Chapter 2 - The Silver Omen
The interior of the black SUV smelled of expensive leather,
cold rain,
and the faint,
spicy scent of Dominic’s cologne.
It was a scent that didn't belong in my world of antiseptic and generic detergents.
I sat as far from him as possible,
pressing my shoulder against the bulletproof glass.
Dominic didn't say a word as we pulled away from the pharmacy.
He simply stared ahead,
his profile sharp enough to cut silk.
Then,
he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the small velvet box.
When I opened it and saw the silver promise ring,
my breath hitched in a way that felt like a sob.
Gemma never took that ring off.
She called it her "tether to reality,"
a gift from her grandmother before the world became too loud.
"Where did you find this?"
I whispered,
my fingers trembling as I touched the cold metal.
"In an alley behind a club called The Serpent,"
Dominic replied,
his jaw tightening.
"The trash was soaked in blood,
but the ring was clean."
"It was placed on a brick,
Clara."
"It wasn't dropped."
"It was a message."
My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird.
"A message for whom?"
"For me,"
Dominic said,
turning his head to look at me.
"And because she’s my sister,
it’s a message for you,
too."
"They know she’s close to you."
"They know you’re the only one who doesn't report to me."
I looked at the ring,
then at the man sitting beside me.
I had spent my whole life avoiding men like him.
Men who brought violence as easily as they brought flowers.
But Gemma was out there,
somewhere in the cold,
grey Chicago night.
She was the only person who had ever truly loved me without wanting something in return.
"What do we do?"
I asked,
my voice stronger than I felt.
Dominic reached out,
his hand hovering near mine but not quite touching.
"We go to the one place I know she would try to hide a clue."
"The Russo estate."
I swallowed hard,
May you like
knowing that once I entered those gates,
the girl from the pharmacy would be gone forever.
