Chapter 6 - The Mafia Boss Who Gave Up His Empire
Dominic could have disappeared.
Everyone expected him to.
Instead, he went to federal investigators.
He turned over records.
Bank accounts.
Names.
Properties.
Everything.
His organization began collapsing.
Men who had followed him out of fear left.
Men who had followed him out of loyalty stayed.
He did something nobody expected.
He gave up control.
I watched him sign away businesses worth millions.
“You'll lose everything.”
He smiled.
“Everything except you.”
I frowned.
“Don't say things like that.”
“Why?”
“Because I believe you.”
He touched my cheek.
“Good.”
We moved into a small apartment.
It was ridiculous.
The man who had owned a casino lived in a place where the kitchen was smaller than his old bathroom.
But I loved it.
The first night, he burned pasta.
I laughed so hard I cried.
“You don't cook?”
“I have people.”
“You have people?”
“Yes.”
“Not anymore.”
He looked at the pot.
“I see.”
We ordered takeout.
For the first time, Dominic ate noodles from a cardboard box while sitting barefoot on the floor.
He looked at me.
“Happy?”
I smiled.
“Yes.”
He leaned back.
“Me too.”
The honeymoon ended quickly.
Someone attacked him outside the courthouse.
He survived.
Another threat arrived.
Then another.
I started sleeping badly.
One night, I woke up and found him sitting beside the window.
“You should be sleeping.”
“You were having a nightmare.”
I sat up.
“What happened?”
“You called my name.”
My face burned.
“I did?”
“Yes.”
I looked away.
He moved closer.
“Lena.”
“What?”
“Marry me.”
I stared.
“What?”
He took a small ring box from his pocket.
“No.”
“You haven't seen it.”
“That isn't the point.”
“Why no?”
“Because everything around you is dangerous.”
“I know.”
“People get hurt.”
“I know.”
“You could lose everything.”
“I already did.”
He smiled.
“I chose you.”
My eyes filled with tears.
“I don't want to marry the Mafia boss.”
His smile faded.
“I know.”
I took his hand.
“I want to marry Dominic.”
His eyes softened.
“The man?”
“Yes.”
He whispered.
“Then yes.”
I laughed.
He opened the box.
The ring was simple.
Elegant.
Nothing like the jewelry I had once seen on Mason's new girlfriend.
It was perfect.
He slid it onto my finger.
Then kissed me.
Three months later, we married.
It wasn't a grand wedding.
No casino.
No armed men.
No politicians.
Just my mother, Sofia, Lucas, a few friends, and two rows of flowers.
Mason attended.
He looked different.
Smaller.
Human.
After the ceremony, he approached me.
“You look happy.”
“I am.”
He nodded.
“I wanted to tell you something.”
“What?”
“I finally understand what I did.”
I didn't answer.
“You weren't something I owned.”
“I know.”
“You were the person I should have protected.”
I looked at him.
“You cannot change the past.”
“No.”
“But you can stop repeating it.”
He nodded.
“I will.”
Then he left.
Dominic joined me.
“What did he want?”
“Closure.”
“Did he get it?”
“I think so.”
Dominic kissed my forehead.
“Good.”
We danced.
The night was beautiful.
Then my mother collapsed.
The music stopped.
Doctors rushed over.
Her heart was failing.
I refused to leave her side.
Dominic stayed with me.
She survived.
Barely.
But when she woke, she asked to speak to me alone.
“There is one thing I never told you.”
I held her hand.
“What?”
“Your father did not die because of Adrian.”
I froze.
“What?”
“He knew the attack was coming.”
“Then why did he stay?”
“Because he believed someone inside Adrian's organization would betray him.”
“Who?”
She looked toward the door.
“Dominic's father.”
I stared.
“What?”
“He was working with your father.”
She swallowed.
“He sacrificed himself.”
I looked at Dominic through the glass.
My mother continued.
“He saved you.”
Everything changed again.
Dominic had spent his life believing his father was a criminal.
But he had been a protector.
My father had trusted him.
My mother had trusted him.
And now I finally understood why Dominic had always felt familiar.
May you like
He wasn't the stranger I'd grabbed in the casino.
He was part of the story long before I knew his name.
