Chapter 7
The sprawling mansion was eerily quiet as Etta led Lewis up the sweeping marble staircase. The luminous, airy glow of the first floor gave way to the softer, more muted lighting of the private family wing. The warm golden hues of the wall sconces guided them past gilded mirrors and heavy silk curtains, leading them to the massive oak doors of Lewis’s room.
Etta helped Lewis out of his formal dinner clothes, hanging the dark jacket carefully in the closet and trading his stiff shirt for a pair of soft, cotton pajamas. The little boy was exhausted, the adrenaline of the evening leaving him heavy-limbed and lethargic.
Etta pulled the thick duvet back and tucked him in, sitting on the edge of the mattress. She smoothed Lewis's hair, her heart aching for the trauma the child had endured, carrying the horrifying secret of his grandfather's murder alone.
"Are the bad men going to come here?" Lewis asked, his eyelids drooping heavily. He understood enough of the syndicate life to know that Bridget’s violent departure meant danger.
"Do you think anyone could ever get past your father to hurt you?" Etta asked softly, borrowing Dominic's method of questioning to comfort the child.
Lewis smiled sleepily, his fair skin glowing in the dim light. "No. Dad is the strongest."
"He loves you very much, Lewis," Etta whispered, kissing his forehead. "You are safe."
Within minutes, the boy’s breathing evened out into a deep, peaceful rhythm. Etta remained seated on the bed for a long time, watching him sleep. Her graceful posture finally relaxed, the tension bleeding out of her slender figure. She closed her eyes, replaying the terrifying, awe-inspiring way Dominic had defended them both.
A quiet, rhythmic tapping on the open doorframe broke the silence.
Etta opened her eyes and turned her head. Dominic stood in the doorway. He had discarded his suit jacket and unbuttoned his waistcoat, looking slightly less formal but infinitely more dangerous. The loose strands of dark hair fell over his forehead, and his powerful shoulders leaned casually against the wooden frame. His perceptive eyes were fixed on her.
Etta stood up quickly, smoothing her white apron over her short A-line skirt. "He just fell asleep, sir."
Dominic stepped quietly into the room, his polished shoes making no sound. He walked over to the bed, looking down at his son with a profound, unspoken affection. He reached out, his beautifully tattooed fingers gently adjusting the blanket over the boy's shoulders.
"Does he look peaceful to you, Etta?" Dominic asked in a hushed whisper.
"He does, sir," Etta replied, standing close enough to smell the faint, intoxicating scent of his expensive cologne mixed with a hint of dark whiskey.
"Do you know that you are the reason he feels safe enough to rest?" Dominic asked, turning his head to look down at her.
Etta’s breath caught in her throat. His physical proximity was overwhelming. The sheer, rugged beauty of his angular face and high-bridged nose was breathtaking up close.
"I just did what anyone would do," Etta deflected modestly, her rosy cheeks flushing under his intense gaze.
"Do you truly believe that anyone else in that dining room would have defied my fiancée to stop me from drinking poison?" Dominic asked softly.
"They were afraid of her, Mr. Kincaid," Etta answered honestly.
"Should I have paid closer attention to the shadows in my own home?" Dominic asked, looking away, a rare expression of deep guilt crossing his handsome face. "Did my ambition blind me to the cruelty happening under my own roof?"
Etta felt a sudden, desperate urge to comfort the powerful man standing before her. She took a tentative step closer, her elegant posture radiating quiet strength.
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"You were building an empire to protect him, sir. You couldn't have known," Etta said softly.
"Are you defending my failures, Etta?" Dominic asked, looking back at her, a faint, almost imperceptible smile touching the corners of his mouth.
