Chapter 3 - the sanctuary on fifth
The sleek black sedan glided silently through the rain-slicked streets of Manhattan, pulling into the private subterranean garage of a sprawling luxury high-rise on Fifth Avenue.
Dominic led Emma and Lily into a private express elevator that rose directly to the penthouse suite. When the doors slid open, Emma found herself stepping onto pristine dark marble floors framed by floor-to-ceiling glass windows offering a breathtaking view of the Manhattan skyline.
The penthouse was stunning, quiet, and fortified like a fortress.
"Sit," Dominic said gently, gesturing toward a large velvet sofa near a roaring glass fireplace.
Emma sat on the edge of the cushions, her body rigid with tension. Lily, entirely untroubled by the dramatic change in scenery, immediately set Mr. Buttons on the mahogany coffee table and sat cross-legged on the plush rug, admiring the flickering flames.
Dominic removed his black suit jacket, tossing it over an armchair, unbuttoning his collar slightly to reveal the edge of dark ink on his collarbone. He poured a glass of water and set it on the table in front of Emma.
"Daniel was an undercover operative for federal task forces six years ago," Dominic spoke directly, taking a seat in the leather armchair across from her. "He was assigned to infiltrate my organization's eastern logistics network."
Emma’s mouth went dry. "Undercover? Daniel was a paramedic... he worked ambulance routes!"
"That was his cover," Dominic corrected smoothly, his dark eyes never leaving her face. "He was good at it. Very good. For two years, he walked inside my inner circle without anyone suspecting a thing."
"Then why did he die in a car accident three years ago?" Emma demanded, her voice cracking with suppressed grief. "If he was working for the government, why did they tell me it was a mechanical failure on the highway?"
Dominic leaned forward, resting his forearms over his knees. The shadow of a long-buried truth crossed his rugged, handsome face.
"Because it wasn't an accident," Dominic said low. "And it wasn't my men who targeted his vehicle. Daniel discovered a rogue faction within his own agency—men who were selling tactical intelligence to local syndicates. When Daniel refused to take their payout, they staged the crash."
Emma covered her mouth with a hand, tears welling in her brown eyes. "No... no, that's impossible. He would have told me!"
"He kept you completely in the dark to keep you alive," Dominic said, his deep voice carrying a strange, heavy sincerity. "Before his car went over the embankment, Daniel made one final transmission. It didn't go to his handling officer. It came directly to my private line."
Emma looked up, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs. "What did he say?"
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Dominic looked over at little Lily, who was busy drawing invisible shapes on the marble table with her finger.
"He asked me to protect his wife and daughter," Dominic whispered quietly. "He gave me your names, your address, and made me swear that if his agency ever turned its eyes toward his family... I would stand between you and them."
