Chapter 8
The air in the subterranean study grew incredibly thin, suffocating Conrad beneath the weight of his own treason. The cinematic lighting cast harsh, unforgiving shadows across his terrified, sweating face. He looked at Miriam for help, but the older woman had pressed herself deep into her leather chair, her hands covering her mouth, wanting absolutely nothing to do with the treason that had just been exposed.
"Tell him, Conrad," Miriam whispered, her voice shaking with fear. "Tell him right now."
"It was the Rossi family," Conrad choked out, a ragged sob tearing from his throat. He buried his face in his hands, his expensive watch catching the light as he broke completely. "They approached me three months ago. They said if I let them use port four to move their weapons, they would give me a thirty percent cut of the gross."
Domenico’s face remained entirely impassive, though his dark, intimidating eyes flared with a cold, terrifying fire. The Rossi family was a brutal, rival syndicate based out of Chicago. They had been trying to breach the eastern seaboard for years, and Domenico had violently repelled them at every turn.
"You sold my ports to the Rossis," Domenico stated, his voice a low, vibrating hum of pure menace. "And to cover their movement today, you decided to use my three-year-old son as a physical distraction."
"I didn't want to hit him!" Conrad wept, looking up with pathetic, bloodshot eyes. "I swear, Dom! I just needed to make a scene! I just needed everyone looking at the garden so the trucks could clear the checkpoints! It was never about hurting Eli!"
"You swung a steel rod at a child," Domenico said slowly, measuring every syllable. "Your intent is irrelevant. Your actions are all that remain."
Domenico turned his head, his gaze shifting to Miriam. The older woman flinched violently.
"And you, Miriam," Domenico said. "You did not know about the Rossis. But you saw a man raise a weapon against your future Don, and you chose to defend the attacker. You justified it as a lesson in fear."
"I was wrong, Domenico!" Miriam cried, tears spilling over her rosy cheeks, ruining her pristine makeup. "I am an old woman! I am set in my ways! Please, forgive my ignorance! I knew nothing of his treason!"
"Ignorance is not a defense in this family," Domenico replied smoothly. "It is a liability."
Domenico picked up the burner phone from the desk. He held it in his tattooed hand, staring at the screen for a long, quiet moment. He was calculating the exact logistical fallout of the betrayal, mapping out the war that was about to erupt on the eastern seaboard.
"You wanted to be indispensable, Conrad," Domenico murmured, his raspy voice echoing the finality of a judge delivering a sentence. "You wanted to secure a legacy for your son by destroying mine."
May you like
"Please, Dom," Conrad begged, sliding out of his chair and dropping to his knees on the stone floor. "I’ll do anything. I’ll call the Rossis. I’ll tell them the deal is off. I’ll be a double agent! You can use me!"
"I have absolutely no use for a rat," Domenico whispered.
