Chapter 4
Within ten minutes, the grand dining hall of Ristorante Bellagio was emptied of all civilian staff and patrons. Dominic’s security team posted heavy guards at every entrance, turning the luxury establishment into a temporary fortress.
Inside the private room, the heavy tension had shifted from immediate terror to a quiet, suffocating gravity. Dominic walked over to the mahogany table, pulling out a soft leather armchair.
"Sit down, Mara," Dominic instructed gently, gesturing toward the seat.
Mara hesitated, her simple white shoes stepping cautiously across the marble floor. She sat down slowly, keeping Nico cradled securely in her lap. The eight-month-old baby had fallen into a deep, peaceful sleep, his tiny cream-colored shoes resting against her crisp white apron.
Dominic pulled up a chair directly opposite her, leaning his broad forearms on his knees. The top buttons of his black fitted shirt were open, the tattoos on his chest and neck dark against his fair skin. The dragon tattoo across his knuckles rested inches from her hands.
"Tell me about her," Dominic commanded softly, his dark eyes searching her face. "Tell me how Elena died."
Mara took a deep, shaky breath, her eyes dropping to the silver pendant resting against her yellow dress. "She was sick for years. Cancer. We never had enough money for proper treatment in the city, so we stayed in the country. She worked as a seamstress until her hands gave out."
"Did she ever mention my father?" Dominic asked, his sharp jawline tightening. "Did she mention the council?"
"She talked about 'the shadow men' in suits," Mara recalled, her voice trembling. "She told me that if I ever met a man with dark tattoos and a silver ring with a falcon crest, I should run. She said the city was built on bones."
Dominic let out a low, bitter breath. "My father was a monster, Mara. He told the entire family that your mother died in a warehouse fire twenty-five years ago. He used her supposed death to consolidate total authority over the eastern territories. If he had known she was alive, he would have hunted her to the ends of the earth."
"And you?" Mara asked courageously, looking directly into his dark eyes. "Are you a monster too?"
Dominic looked at her, then down at his infant son sleeping peacefully in her lap. "To my enemies, I am the worst nightmare they will ever face. But to my blood, I am an impenetrable wall. You are my family now, Mara. And no one harms my family."
May you like
Before Mara could answer, Marco stepped into the room, his face tight with sudden, urgent alarm.
"Boss," Marco reported in a low, rapid whisper. "We have a problem. Victor Bancroft’s scout cars just pulled up outside."
