Chapter 5
Dominic arrived early.
11:17.
He walked into the breakfast room and saw me sitting at the table with Victor on one side, Dana on the other, Milo still on his perch, and the blue bottle placed exactly where everyone could see it.
He stopped.
Very small reaction.
Enough.
“Morning, Boss.”
I looked at him.
“Morning.”
His eyes moved to Victor.
Then the bottle.
Then Milo.
The bird tilted his head.
Dominic almost smiled.
“Something happen?”
I leaned back.
“Breakfast got interesting.”
Victor said nothing.
Dominic looked at him again.
Different this time.
Warning.
I saw it.
So did Victor.
That was when I understood the hierarchy completely.
Victor had not been recruited as a partner.
He had been recruited as the visible traitor.
Useful if the plan succeeded.
Expendable if it failed.
I looked at Dominic.
“Coffee?”
His eyes returned to mine.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Not thirsty.”
I smiled.
“Neither am I.”
Silence.
Then Milo spoke.
Dominic’s voice.
Perfect.
“Victor doesn’t need to know.”
Dominic froze.
Victor turned toward him.
There it was.
Not fear of me.
Betrayal.
“You said what?”
Dominic’s jaw tightened.
Milo continued.
“Let the younger one fall.”
Victor stood so quickly his chair scraped across the floor.
“You used me.”
Dominic looked at him with contempt.
“You volunteered.”
That sentence broke whatever remained between them.
Victor moved.
Two bodyguards stopped him before he crossed the table.
I stayed seated.
“Sit down.”
Victor stared at Dominic.
Then obeyed.
Not me.
The situation.
Dominic finally looked at the blue bottle again.
“You’re going to believe a bird?”
“No.”
I picked up the napkin containing the bottle.
“I believe this.”
His face hardened.
“And Dana.”
She flinched.
“And Victor’s panic.”
Victor looked at me.
“And your timing.”
Dominic sighed.
Like I was disappointing him.
That annoyed me more than denial.
“You were always impatient,” he said.
“No.”
I leaned forward.
“You were always arrogant enough to think patience belonged to you.”
His expression changed.
I had him.
Not the whole plan.
But the motive underneath it.
Dominic did not want Victor leading.
He wanted me removed and Victor blamed.
May you like
Which meant the real question was not who would replace me.
It was what Dominic planned to control after both brothers destroyed each other.
