Chapter 6 - The Iron Cage
Dominic Moretti’s expression turned ice-cold. The ruggedly handsome father completely vanished, replaced entirely by the ruthless, terrifying Mafia Boss who ruled the city’s underworld. He radiated a deeply masculine, lethal energy that made the wealthiest men in the room physically step back.
"Seal the ballroom," Dominic commanded. The order was quiet, but it carried the unstoppable force of an avalanche.
The bodyguards moved with military precision. The massive, double oak doors of the grand ballroom were slammed shut. The heavy brass deadbolts engaged with a series of loud, echoing clicks that sounded like the locking mechanism of a bank vault. The armed men took up positions at every exit, their hands resting firmly on the weapons concealed beneath their tailored jackets.
"Nobody moves. Nobody speaks. Nobody touches a cellular device," the head of security announced to the crowd, his voice booming over the terrified murmurs of the elite guests.
"Dad?" Ethan whispered, his well-mannered composure finally cracking as tears welled in his eyes. "Who wants to hurt me?"
Dominic stepped back to his son, his expression softening just enough to offer comfort. He placed both of his large hands on the eight-year-old’s shoulders.
"Nobody is going to hurt you, Ethan," Dominic said, his voice a rock-solid anchor in the rising storm. "You are safe. I am right here. But I need to find the man who did this, and I need to find him now."
Dominic turned his intense, commanding presence back to the small girl in the bright yellow dress. Elena was weeping, rocking Lily back and forth, entirely overwhelmed by the violent reality of her employer's world.
"Elena, look at me," Dominic instructed firmly.
The housekeeper looked up, her beautiful face stained with tears, her pale-blue uniform trembling with her panicked breaths.
"You have nothing to fear from me. Your daughter just saved my son's life," Dominic assured her, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "But I need to speak to her again. I need every detail."
Elena swallowed hard, wiping her face with her white apron, and nodded. She loosened her grip, allowing Lily to stand up straight.
"Lily," Dominic said, crouching down once again, his polished white shoes stepping perilously close to the poisoned frosting. "You are the bravest girl I have ever met. I need you to be brave for one more minute. Can you do that?"
Lily nodded, her curly brown hair bouncing. Her fair, rosy face was completely serious. She was a tiny, fearless witness to an assassination attempt.
"Tell me exactly what the man did in the corridor," Dominic said softly. "Don't leave anything out."
"He was standing in the dark part of the hallway," Lily explained, using her small hands to animate her story. "He looked around to see if the bakers were watching. Then, he reached into his jacket."
"Did he pull out a weapon? A needle?" Dr. Harris asked quietly from the side.
Lily shook her head. "No. He had a little silver box. It looked like the box Mama keeps her sewing needles in, but smaller."
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Dominic’s eyes narrowed. "A silver box. What did he do with it, Lily?"
"He opened it," Lily continued, demonstrating by opening her tiny palms. "He rubbed something into the frosting with his thumb. He rubbed it in really fast, and then he closed the box and put it back in his pocket."
