Chapter 4 - The Shadow in the Corridor
Dominic’s expression did not change, but the air around him seemed to instantly drop in temperature. His intense, commanding presence sharpened, focusing entirely on the words of the toddler.
"The bad sleep," Dominic repeated slowly, his mind rapidly processing the child's vocabulary. "What makes you think the cake would give Ethan a bad sleep, Lily?"
Elena hovered just behind her daughter, her hands clasped together in pure agony. "Lily, sweetheart, what are you talking about? The chefs made the cake this morning. It’s perfectly fine."
Lily shook her head stubbornly. She raised her tiny right arm and pointed a small finger directly toward the grand arched doorway on the far side of the ballroom—the entrance to the kitchen service corridor.
"A man touched Ethan’s cake," Lily whispered.
The words struck the room like a physical blow. Ethan gasped, pulling back in his chair, his polite, gentle demeanor giving way to sudden nervousness. The bodyguards standing along the walls instantly stiffened, their hands drifting closer to their concealed firearms.
Dominic did not turn to look at the corridor. He kept his complete focus on Lily, knowing that any sudden movement might frighten the crucial information out of her.
"A man in the kitchen?" Dominic asked smoothly, his voice a low, encouraging rumble. "Was it one of the bakers in a white coat? Or maybe one of the servers carrying the plates?"
"No," Lily replied, her brow furrowing as she concentrated on the memory. "He didn't wear a white coat. He wore a dark suit. Like Ethan’s, but bigger. He was hiding in the shadows where the big silver carts are kept."
"Lily, you were not supposed to be in the service corridor!" Elena admonished, her maternal panic temporarily overriding her fear of Dominic. "I told you to stay in the staff breakroom!"
"I was playing hide and seek," Lily defended herself innocently. "I was hiding under the big table with the white cloth. I was very quiet."
"You were very quiet," Dominic affirmed, raising a hand to silence Elena. "And because you were so quiet, the man in the dark suit didn't know you were there."
"He didn't see me," Lily nodded, her curly brown hair bouncing.
Dominic stood up slowly. The gentle, patient father vanished, instantly replaced by the immensely powerful Mafia Boss. The shift in his posture was terrifying. His broad shoulders squared, and his ruggedly handsome face hardened into a mask of pure, unadulterated lethal intent.
He turned his pale eyes toward the head of his security detail.
"Lock down the kitchen. No one enters, no one leaves. Confiscate all communication devices from the catering staff," Dominic ordered, his voice echoing like thunder through the silent ballroom.
"Right away, Boss," the security chief replied, instantly dispatching four men into the corridor.
"Dad?" Ethan asked, his voice trembling as he looked down at the splattered vanilla frosting on the marble. "Was the cake really bad?"
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Dominic walked over and placed a large, reassuring hand on his son’s shoulder. "We are going to find out right now, Ethan. Nobody is going to hurt you. I promise you that."
Dominic looked across the room. "Someone get Dr. Harris in here immediately."
