Chapter 3 - The Gilded Cage
Elena woke to the scent of antiseptic and lavender. She was no longer on a cold granite floor. She lay in a massive, four-poster bed draped in Egyptian cotton. The room was expansive, with exposed brick walls, towering bookshelves, and heavy velvet curtains drawn tight.
A sharp pain in her ribs reminded her of reality, but when she touched her side, she felt tight, professional medical bandaging. The cut on her lip had been stitched.
The heavy oak door clicked open, and Gabriel walked in. He had traded his suit for a dark charcoal sweater and slacks, looking less like a mafia boss and more like a brooding academic. He carried a silver tray holding a steaming mug of tea and a small plate of toast.
"My private physician tended to you," Gabriel said, setting the tray on the nightstand. "Three fractured ribs. A mild concussion. Lacerations. You will heal, but you need to eat."
Elena pushed herself up against the headboard, wincing. "Where am I?"
"My estate in upstate New York," he answered, pulling up a chair beside the bed. "It is heavily fortified. Julian cannot reach you here, nor can the police."
"I am a hostage."
"You are a guest," Gabriel corrected smoothly. "A hostage is held against their will for leverage. Julian has no leverage, and he has already abandoned you to save his own skin."
Elena stared at her hands. The gold wedding band felt like a shackle. "Why? Why did you save me? You are Gabriel Thorne. The syndicate boss. My father spent the last five years of his life trying to indict you."
Gabriel’s eyes softened just a fraction. "Your father was a righteous man, Elena. I respected him. He fought me in the light, which is more than I can say for the rats in the dark. But Thomas Sterling didn't die in a random accident."
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Elena’s blood ran ice cold. She stopped breathing. "What did you say?"
"Julian didn't just launder money for me. He laundered it for the Moretti cartel," Gabriel said quietly. "When your father got too close to Julian’s offshore accounts, Julian panicked. The brakes on your father’s SUV were cut by a mechanic on Julian’s payroll."
