Chapter Thirty-Six
Drew
Boston
Bella’s hand tightened in mine the second the car slowed.
She wasn’t nervous in a careless way; she was nervous in a Bella way—a controlled tension she tried to disguise as composure.
My pulse kicked up anyway because when Bella Holliston gripped your hand like that, it wasn’t just reflex.
It was trust, and I wasn’t about to let her down.
The limo rolled to a stop at the curb. The city was all cold air, glass, and quiet money—the kind that didn’t need to announce itself.
Through the tinted windows, the building in front of us looked familiar even before the driver opened the door.
Bella sucked in a breath. “Oh.” Just one syllable, but it carried weight.
I glanced at her. “What?”
Her gaze stayed fixed outside the window, her jaw set and eyes sharp as recognition settled in. “Why are we here?” she asked in a whisper.
The driver opened the door and the cold air slid in, but Bella didn’t move right away. Her fingers laced tighter with mine, a reflex she didn’t seem aware of. Then she turned to me, her voice carefully neutral. “We’re . . .” She hesitated, as if she couldn’t quite believe it. “We’re at The Beacon.”
“Yes,” I said.
Her brows drew together. “I didn’t realize Dominic was a member.”
I shook my head once. “He’s not.” That landed. I saw it in the way her posture locked and the way her breath caught, as if she suddenly understood what that meant. The Beacon didn’t open its doors for people unless they wanted to.
Bella’s hand clenched on mine. “I don’t have my coins with me,” she said tightly. “But maybe I could—”
I squeezed her hand once, steady and grounding. “I don’t think that’ll be necessary.”
She stared at me, suspicion and something else flickering in her eyes. “Drew—”
“Trust me,” I said quietly. The words weren’t a command; they were a promise. Bella held my gaze for a beat, then gave a small, reluctant nod.
We stepped out onto the sidewalk. Dominic stood near the entrance like the world had been arranged around him.
He didn’t look at the building the way people normally looked at The Beacon—with awe or hunger or reverence.
He looked at it like it was a tool. Abby stood beside him, warm and bright, her arm tucked through his as if they were walking into a coffee shop instead of one of the most exclusive clubs in the world.
Alethea stood to the side, her gaze scanning the street like she was counting exits.
Dominic’s security moved ahead, one man approaching the doorman.
There was a brief exchange: quiet, efficient, no negotiation, and no explanation.
Then the doorman’s entire demeanor shifted.
His shoulders straightened, his expression went smooth and deferential, and the doors opened without hesitation. The Beacon let us in.
No coin. No performance. No perfect posture or careful words.
Dominic Corisi walking in with his wife like he owned the deed to the building with Bella and me behind.
The place that had never accepted Bella’s mother had opened its doors not for a coin, but because the one thing that trumps both bloodline and money is power . . . and Dominic oozed it.
Dominic stopped to speak to someone then nodded toward me. The man’s eyes widened and I met his look with the same intensity Dominic had. I might not be at Dominic’s level of wealth, but I’d tear this whole place down for Bella.
Bella tensed beneath the hand I had on her lower back and I relaxed my posture. This was for her. For her mother. For everyone these people thought didn’t deserve a coin.
Inside, The Beacon smelled like old books, expensive cologne, polished wood, and something floral chosen to suggest refinement rather than comfort. It was theater, and it was a cage.
We were led to a lounge. No secrecy this time.
The moment we entered all attention turned to us.
Not obviously—The Beacon didn’t allow obvious—it was all subtle glances and deliberate nonchalance.
But the room shifted; I felt it. Dominic didn’t acknowledge anyone.
He walked like the air moved out of his way on instinct.
I squared my shoulders and did the same.
Dominic met my gaze, he nodded with approval and I knew this was more than a favor. He didn’t trust nor like that many people, but if anyone dared bring a battle that day, we would shoulder-to-shoulder back them down.
Abby glanced around, her brows lifting. “This place is . . . kind of cute,” she said cheerfully.
Bella blinked beside me.
Dominic didn’t miss a beat. “Cute.”
Abby nodded, taking in the towering shelves, the thick rugs, the dim lighting, and the mirrored walls that reflected too much. “It’s a little outdated,” she added thoughtfully. “A little musty.”
Dominic’s mouth curved faintly. “Musty.”
“But adorable,” Abby finished, smiling as if she’d just complimented a friend’s vintage kitchen.
Bella glanced at me like she couldn’t decide whether to laugh or panic. Abby looked at Dominic, genuinely curious. “Why have we never been here before?”
Dominic’s answer was smooth. “We never had a reason to be.”
Abby seemed satisfied. Then Dominic’s gaze shifted to me. Just one look, but it said everything: This one is for you. I gave him the slightest nod because in Dominic’s world, gratitude wasn’t words. It was understanding what was being done.
A Beacon member approached, his face polite and his eyes careful. “Mr. Corisi,” he said, “We have a table for you.”
“Thank you,” Dominic said curtly.
“Ms. Holliston,” the man said.
Bella stiffened but smiled. “Mr. Pierce.”
“It’s always a pleasure to see you,” he said.
“How kind of you say,” Bella answered politely.
The man stood there, waiting for some sign from any of us that further conversation was welcome, but it wasn’t.
He decided against whatever it was he might have wanted to say next and led us not to the edge of the room or to a discreet corner, but to the center. It was a prominent table and a choice that seemed to surprise Bella.
We sat. Dominic didn’t ask for menus or look around for guidance. He ordered drinks like this was any restaurant: whiskey for himself, wine for Abby, and bourbon for Bella without even asking. The lift of Bella’s brow told me she was impressed by the accuracy. Then Dominic ordered a whiskey for me.
Bella and I exchanged an amused look.
I wasn’t about to correct him and she understood.
Around us, The Beacon continued its quiet performance.
Murmured conversations, soft laughter, and the clink of glasses filled the air, but nobody approached our table.
Nobody interrupted because this wasn’t a scene meant to be confronted.
It was meant to be noticed. And in Dominic’s world, messages carried consequences.
Bella sat close to me, her thigh brushing mine beneath the table.
Her posture was stiff at first, then gradually eased as the minutes passed.
Her hand found mine under the table again, her fingers interlacing like she needed a tether.
I squeezed once. She glanced at me, her eyes full of questions she didn’t ask. Good. I wasn’t going to explain.
Abby filled the dinner with warmth. She asked Bella about New York, about Firebrook Valley, and about Mabel’s coffee shop as if it were a landmark worth visiting.
Bella responded cautiously at first, then more easily because Abby had a gift.
She made people feel welcome without making them feel examined.
Dominic watched mostly in silence, occasionally adding a sentence that made Abby roll her eyes or laugh.
He didn’t perform charm; he didn’t need to.
His power wasn’t in what he said, it was in the fact that he could sit in The Beacon like he belonged there without needing a coin.
Bella laughed without looking around to see if it was too much and that moved me. Someone here had made her feel like, despite all she had and all she’d done, that she wasn’t enough. I never wanted her to feel that again.
When the meal ended, Dominic stood first. Abby rose with him, linking her arm through Bella’s like they were old friends. “I’m stealing her for a minute,” Abby told me brightly.
Bella blinked. “What?”
Abby smiled. “Bathroom gossip. It’s mandatory.”
Bella looked at me, startled. I nodded once. “Go.” She laughed softly, then let Abby lead her away. Alethea followed them, scanning the room as they walked, her presence a quiet barrier between Bella and the world.
The second the women were out of earshot, Dominic turned to me.
His expression didn’t change, but the air sharpened anyway.
This was the part Abby never saw—the part no one saw unless Dominic wanted them to.
He stepped slightly closer, his voice low.
“You shouldn’t have a problem with anyone here now. ”
“I appreciate this,” I said.
Dominic’s gaze held mine. “I owed you a favor.”
I didn’t look away. “I’m not a transactional friend.”
That earned the faintest curve of his mouth. “Good,” he murmured.
I hesitated. “Was it enough?” I asked quietly.
Dominic’s gaze slid toward the lounge—toward the glances, the careful distance, and the recalibrated energy.
He didn’t answer right away. Then he said, calm and absolute, “Bella not only won’t have a problem with anyone here but also not anyone they know.
” Relief hit hard, but Dominic wasn’t done.
“If that ever changes,” he continued, his voice lower still, “don’t bother Bella with it. ”
My jaw tightened. “I wasn’t planning to.”
Dominic’s eyes sharpened like he’d still meant it as a warning.
“Bother me.” He paused. “For Abby, I try to keep things calm now. I don’t get involved in all the things I used to.
” My brow lifted slightly. Dominic’s mouth curved faintly.
“But I dabble in trouble every once in a while. So don’t hesitate if you need my help again.
In fact, I’m overdue for a little tangle with someone. ”
Dominic looked past me for a moment, toward the other patrons, the people who thought they were untouchable.
Then his gaze returned to mine. “You know the dangerous thing about a place like this?” he asked quietly.
I didn’t answer, and Dominic didn’t wait for me to. “You become who you associate with.”
My jaw tightened. Dominic’s eyes flicked once behind us. “Bella was born into that world. She was there by obligation, not by choice.”
“I understand that but guide her away from them.” Dominic continued, “I fought demons and tried not to become one myself.” His gaze sharpened. “I failed.”
Silence settled like a weight. “Abby is the only reason there’s any good in me at all,” he said, his voice low, “And my children, Judy and Leonardo. I try to be the father to them that I wanted for myself.” He paused, his eyes shifting in the direction Bella and Abby had gone.
“You’ve got a good woman there. Strong. Intelligent. Stubborn as hell.”
My mouth twitched despite myself. Dominic’s gaze returned to me. “I know.”
Dominic’s voice lowered. “But when you’re protecting the woman you love, sometimes that means protecting her from the things you have to do to keep her safe.
” The words hit like a blade wrapped in velvet—permission and warning at once.
“Don’t confuse that with lying,” Dominic added.
“It’s not about keeping her small. It’s about keeping her safe. ”
Dominic stepped closer just slightly, his voice meant only for men who carried weight. “You made enemies today.” His gaze sharpened. “But I can show you how to take them down. Every last one of them if they dare to challenge you.”
“Sounds . . .” Both amazing and fucking scary? Neither felt like something I should say.
He stepped back, the moment snapping shut like a door. Dominic’s expression returned to calm. “And Drew?” he added, almost casually. I met his gaze. “Love is not a weakness,” Dominic murmured. “It’s the only thing worth fighting for.”
To lighten the mood, I said, “I’ll keep all of that in mind, but I also have a sneaking suspicion you enjoyed walking into The Beacon without a coin.”
He laughed. “I was curious to see if they’d try to stop me.”
“You sound both pleased and disappointed that they didn’t.”
He slapped my back heartily. “Exactly.”
Before I could respond, Abby and Bella returned, laughter lingering between them. Bella looked flushed, her eyes bright. Abby looked pleased, like she’d made a friend she intended to keep. Alethea’s gaze flicked to Dominic once in silent confirmation.
Dominic turned toward Abby like he’d never spoken a word to me at all. “Ready?” he asked her.
Abby rolled her eyes. “No dessert?”
Dominic’s mouth curved. “You’re my dessert.”
Abby laughed and slid beneath his arm. Bella glanced at me as we walked toward the door, her fingers finding mine again automatically.
Outside, the Boston night was cold and sharp. Bella leaned closer as we stepped toward the limo, her voice soft. “Drew.”
“Yes?”
Her gaze flicked back toward The Beacon, then to me. “You didn’t bring me here to impress me,” she said quietly. “Is there something I should know?”
I kissed her cheek. “No. I’ve got you.”
Bella held my gaze for a beat, then nodded slowly—accepting even if she wasn’t satisfied.
We slid into the limo. The doors shut and the world muffled.
Bella angled toward me, her head lightly resting against my shoulder like she’d made the choice without thinking.
Abby chatted happily to Dominic while Bella’s hand stayed locked with mine.
There was a look in Bella’s eyes that told me tonight had been a gift she’d received on many levels. She was free of this place, these people, and whatever control they’d ever had over her.