Chapter 2 - “That’s My Wife”
“Dominic.”
My voice came out quieter than I intended.
His eyes stayed on mine.
“Who?”
“Dom.”
“Elena.”
There was a warning in his voice.
Not for me.
For everyone else.
I looked toward Preston.
Dominic followed my gaze.
Preston slowly put the clippers on the table.
“You’re Dominic Vale?”
Dominic finally looked at him.
“Yes.”
Preston swallowed.
“My father knows you.”
“I know your father.”
Preston forced a laugh.
“Then this is just a misunderstanding.”
Dominic looked at the hair scattered around my shoes.
“What part?”
“We were joking.”
“You shaved a woman’s head.”
“It got out of hand.”
Dominic stepped closer.
Preston’s friends stopped smiling.
One quietly lowered his phone.
Dominic noticed.
“You filmed it?”
The man hesitated.
“I—”
“Give me the phone.”
He immediately handed it over.
Dominic passed it to one of his men.
“Preserve everything. Don’t delete anything.”
Preston frowned.
“Hey, you can’t just—”
Dominic turned his head.
Preston stopped speaking.
Then Dennis came rushing from the dining room.
“Mr. Vale.”
Dominic looked at him.
“Who are you?”
“Dennis Crowley. General manager.”
“Were you here?”
Dennis glanced at me.
“I was managing the restaurant.”
“That wasn't my question.”
“Yes.”
“You saw what happened?”
Dennis hesitated.
“I saw part of it.”
I spoke.
“He knew they were harassing Mia before this happened.”
Dennis stared at me.
“Elena, that's not—”
“I told you.”
“I told security to monitor them.”
Frank stepped forward.
“No, you didn’t.”
Dennis turned.
“Frank.”
“You told us not to interfere unless someone was seriously injured.”
Dennis went white.
Dominic's expression didn't change.
“Interesting.”
Preston suddenly laughed.
“This is ridiculous. Why does some waitress matter so much to you?”
Silence.
Dominic slowly turned toward him.
Then he reached for my hand.
He took it carefully.
No performance.
No dramatic announcement.
He simply held it.
“Because she’s my wife.”
Preston stared at him.
“What?”
“My wife.”
A champagne glass slipped from somebody’s hand at another table.
It struck the carpet without breaking.
Dennis looked as though he had forgotten how to breathe.
Preston shook his head.
“No. Her name is Hayes.”
“My maiden name,” I said.
He looked at me.
I met his eyes.
“Elena Vale.”
Preston’s face changed.
“You’re joking.”
“No.”
He looked around desperately.
“But she’s a waitress.”
Dominic’s jaw tightened.
I squeezed his hand.
He looked at me.
“Don't.”
One word.
He understood immediately.
I knew my husband.
If I let him control this moment, Preston Hale would remember tonight for reasons I didn't want attached to my name.
So I stepped forward.
“I want the police called.”
Preston blinked.
“What?”
Dennis looked horrified.
“Elena, maybe we can handle this privately.”
“No.”
Dominic studied me.
“You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
Preston scoffed.
“You think police are arresting me over a haircut?”
I looked at my bruised wrist.
“You grabbed me.”
“I didn't.”
“Your friends did.”
“They were joking.”
I pointed toward the phone.
“You filmed it.”
Preston’s expression faltered.
Dominic turned toward Frank.
“Security footage?”
Frank nodded.
“Every angle.”
“Lock it.”
Dennis protested.
“Mr. Vale, that's restaurant property.”
Dominic stared at him.
“So is the floor she was assaulted on.”
I looked at Dominic.
“Dom.”
He stopped.
I stepped closer.
“I need you to listen to me.”
His voice softened.
“I am.”
“I don’t want revenge.”
His jaw moved.
“I want consequences.”
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he nodded.
“Your way.”
Preston seemed relieved.
He shouldn't have been.
Because my way involved witnesses.
Video.
Police.
Lawyers.
And Preston Hale had spent his entire life believing money could erase consequences.
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Tonight, he was about to discover something worse than being afraid of Dominic Vale.
He was about to discover that Dominic didn't need to break the law to destroy his protection.
