Chapter 3 - The Lion’s Den
The Russo estate was a sprawling fortress of grey stone and wrought iron,
hidden behind a wall of ancient oaks.
It looked more like a castle than a home,
a monument to power and the paranoia that comes with it.
As the gates hummed open,
I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me.
This was the heart of the monster.
This was the place where my mother’s nightmares were born.
Dominic led me through the massive front doors,
his hand finally coming to rest on the small of my back.
The heat of his palm through my thin coat was electric,
a jolt of reality in a world that felt like a dream.
Inside,
the house was silent,
filled with shadows and the ticking of a dozen clocks.
Men in suits stood in the corners,
their eyes following us like hawks.
Dominic ignored them all,
leading me up a grand staircase toward Gemma’s wing.
"She was here three days ago,"
he said,
his voice echoing in the marble hall.
"She was nervous."
"She asked about the old records."
We entered her room,
which was a chaotic explosion of silk,
perfume,
and half-packed suitcases.
It was so quintessentially Gemma that I felt a fresh sting of tears.
"She wasn't running away from you,
Dominic,"
I said,
walking toward her vanity.
"She was looking for something."
I began to sift through her things,
ignoring the way Dominic watched me from the doorway.
His gaze was heavy,
constant,
and strangely protective.
I found a scrap of paper tucked into a bottle of expensive lotion.
It was a series of numbers and letters that made no sense to a stranger.
But to me,
it was a code we had used since we were seven years old.
"She left this for me,"
I whispered,
showing him the paper.
"What does it mean?"
Dominic asked,
stepping closer until I could feel the heat radiating off his body.
"It means she’s at the old lighthouse,"
I said.
"The one near the harbor where we used to skip school."
Dominic’s eyes darkened,
a predatory light flickering in the depths.
"That harbor is controlled by the Moretti family."
"Our rivals."
He turned to the door,
barking an order to the men outside.
"Get the cars."
"And bring the heavy gear."
He looked back at me,
his expression unreadable.
"Stay here,
Clara."
"No,"
I said,
standing my ground.
"She won't talk to you."
"She’s terrified of you."
"She only trusts me."
Dominic walked back to me,
his face inches from mine.
"You have no idea what you’re walking into."
"I don't care,"
I said.
"She’s my sister,
too."
For a long moment,
the only sound was our breathing.
Then,
Dominic nodded.
"Fine."
May you like
"But you don't leave my side."
"Not for a second."
