw something different.
Not innocence.
But fear.
Grant continued.
"Kincaid knew I had moved money for him. He knew enough to destroy me. When Elise discovered the accounts, he ordered me to help."
"Did you?"
"Yes."
At least he didn't lie.
"I altered records. Gave him access. Told him about Roman's schedule."
Naomi felt disgust.
"Did you kill Elise?"
Grant's eyes filled.
"No."
"Did you cause the crash?"
"No."
"Who did?"
"Celeste arranged the vehicles."
Naomi remembered Grant's former sister-in-law.
"Kincaid's attorney."
"Yes."
"What was supposed to happen?"
"Force Elise's car off the road slowly. Disable it. Take her."
"But?"
"Another vehicle hit her first."
Naomi's breath stopped.
"Who?"
Grant looked directly at her.
"Someone from Roman's own side."
Naomi felt cold.
"Marcus?"
"No."
"Victor?"
"No."
"Who?"
Grant swallowed.
"Gabriel Shaw."
Roman's attorney.
Naomi remembered the list.
Another man standing close to Roman.
"Why?"
"Because Gabriel wasn't working for Kincaid."
"Then who?"
Grant looked toward the door.
"Roman's father."
Naomi stared.
"His father is dead."
Grant smiled sadly.
"Dominic Vale has been dead nine years."
"Then that makes no sense."
"His organization isn't."
Naomi's mind raced.
"Old loyalists."
Grant nodded.
"They believed Elise was destroying Roman."
"By trying to make him legitimate?"
"Exactly."
Naomi felt sick.
To men raised inside that system, legitimacy meant weakness.
Elise wasn't seen as saving Roman.
She was seen as taking him away from the empire.
"Gabriel ordered the hit?"
Grant nodded.
"He learned Kincaid planned to take Elise. Gabriel believed kidnapping her would give Kincaid control over Roman."
"So he decided killing her was better."
Grant's eyes closed.
"Yes."
Naomi thought of Roman receiving a four-second call.
Elise breathing.
Then nothing.
"Did Elise know?"
"Before the crash? I don't know."
"Why did she choose me?"
Grant's expression changed.
Finally.
The question that had brought Naomi here.
"She didn't choose you because of courage."
Naomi frowned.
"What?"
"Not originally."
"Then why?"
Grant looked at her with something like pity.
"Because of Micah."
Naomi stopped breathing.
"What about my son?"
Grant seemed to realize he'd crossed into dangerous territory.
"Elise donated milk."
Naomi stared.
"What?"
"After the triplets were born, she produced more than they needed. She donated through the Baltimore program."
Naomi's mind struggled to understand.
"Micah?"
Grant nodded.
"Your son received some."
Naomi grabbed the bedrail.
No.
It couldn't be.
But then she remembered.
Micah had struggled to gain weight.
The community center had given Naomi screened donor milk for several days while her own supply improved.
She never knew the donor.
"Elise?"
"Some of it."
Naomi's eyes filled.
Grant continued.
"She saw your name on the anonymous recipient report. The program wasn't supposed to identify donors and families directly, but Elise funded it."
Naomi sat down.
Her legs no longer worked.
"She helped feed Micah."
"Yes."
The room blurred.
Elise had held Micah at the community center.
Maybe knowing.
Maybe not saying because donor privacy mattered.
Naomi covered her mouth.
"Why didn't she tell me?"
"She didn't want gratitude."
That sounded like the woman Naomi had met.
Tears rolled down her face.
Grant whispered, "Later, when she realized Kincaid was following her, she remembered you."
"Why?"
"You weren't part of Roman's world."
Naomi looked at him.
"Exactly."
Grant nodded.
"She believed nobody would search a grieving new mother's home for Vale financial records."
The words hurt.
"She knew Micah died?"
"Yes."
Naomi broke.
For several seconds she couldn't speak.
Elise had known.
Perhaps that was why she'd hidden the drive without returning.
Maybe she had thought Naomi would leave the book untouched while grieving.
Maybe she had felt guilty involving her.
Grant whispered, "She told me once that you had already survived the worst thing she could imagine."
Naomi wiped her face.
"She was wrong."
Grant frowned.
"The worst thing wasn't surviving."
Naomi stood.
"It was waking up afterward."
Grant looked away.
Naomi took a breath.
"Does Roman know Gabriel betrayed him?"
"No."
"Will Gabriel know you're alive?"
"Probably."
Then Grant's monitor changed rhythm.
He winced.
Naomi moved toward the door.
Grant caught her wrist weakly.
"Wait."
She looked down.
"Tell Roman I'm sorry."
"Tell him yourself."
"I may not get the chance."
"Then survive."
Grant almost laughed.
"You sound like Elise."
Naomi pulled away and opened the door.
Roman was waiting.
He saw her face.
"What?"
Naomi couldn't say it immediately.
Because beneath the horror was something strangely beautiful.
Elise had fed Micah.
Before Naomi ever fed Elise's sons.
Their lives had crossed in both directions.
A kindness had traveled from one grieving mother to another before either understood its meaning.
Roman stepped closer.
"Naomi."
She looked at him.
"Elise helped feed Micah."
Roman stopped.
"What?"
Naomi told him.
Roman's eyes filled.
For a moment they simply stood together in the hospital hallway.
Elise between them.
Not as a ghost.
As a bridge.
Then Naomi told him the rest.
Gabriel Shaw.
Roman's attorney.
His father's loyalists.
The crash.
Roman's face emptied.
Of all betrayals, this one cut deepest.
"Gabriel was my father's lawyer."
Victor swore.
Roman looked toward the city beyond the hospital windows.
"He taught me contracts."
Naomi said quietly, "And he thought Elise was weakening you."
Roman's voice became almost inaudible.
"She was making me human."
Evelyn approached.
"Gabriel's office is empty."
Victor checked his phone.
"Home too."
Roman closed his eyes.
"He knows."
Evelyn nodded.
"We believe he left Manhattan thirty minutes ago."
"Destination?"
"Unknown."
Roman's phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
Nursery security.
His face changed.
He answered.
"Yes?"
A guard spoke rapidly.
Roman turned white.
"What do you mean they're gone?"
Naomi's heart stopped.
"Roman?"
He lowered the phone.
"Dr. Shah took the babies."
Naomi stared.
"Why?"
Roman looked completely confused.
"She received an evacuation order."
"From who?"
Victor was already checking.
Then his expression went pale.
"Gabriel."
Roman stared at him.
"How?"
Victor whispered, "He used Roman's legal emergency authorization."
Naomi felt the floor drop beneath her.
The babies had been moved from the estate.
Their destination unknown.
And Gabriel Shaw—the man who believed Elise had corrupted Roman—had just gained control of the one thing capable of pulling Roman back into the darkness forever.
May you like
His sons.
---
