Chapter 2 - The Man Who Refused to Let Her Leave
The gunshot changed everything.
Five minutes earlier, I had been embarrassed about a fake boyfriend.
Now I was sitting inside the private office of one of Chicago's most feared men while armed guards sealed the casino.
I couldn't feel my fingers.
Dominic stood by the door, listening to information coming through his earpiece.
“Three men.”
A pause.
“Two more at the west entrance.”
Another pause.
“No. Nobody shoots unless necessary.”
His eyes found mine.
“She's with me.”
There was something about those four words.
Not ownership.
Protection.
He was telling his people that my safety had suddenly become a priority.
I didn't know why.
“You should leave me here,” I said.
He looked at me as if I'd suggested setting the building on fire.
“No.”
“They came for me.”
“Exactly.”
“If you send me away, they won't have a reason to stay.”
“They're already inside.”
He walked toward me.
“Whatever brought them here is larger than you.”
I stood.
“I don't understand.”
“Neither do I.”
That frightened me more than anything.
Dominic Costantini didn't know.
He was the man everyone else seemed to fear.
But something about his expression told me he was angry because he didn't understand.
“Did Mason send them?”
“I don't know.”
“He hates me.”
“That's not enough.”
I stared.
“What do you mean?”
“You've been afraid of him for months.”
“Yes.”
“He's a parasite.”
I almost smiled.
“That may be the nicest thing anyone has said about him.”
Dominic didn't smile.
“He's also stupid.”
“That too.”
He walked to the window.
Outside, police lights flashed below.
The casino floor had been evacuated.
I could see security moving through the lobby.
Then Dominic's phone rang.
He answered.
“Find them.”
A pause.
His expression darkened.
“Alive.”
He ended the call.
“What?”
“They weren't after the casino.”
My stomach dropped.
“They were after you.”
“Why?”
He looked at me.
“That is what we're going to find out.”
I sat back down.
“I should tell you something.”
“Go ahead.”
“Mason didn't just steal money.”
Dominic waited.
“He convinced me to take out a loan.”
“How much?”
“Eighty thousand.”
His expression barely changed.
“My father co-signed it.”
“And?”
“He disappeared.”
Dominic understood instantly.
“So the debt became yours.”
“Yes.”
“How much remains?”
“Seventy-two thousand.”
“You've been paying it?”
“Every month.”
“How?”
“Two jobs.”
His gaze moved to my hands.
“That's why you work here.”
“Yes.”
“You need the money.”
“Yes.”
He was quiet.
Then asked, “Why did you let him control you for so long?”
I looked away.
“Because he wasn't always cruel.”
Dominic waited.
“When I met him, my mother was sick.”
He didn't interrupt.
“He helped me pay for medicine.”
“Then he used that against you.”
“Yes.”
My voice broke.
“I thought debt meant gratitude.”
Dominic's expression softened.
“Debt is money.”
He sat across from me.
“Gratitude is something else.”
I looked at him.
“I wish I had understood that earlier.”
“You understand it now.”
A guard knocked.
Dominic opened the door.
A man in black entered.
“Boss.”
“What?”
“We found one.”
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
“Bring him.”
The guard left.
Minutes later, a wounded man was dragged inside.
He was bleeding from his shoulder.
He looked at me.
Then smiled.
“Little Bennett.”
My stomach turned.
I knew him.
Not personally.
But I had seen him outside my apartment.
One of Mason's father's security men.
Dominic noticed.
“You know him.”
I nodded.
“He used to work for Mason's father.”
The man's smile disappeared.
Dominic crouched in front of him.
“Who sent you?”
The man said nothing.
Dominic didn't raise his voice.
“Who?”
“Mason.”
My heart sank.
“What did he promise you?”
The man laughed.
“He didn't.”
Dominic's eyes narrowed.
“You're lying.”
“He said the woman was carrying something.”
“What?”
The man looked at me.
“A flash drive.”
I stared.
“I don't have one.”
Dominic looked at me.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
The man's smile returned.
“She doesn't know.”
Dominic stood.
“What does that mean?”
“My boss said the girl wouldn't know she had it.”
I searched my purse.
Nothing.
My stomach tightened.
Then I remembered.
Three days earlier, my apartment had been broken into.
Nothing valuable was stolen.
Except an old silver locket my mother had given me.
I had thought it was sentimental.
I suddenly understood.
“Wait.”
I opened my purse.
Pulled out the locket.
The man stared.
Dominic took it.
He examined the back.
Then pressed a hidden clasp.
The locket opened.
Inside was a tiny memory card.
I felt sick.
“How?”
Dominic looked at me.
“Your mother.”
I stared.
“My mother died when I was ten.”
“I know.”
“How do you know?”
He didn't answer.
The room fell silent.
I looked at him.
“You know my mother?”
“Not personally.”
The man's voice came from the floor.
“She's why your father died.”
Everything inside me stopped.
“What?”
Dominic grabbed the man by the collar.
“Who told you that?”
The man laughed.
“Everyone knows.”
My face burned.
My father had died before I finished high school.
A drunk driver, that's what I'd been told.
At least that's what Mason's family had said when they helped pay for the funeral.
Now everything was becoming a lie.
Dominic looked at the memory card.
“We need a computer.”
A tech specialist entered.
The card contained one video file.
A woman appeared on the screen.
My mother.
Older.
Tired.
Alive.
My breath caught.
“Lena.”
I stopped breathing.
She looked directly into the camera.
“If you're watching this, I've failed to keep you away from them.”
I moved closer.
“There are people who have searched for this information for years.”
The video shook slightly.
“Your father didn't die in an accident.”
I covered my mouth.
“He was murdered.”
Dominic's eyes hardened.
My mother continued.
“And the man who ordered it is still alive.”
The screen went black.
I couldn't move.
Dominic stared at me.
“Lena.”
I looked at him.
“My mother knew.”
“Yes.”
“And you knew?”
“No.”
“But you know who she was talking about.”
His silence told me everything.
“Who?”
Dominic stood.
“I don't know yet.”
I stepped closer.
“Don't lie to me.”
He stared at me.
“I don't know.”
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed.
“Repeat that.”
A pause.
“Who?”
He listened.
Then looked at me.
“Mason Reed just entered the building.”
My blood turned cold.
“But you locked the casino.”
“He has a private access card.”
Dominic handed the phone to his security chief.
“Find him.”
Then he looked at me.
“Mason isn't here because he misses you.”
“Then why?”
Dominic's answer came quietly.
“Because whatever is on that card belonged to someone powerful.”
“And Mason somehow knows about it.”
“Yes.”
He stepped closer.
“You need to stay with me.”
“I don't want protection.”
“I didn't ask.”
His voice was low.
“You're getting it.”
Then the office door slammed open.
Mason stood there.
His shirt was torn.
His face was bleeding.
And he was holding a gun.
“Lena.”
I froze.
He looked at Dominic.
Then smiled.
“You really have terrible taste in men.”
Dominic stepped in front of me.
Mason raised the gun.
“I'll give you one chance.”
Dominic's voice was cold.
“Put it down.”
Mason laughed.
“I don't think you understand.”
“No.”
Dominic tilted his head.
“I understand perfectly.”
Mason looked at me.
“Give me the locket.”
I tightened my hand around it.
“Why?”
His smile disappeared.
“Because your mother stole something that belongs to me.”
Dominic's eyes narrowed.
“What?”
May you like
Mason pointed his gun at me.
“The truth.”
