Chapter 15 #2
“To show he could.” That’s what pissed me off the most. This was the one thing that could terrorize Natalie.
“I can’t imagine what Natalie must have felt.”
I nodded. I’d never seen her like I did today, not even when she’d learned Sergio had been killed.
“I’m the only person she trusts, Lucia. I couldn’t abandon her or my nephew.”
“You should have told me.”
“I know.”
“I assumed… I thought she was your... That you were having an affair.” She lowered her lashes, her face growing pink with embarrassment.
“I told you I wouldn’t do that. The contract—”
“It doesn’t say anything about that.”
“I’m not interested in anyone or anything else at the moment, Lucia.” The words at the moment made me pause. I wondered if she noticed them. “Don’t worry. I will still release you from the contract when the time comes.”
She grew quieter. “I’m tired.”
I pulled her tight against my chest and rested my chin on top of her head. “Go to sleep.”
Lucia still slept deeply when I woke early the next morning.
Kissing her softly on her forehead, I climbed out of bed and tucked her back in, then left a note, and drove to Dominic’s house.
He lived about forty-five minutes away. When I got there, I saw my father’s sedan in the circular driveway.
I wondered what he was doing here. If he was meeting with Dominic about the Luke DeMarco situation.
Stop being so fucking paranoid.
If it wasn’t for Lucia, would I give a fuck if Dominic became the next boss? Would I care? Or would I take the opportunity and walk away? Although walking away wasn’t really an option. Nothing in this life came that easy.
I shook it off. I needed to focus. Parking my car behind my father’s, I walked to the front door, my anger from yesterday coming back white-hot as I approached.
Lucia had tempered it. She’d cooled the anger, turned it into something else.
She’d awakened a different side of me, one I’d tried to keep buried for a very long time.
I’d always thought that part of me weak, but it was actually the opposite.
I rang the doorbell. A woman I’d only seen here twice before answered. As soon as she recognized me, I saw the momentary note of panic on her face.
“Mr. Benedetti, was Dominic expecting you?”
“No, it’s a surprise visit.” She seemed nervous and stood blocking the doorway.
“He’s in a meeting, sir, and he said no interruptions.”
“Did he?” I glanced behind her. A woman vacuumed the living room, but apart from that, the house stood still. “Well, I need to see him, so please step aside.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that, sir.”
“What’s your name?”
“Patricia, sir.”
“Patricia, I need to see my brother. I need you to step aside.”
“Sir,” she glanced behind her, clearly uncertain what to do. “I’m not supposed to…”
I smiled as wide as I could, feeling the gesture crinkle the corners of my eyes. “I’ll take full responsibility, Patricia. Don’t worry.”
She hesitated, and I took advantage, nudging her out of my way as I entered the house.
I went straight for Dominic’s study located around back.
A man stood at the door, but my presence clearly surprised him.
I just grinned and walked right past him.
I’d put my hand on the doorknob before I felt his hand fall on my shoulder.
I gave it a sideways glance, eyebrows raised, before meeting his gaze.
His eyes went wide, and the weight of his hand lessened.
He knew who I was. Good.
“Sir—” he started.
“Step back.”
It took him a moment, and I didn’t wait for him to decide. Instead, I turned the handle and pushed the door open to find Dominic, Roman, and my father sitting around the circular table inside.
They all turned at the interruption, my father and Roman surprised, Dominic furious.
“Isn’t this cozy,” I said, narrowing my eyes on Roman, the man I trusted most out of the three.
“I told you nobody!” Dominic roared to the man who’d stood guard and rose to his feet.
“Sir—”
The guard mumbled something, but I didn’t care about that. Instead, when Dominic rounded the table, I pounced on him, grabbing his collar and dragging him backward until I had him pinned against the wall.
“What the—” my dad’s voice came.
“Salvatore!”
Roman’s shout registered, but all I could see were Dominic’s eyes, the look in them both evil and proud, like the cocky prick he was.
He knew exactly why I was here.
“What did you want, taking Jacob?”
His grin widened. “Get your fucking hands off me.”
“You scared the shit out of Natalie!”
“What’s going on?” my father asked behind me.
“Nothing—” Dominic started.
“It’s called fucking kidnapping, asshole!” I said before slamming him hard against the wall.
“Salvatore, get off him,” Roman said, his voice the calmest of all. “Let him go.”
“Yeah, Salvatore, get off me,” Dominic mimicked Roman.
His face, his tone, they infuriated me. He didn’t give a shit about anything or anyone.
Not Jacob. Not Natalie, not anyone. “You fucking prick.” I released him, and Dominic straightened, attempting to fix his collar, but as he did, I drew my fist back and struck his jaw so hard, his head slammed back into the wall, and he stumbled.
“You don’t even give a shit, do you?” I straightened him, and this time, drove my fist into his gut.
“You don’t give a shit about scaring that little boy.
About scaring the crap out of your brother’s wife. ”
It took three men and Roman to drag me off him, but before they did, I’d landed one more punch on Dominic’s jaw. He struggled to stand, his grin angry as he wiped blood from his lip.
“What the hell are you talking about, Salvatore?” my father demanded.
I noticed then how he stood back, watching, a weariness in his eyes.
“Why don’t you tell him?” I said, fighting against the men who held me, watching Dominic, his expression pissed, bruises already coloring his face. “Tell him what you did.”
“He’s my nephew too.”
“Fuck you, you’ve never cared about that.”
“Enough!” My father’s voice bellowed through the room. “Sit him down.”
The men holding me shoved me into a seat and held me there. I watched my father stalk toward Dominic. I’d never seen him do that with him before.
“Did you hurt Jacob?” he asked, his tone low, threatening.
“I didn’t hurt him. I took him toy shopping and bought him a fucking ice-cream cone!”
“You scared him. He’s just a child. Your brother’s son!” I said.
“Dominic?” my father asked, some of the color drained from his face.
I freed myself of the men who held me and stood. “I have just one message for you.” My voice came low and deep. “Stay away from Natalie and Jacob, or God help me—”
“Dominic!” my father snapped.
I walked out, shaking out of the hold of one of Dominic’s men. “I’m leaving. Keep your hands off me.”
“Did you lay a finger on Sergio’s boy?” I heard my father ask.
I didn’t look back. I walked out the door and back to my car, satisfied with having beaten Dominic, but not quite trusting that my threat would keep Jacob and Natalie safe.
As I started the engine and turned the wheel, movement at the front door caught my attention. It was Patricia. She glanced behind her several times as she made her way toward me. I rolled down my window.
“Mr. Benedetti.” She was out of breath.
“Yes?”
“Your uncle asked me to give this to you.” She slipped a note to me and quickly backed away from the car.
“Thank you, Patricia,” I said absently as I unfolded it and read the brief, hurriedly written note: Dominic visited Isabella DeMarco late last night, just before your arrival there.
Dominic was there? I’d gone inside—well, I’d gotten as far as the foyer. Did Lucia know Dominic was there and keep it from me? And did this confirm my growing suspicion?