Chapter 5
The words struck Dominic with the force of a hollow-point bullet. He works for you. The absolute certainty in the little girl's terrified eyes left no room for doubt. Someone within his own syndicate, a man carrying the Moretti name and utilizing his resources, was hunting a starving eleven-year-old girl and an infant. The violation of Dominic's strict, unbreakable code regarding women and children was a betrayal punishable by death.
Dominic did not break eye contact with Lily. He did not look at the black sedan outside. He remained perfectly still, the muscles in his tattooed forearm flexing slightly under her desperate grip.
"Rosa," Dominic said, his deep voice slicing through the rising tension with absolute, icy calm.
Rosa Bennett stepped forward instantly, her sage-green blouse rustling softly. She was visibly shaken by the child's terror, but she maintained her professional composure.
"Take the boy," Dominic commanded, his eyes locked on Lily. "And stay directly behind me."
Lily hesitated, her protective instincts battling against her overwhelming fear. She looked at Rosa's gentle face, then back to the imposing mafia boss. Dominic slowly turned his hand over, gently covering her small, trembling fingers with his large, warm palm.
"Let her hold him, Lily," Dominic murmured softly. "I give you my word, no one will lay a hand on either of you tonight."
Trusting the strange, terrifyingly powerful man who had fed her, Lily carefully transferred the crying baby into Rosa's waiting arms. Rosa immediately stepped backward, cradling Noah gently, murmuring soft, comforting words to soothe him as she retreated to the furthest corner of the private room, securely behind Dominic’s broad shoulders.
Dominic slowly stood up to his full height. He buttoned the center button of his charcoal-gray dress shirt, a meticulous, terrifyingly calm action. He adjusted his luxury silver watch, his piercing gray-blue eyes finally turning toward the heavy mahogany doors of the private dining room.
"Vance," Dominic called out to the lead bodyguard standing nearest the entrance.
"Boss," Vance replied, his posture rigid.
"Let him in," Dominic ordered, his voice dropping into a register of pure, concentrated malice. "Do not search him at the door. Let him walk all the way to the table. I want to see his face when he realizes who he just interrupted."
May you like
Vance nodded sharply and pressed two fingers to his earpiece, relaying the command to the exterior security detail.
The heavy, suffocating silence returned to the room. Lily sat frozen in the velvet chair, her thin arms wrapped around her own waist, her oversized burgundy cardigan doing nothing to stop her violent shivering. Dominic stepped slightly in front of her, using his massive, broad-shouldered frame to physically block her from the doorway. He stood like a monument of dark violence, his tattooed forearms crossed over his chest, waiting for the traitor to walk into the slaughterhouse.
