The Older Mafia Boss Had Given Up on Dating—Then His Curvy Friend Secretly Set Him Up With Her
Chapter 8
Hope made Marcus careless.
He began spending more time with Elena.
He took her to places where no one from his organization had ever seen him.
He bought flowers.
He remembered her favorite coffee.
He even closed his office early one Friday.
Sophia noticed immediately.
“You look happy.”
Marcus frowned.
“Don’t say that.”
“Why?”
“It sounds suspicious.”
Sophia laughed.
“You love her.”
Marcus didn’t deny it.
But trouble was approaching.
A rival named Vincent Russo had been watching Marcus’s organization weaken.
Marcus had begun pulling away from illegal operations.
He wanted to move his businesses into legitimate investments.
That created enemies.
One night, Marcus received a message.
Leave Elena.
The next message included a photograph of her leaving the bakery.
Marcus’s blood went cold.
He immediately called security.
“Double her protection.”
Elena refused.
“I don’t need six men following me.”
“You do now.”
“Why?”
Marcus showed her the photograph.
Her expression changed.
“Who is Vincent?”
Marcus stared.
“How do you know that name?”
“I heard one of your men say it.”
“Elena, listen to me.”
“I am listening.”
“This is serious.”
She nodded.
“But you don’t get to make every decision for me.”
“I’m trying to keep you alive.”
“And I’m trying to be your partner.”
Marcus went silent.
She touched his hand.
“Don’t protect me by shutting me out.”
He understood.
That night, they made a plan.
Elena would continue working at the bakery.
Marcus would quietly identify the threat.
But someone inside Marcus’s organization was leaking information.
Every time Marcus changed Elena’s schedule, the enemy knew.
Every time security moved her, someone was waiting.
Marcus suspected three people.
One of them was his most trusted lieutenant.
His name was Adrian Cole.
Adrian had worked for Marcus for twenty years.
Marcus couldn’t believe he was involved.
But when the evidence began appearing, there was nowhere else to look.
And Elena was about to discover the truth before Marcus did.
