Chapter 6
The grand dining room, moments ago the site of an elegant engagement dinner, now resembled the aftermath of a violent coup. Ethan groaned on the thick patterned rug, bleeding from the shoulder wound, surrounded by four heavily armed capos who had instantly kicked his weapon away and pinned him to the floor. The remaining guests emerged slowly from beneath the mahogany table, brushing dust from their expensive suits and gowns, their faces pale with shock.
Vivienne knelt on the marble floor, her sculpted satin gown ruined. She stared at her bleeding brother, then looked up at Dominic, her eyes wide with absolute, unadulterated terror. The polished, controlling woman was completely shattered.
"Dominic... please," Vivienne choked out, her voice a ragged whisper. "I didn't want this. He acted on his own! I just wanted a life with you!"
"Did you?" Dominic murmured, his voice a low, lethal hum.
He slowly walked toward her, his polished leather shoes crunching over a shattered wine glass. He stopped right in front of her, the tall, powerful figure of the mafia boss towering over the broken woman.
"Marcus," Dominic called out, his eyes never leaving Vivienne.
"Yes, Boss," the head of security replied, stepping forward.
"Have the medics stabilize Ethan," Dominic ordered smoothly, adjusting the cuffs of his tailored suit. "Then lock him in the basement holding cell. He doesn't bleed to death until I permit it. And clear the room. The dinner is officially over."
"Understood, Boss," Marcus nodded, immediately issuing quiet commands to his men. The capos began escorting the terrified guests out of the dining hall, moving them quickly toward the front gates. The elite of the underworld knew better than to linger when the boss was handing down sentences.
Within minutes, the sprawling room was entirely empty, save for Dominic, Vivienne, the security chief, and the housemaid standing quietly by the wall.
Dominic reached into the pocket of his dark three-piece suit. He pulled out the small, dull-silver key that had started the entire confrontation. He held it up, letting the bright, luminous light catch the metal.
"You locked my mother in the dark because she was inconvenient," Dominic stated, not asking a question this time. The absolute coldness in his voice was infinitely more terrifying than his earlier shouting. "You stripped her of her dignity so you could play queen of this estate without interference."
"She is sick, Dominic! She doesn't know where she is half the time!" Vivienne shrieked defensively, tears streaming down her face. "I was protecting her from herself!"
"You were protecting your own ambition," Dominic corrected her softly.
He crouched down gracefully, bringing himself eye-level with the sobbing woman. He rested his elbows on his knees, the refined artistic tattoos on his hands flexing slightly.
"You have exactly ten minutes to pack a single bag," Dominic whispered, his tone carrying a devastating finality. "After that, my men will drive you to the city limits. If you ever attempt to contact this family again, or if you speak a single word of what happened here tonight to the authorities, I will ensure your brother suffers a very long, very painful execution before I come for you. Do we understand each other?"
Vivienne stared at him, the reality of her total exile crashing down upon her. She had nothing left to bargain with. She nodded frantically, her heavy diamond earrings swinging.
"Get her out of my sight," Dominic commanded, standing up and turning his back on her.
Two guards hauled the weeping woman to her feet and dragged her out of the dining room.
May you like
Dominic stood alone in the center of the ruined banquet. He took a slow, deep breath, the adrenaline finally receding from his system. He turned his head and locked his perceptive eyes onto the beautiful housemaid who was still cradling her injured wrist near the kitchen doors.
"Nora," Dominic said quietly. "Walk with me."
