Chapter 6 - The Man Dominic Trusted MostNobody moved.
Leo's weapon was aimed at Vincent.
But his eyes were on Dominic.
Khloe's heart pounded.
Dominic didn't reach for a weapon.
“Leo.”
Leo's face looked exhausted.
“Don't.”
Vincent slowly raised his hands.
“Son of a bitch.”
“Shut up.”
Dominic's voice stayed calm.
“How long?”
Leo laughed quietly.
“That's what you're asking?”
“Yes.”
“Twenty-two years.”
Dominic stared at him.
Leo had been there when Dominic buried his father.
He had been nineteen then.
Barely more than a kid.
He had driven Dominic home from the cemetery.
Stayed beside him through the night.
Twenty-two years.
Khloe whispered, “You're the leak.”
Leo looked at her.
“You were never supposed to be part of this.”
She almost laughed.
“I've heard that a lot tonight.”
Dominic's gaze never left Leo.
“Were you working for Salvatore?”
“At first.”
“And after he died?”
“Bellini.”
Vincent cursed.
Leo ignored him.
Dominic asked, “Did Salvatore order my father's death?”
“Yes.”
The word landed with no drama.
That made it worse.
“Why?”
“Matteo wanted to shut down gambling, loans, prostitution. He wanted the family legitimate.”
Dominic said nothing.
“Salvatore thought he was destroying everything your grandfather built.”
“So he killed his brother.”
“He called it survival.”
“My father called it betrayal.”
Leo's expression flickered.
Dominic saw it.
“You heard him say that?”
Leo looked away.
“You were there.”
Silence.
Khloe realized what Dominic meant.
Not after.
During.
Leo had seen Matteo Russo die.
Dominic took one step forward.
Leo raised the weapon.
“Stop.”
Dominic stopped.
“Did you kill him?”
“No.”
“Who did?”
“Bellini shooters.”
“On Salvatore's order.”
“Yes.”
“And Patrick witnessed the payment.”
“Yes.”
Vincent spoke.
“Then Antonio was framed.”
Leo glanced at him.
“Your father discovered the truth two years later.”
Vincent's face changed.
“What?”
“He threatened Salvatore.”
Vincent whispered, “My father went to prison.”
“Because Salvatore arranged it.”
“Antonio died there.”
“I know.”
Vincent lunged.
Khloe screamed.
Leo swung the gun.
Dominic hit Vincent first, knocking him sideways.
The weapon discharged.
Glass shattered.
Security men rushed from the hallway.
But Leo grabbed Khloe.
His arm locked around her neck.
The gun pressed against her ribs.
Dominic froze.
Leo backed toward the private elevator.
“Everybody stays.”
Khloe's breathing became shallow.
Dominic looked directly at her.
Not at the gun.
At her.
“Khloe.”
Leo tightened his grip.
“Don't.”
Dominic continued.
“Remember the van.”
She stared at him.
“You found the door.”
Leo frowned.
“What the hell does that mean?”
Khloe understood.
Panic was a luxury.
Find the door.
Her right heel came down on Leo's foot.
Hard.
He jerked.
Khloe drove her elbow backward into his stomach.
The gun moved away from her body.
Dominic crossed the room.
Leo fired.
The bullet tore through Dominic's shoulder.
Khloe screamed his name.
Vincent tackled Leo.
All three men crashed into the table.
Security swarmed.
Within seconds, Leo was pinned to the floor.
Khloe ran to Dominic.
Blood soaked through his white shirt.
“You're shot.”
Dominic looked down.
“I noticed.”
“Sit down.”
“I'm fine.”
“You have a hole in you.”
Vincent, breathing hard, looked over.
“She has a point.”
Dominic sank into a chair.
Khloe pressed a folded cloth against the wound.
He winced.
“Harder.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
She pressed harder.
His jaw tightened.
Leo laughed from the floor.
Dominic looked at him.
“What?”
“You still don't understand.”
“I'm getting tired of people telling me that tonight.”
“Salvatore's dead.”
“Yes.”
“Bellini didn't start this.”
Dominic's eyes narrowed.
“Then who?”
Leo smiled.
“The same person who has been cleaning up Salvatore's mistakes for seven years.”
Khloe looked toward the phone still lying on the table.
Patrick's call had disconnected.
Dominic asked, “Name.”
Leo shook his head.
“Doesn't matter.”
Vincent stepped toward him.
“It matters to me.”
Leo looked up.
“You've met him hundreds of times.”
“Who?”
“Salvatore's son.”
Dominic froze.
“Salvatore had no son.”
Leo smiled.
“Not with his wife.”
The room fell silent.
Dominic's mind moved backward through decades.
His uncle had mistresses.
Everyone knew.
But a child?
“Who?”
Leo looked toward Khloe.
“He's the reason her father disappeared.”
“Name him.”
“He's the reason Danny's debt was created.”
“Leo.”
“And he's the reason Khloe was placed at the car wash.”
Dominic took a step forward despite the blood.
“NAME HIM.”
Leo whispered:
“Tony Marquez.”
Khloe stared.
“No.”
Tony.
The manager who stole her wages.
Who told her Dominic owned the debt.
Who had been terrified after the explosion.
Dominic remembered Tony shouting about the ledger.
Not because he feared it would expose Bellini.
Because it could expose him.
Vincent looked stunned.
“Tony is Salvatore's son?”
Leo nodded.
“Different mother. Salvatore kept him outside the family.”
Khloe's voice shook.
“Why target me?”
Leo looked at her almost sadly.
“Because your father had the recording.”
“I don't.”
“They thought he sent it to you.”
Dominic frowned.
“Thought?”
Leo smiled.
“They were wrong.”
Khloe stared.
“Then who has it?”
Leo's eyes moved toward the hospital.
Danny.
Khloe went cold.
Dominic turned to his security.
“Mercy. Now.”
They were halfway to the elevator when Dominic's phone rang.
Hospital security.
He answered.
A frantic voice came through.
“Mr. Russo, someone pulled the fire alarm.”
Dominic's face hardened.
“Danny?”
“We're trying to locate him.”
Khloe grabbed the phone.
“What do you mean locate him?”
“He's not in his room.”
Her face drained.
“Where is my brother?”
The man answered.
“We don't know.”
Then Khloe received a text.
A photograph appeared.
Danny was sitting in a chair.
His hospital gown was stained with blood.
His hands were tied.
Tony Marquez stood behind him.
May you like
Below the image were eight words.
BRING THE LEDGER OR YOUR BROTHER DIES AT SUNRISE.
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