Chapter 15 - Dominic
Thirty-six minutes later, Axel strolled into the office with that damn smirk plastered on his face. I could count on one hand how many times Axel had been early to anything. As the youngest, he didn’t carry the weight of responsibility like the rest of us, even though he ran his own company. Maybe I’d babied him too much, for the fact that he was just nine years old when our parents died clouded my judgment. But today? I was running on fumes. Tolerance? Gone.
I slammed my palm against the desk, the noise echoing in the room, and stood up, my muscles tight. “Axel, you seriously need to work on your timing.” My eyes darkened as my voice sliced through the air like a blade. “We’ve been waiting on you for over thirty minutes. This isn’t some damn game. Your constant lateness needs to be put in check.”
The room froze. Not a single sound. Axel, who usually had some smartass remark ready, stood there, mouth slightly open, his smirk faltering for the first time in a long while. His eyes flicked nervously between me and the others, the usual cocky demeanor slipping.
He opened his mouth to speak but, I raised my hand, cutting him off. “I don’t want to hear why you’re late, and frankly, I don’t care.” My fists clenched, nails digging into my palms, feeling the pressure build. I hated this. I hated that he wasn’t taking this seriously when there was so much at stake.
Vincent’s eyebrow arched, and Seb’s gaze hardened. I could feel their eyes on me. Everyone was used to Axel's antics, but this time? I was done. My patience was a thin thread, and it was snapping.
I took a step toward Axel, the words coming out cold. “On the phone, I told you this was important. No excuses. No delays. And you stroll in here like it's just another day?”
Axel shifted uncomfortably under my glare.
“I’m sorry ok, but I’m here now so that should count for something.”
“I don’t care if you’re here now,” I growled, my voice low and biting. “Emily’s life is in danger and you’re telling me that just because you showed up now, it should count for something?”
Leonardo cursed under his breath.
Nathaniel’s voice was tight with shock. “Wait... Emily's life is in danger?”
“Yes, and yours might be as well.” My voice was strained as I turned slowly to look at the others.
My throat tightened. My past. The things they didn’t know. The things I had buried. It was time to tell my brothers everything.
Just as I opened my mouth to spill the truth, my phone buzzed on the desk. Alec.
My pulse quickened as I snatched it up. “Alec, is everything okay?”
“Sir, Mrs. Quantum and Lucy were in an accident. The driver deliberately veered onto the pavement toward them.”
The phone nearly slipped from my hand as the words slammed into me like a freight train. My vision blurred, and the walls felt like they were closing in. My voice erupted, raw and furious, reverberating through the room.
“What?! Are they hurt?!” My chest heaved, each breath shallow and ragged. “Where are they now?”
The room exploded into chaos as my brothers shot out of their chairs and surrounded me.
“Is it about Emily and Lucy?” Vincent barked, his face pale.
Seb’s expression hardened as he stepped closer. “Dom, talk to us!”
I held up a trembling hand, trying to focus on Alec’s voice over their concerns.
“They’re both fine, sir. Shaken but unharmed. They’re at home resting.”
Relief washed over me, but it did nothing to cool the inferno burning in my chest. My fists slammed against the desk, knuckles aching as the rage demanded an outlet. My mind spiraled, imagining what could have happened, the threats had hit home.
“I’m on my way.”
I hung up and turned to my brothers, my voice a dangerous growl. “Someone tried to run over Emily and Lucy. On the damn pavement.”
“What the hell?!” Nate cursed.
Leo’s jaw tightened, his voice low. “Is this tied to the threats?”
“It has to be!” I snapped, pacing the room. “They’re fine now, but this—” My voice cracked, and I dragged a hand through my hair, trying to hold myself together. “This is too far.”
I grabbed my briefcase and keys, ready to bolt. “I have to get home.”
Leo stepped in front of me, hands raised. “You can’t drive like this, Dom. Let me take you.”
I froze, chest heaving, before showing my keys into my pants pocket. “Fine. But we’re meeting here tomorrow, noon, Axel—” My glare snapped to him, burning with fury—“don’t you dare make me wait.”
Axel swallowed, nodding without a word, his usual bravado gone.
Leo and I rushed out of the building, and I slid into the passenger seat of Leo’s car. The car’s engine roared but it wasn’t loud enough to drown out the storm in my head. My leg bounced uncontrollably as we sped to my house. My thoughts were a whirlwind of fear and fury. Whoever did this wouldn’t just pay, they’d suffer .
The usual hour it took to drive from the office had been cut to just thirty minutes, but even that felt agonizingly slow. Even before Leo brought the car to a full stop in the driveway, I bolted out with my briefcase in hand, my pulse hammering in my ears.
Security guards patrolled the estate, their figures clearly visible in the afternoon light. Their presence should reassure me, but today? It didn’t bring any comfort.
I threw the door open, my heart racing, and stormed into the house. The sharp click of my shoes on the polished floor echoed through the quiet space as I hurried toward the stairs, bracing myself for the worst.
Then I saw them.
Emily was curled up at the end of the couch, her head resting against the cushions, her arm wrapped protectively around Lucy, who was nestled close to her on the inside, her tiny fingers clutching Emily’s sweater. Both of them were fast asleep, their faces soft and untroubled, as though the world outside hadn’t just tried to tear them apart.
Relief punched the air out of my lungs, leaving me rooted to the spot. My legs trembled, the adrenaline refusing to fade. I placed my briefcase on the coffee table and took a step closer, scanning them for signs of injury, scars, anything to confirm what Alec had said. But they looked... unharmed. Innocent. Fragile.
I wanted to wake them. To hold them. To ask a million questions and make sure they were truly okay. But I stopped myself, my hand frozen mid-reach. They needed rest, not my frantic energy. Today had been hell for them, and the last thing they needed was me adding to their exhaustion.
A soft footfall behind me broke the silence. Leo. I turned and gestured for him to follow me, my voice a low murmur. “Let’s talk outside.”
As we stepped back onto the porch, the cool afternoon air hit me, sharp and grounding. The estate was eerily quiet, the only sounds the occasional murmur of security radios and the rustle of leaves in the wind. I leaned against the railing, gripping it tightly as I exhaled, my breath shaky.
“They’re okay,” I muttered, more to myself than Leo. My chest still ached with residual fear, but the sight of them safe and sound had dulled the edges.
Leo nodded, his expression softening. “That’s a relief. I’ll inform the others.”
He pulled out his phone to make the call and walked a few steps away. I took mine from my pocket and dialed Alec.
“Yes, sir,” Alec answered on the first ring.
“Meet me at the front of the house. Now.”
“Yes, sir.” The line clicked off.
A few moments later, Alec appeared around the corner of the house, jogging toward me.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Quantum.”
“Alec, what the hell happened this afternoon? Where did this happen?”
Alec’s voice was steady, though his jaw clenched as he spoke. “After Lucy’s dance class, she asked for ice cream, and Mrs. Quantum asked me to take them to the nearest ice cream parlor.” He paused briefly, his eyes scanning the distance, as if replaying the scene. “They went inside, and I stayed outside, monitoring the surroundings. When they came out, it happened in an instant. A car swerved onto the pavement, heading straight for them.”
He paused, his eyes narrowing, a calm authority settling in his tone. “Mrs. Quantum reacted fast. She pushed Lucy out of the way just before the car sped off. The car... it grazed her. I’m sure of it, but when I asked, she told me she was fine.”
Emily had risked her life to save Lucy, throwing herself into danger without a second thought to protect my daughter.
I took a deep breath. “Was Emily taken to the doctor?”
“No, sir. She insisted there wasn’t a need. She preferred to stay with Lucy instead.”
“Why was she so damn stubborn?” I muttered under my breath, anger and admiration swirling inside me.
Despite the sharp edge of frustration, I couldn't deny the respect I felt. Emily had put Lucy’s safety above her own and that made her more valuable to me than I’d ever realized.
But the worry remained. She hadn’t even sought medical attention. How could she be so reckless with her own safety?
“Did you get a description of the car? The driver? The license plate?” Leo’s voice came from behind me, sharp and direct.
“Yes, sir,” Alec replied, his tone firm and focused. “It was a black Audi A8. License plate number 7JX-8234. The car was reported stolen earlier this morning.” He paused briefly, his jaw tightening. “A security team followed it as far as the intersection, but they lost it there. It was found abandoned about five miles from the parlor, no sign of the driver.”
“Find that driver,” I snapped, my voice low and menacing. “I don’t care what it takes. Don’t stop until you do. Someone almost killed my wife and daughter. I want their head on a platter! I want answers now.”
“Yes, sir. We’ll find them.”
I nodded, watching as Alec walked away around the house.
“Fuck!” I muttered under my breath, the frustration surging through me.
Leo placed a calming hand on my shoulder. “Dom, I know this is tough. It’s affecting all of us. But the good news is Lucy and Emily are okay. They need you to be calm now more than ever.”
His words echoed, but they did little to settle my nerves. A raw, primal energy surged through my chest, like something dangerous, something uncontrollable. It was drawn to Emily’s sacrifice—her reckless selflessness for Lucy. My mind raced, torn between relief for Lucy’s safety and this overwhelming urge I didn’t want to face but knew I had to.
Leo’s voice broke through again, steady and understanding. “And we’re here for you, Dom. Just like you’ve always been for us.”
I turned to him, appreciative of his support. “Thanks, Leo. It means a lot to me.”
Leo gave me a firm nod, his eyes locked on mine. “I’d better get going. Give Lucy and Emily our love. We’re only a phone call away if you need us.”
He wrapped his arms around me briefly, giving me a reassuring pat on the back.
“See you tomorrow,” Leo said, giving me one last glance before he walked to his car.
I watched him drive away, the sound of his tires fading into the distance. Only then did I turn, my feet carrying me back toward the house. I took a deep breath, trying to push my emotions back down. Emily and Lucy needed me to be calm. Collected. That’s who I would be. And I’d damn well make sure of it.
With that thought in mind, I stepped inside.