Chapter 8 - The Empire Dominic Chose to Burn
Matteo’s arrest did not end the war.
It exposed it.
Three politicians resigned.
Two union officials were indicted.
Victor Raines’s companies collapsed under federal seizure orders.
And Dominic discovered that nearly a third of his own organization depended on businesses tied to corruption.
His advisers expected him to protect the empire.
Instead, he dismantled it.
One company at a time.
Illegal gambling houses closed.
Extortion operations ended.
Weapons routes were surrendered to federal investigators through attorneys.
Legitimate businesses were moved into a new holding company with audited books.
Men who had spent decades profiting from fear called Dominic weak.
One of them, Carlo Vescari, said it to his face.
They were in the old Salvatore boardroom.
“You’re throwing away everything your family built.”
Dominic looked at the portraits of dead Salvatore men lining the wall.
“My father was murdered because he tried to stop what this became.”
Carlo scoffed.
“Your father understood power.”
“No.”
Dominic removed the heavy signet ring that had belonged to generations of Salvatore bosses.
“He understood fear.”
He placed the ring on the table.
“I’m done inheriting mistakes just because they come with my name.”
Three men walked out.
Two stayed.
Gabriel watched from the far end of the room.
“So what are you now?” he asked after everyone left.
Dominic looked at him.
“A businessman with an alarming number of lawsuits.”
Gabriel laughed.
It took months.
There were threats.
There were investigations.
There were newspapers calling Dominic everything from criminal prince to reformed mob heir.
Emma refused interviews.
She took the hotel job Dominic had arranged before any of them knew the truth.
Within six months, she was promoted to dining-room supervisor.
Dominic offered to buy the hotel.
She threatened to break up with him.
He never mentioned it again.
Lily started first grade.
Gabriel moved into a house ten minutes from the estate.
He attended therapy for his memory and trauma.
He learned how to be a father slowly.
He never demanded Lily call him Dad.
She did it herself one afternoon while he was helping build a cardboard solar system.
“Dad, Saturn is falling.”
Gabriel dropped the glue gun.
Emma cried for an hour.
Dominic pretended he had something in his eye.
Life became almost normal.
Then Carlo Vescari kidnapped Dominic.
It happened outside a courthouse after Dominic testified before a federal grand jury.
Carlo’s men took him to an abandoned meatpacking facility.
They wanted account numbers.
They wanted names.
Most of all, they wanted Dominic to rebuild the old organization.
Dominic refused.
Carlo struck him.
“You used to be feared.”
Dominic spat blood onto the floor.
“I still am.”
“Then act like it.”
Dominic smiled coldly.
“No.”
Carlo leaned closer.
“Why?”
“Because fear was easy.”
That line would later be repeated by an FBI agent who heard the recording.
“Being someone my family can be proud of is harder.”
Carlo raised his gun.
Before he could fire, police crashed through the loading bay.
Gabriel had found Dominic’s vehicle.
Emma had noticed Dominic’s watch stopped transmitting location and remembered he had once shown Lily the emergency function.
Lily remembered the backup code.
Together, they led investigators to him.
At the hospital, Dominic woke to find Emma asleep beside his bed.
Lily was curled in a chair.
Gabriel stood by the window.
“You look terrible,” Gabriel said.
Dominic groaned.
“You always were supportive.”
“You almost died.”
“Not my best afternoon.”
Gabriel’s expression became serious.
“You meant what you said?”
“What?”
“That family mattered more than fear.”
Dominic looked at Emma.
“Yes.”
Gabriel nodded.
“Then stop acting surprised when they save you back.”
Emma woke.
She immediately hit Dominic lightly on the shoulder.
“Ow.”
“You idiot.”
“I was kidnapped.”
“You were supposed to call me after court.”
“I was busy being kidnapped.”
“That excuse works once.”
Dominic smiled.
Emma leaned down and kissed him.
Lily woke and shouted, “Group hug!”
Gabriel groaned.
Dominic barely had time to protest before all three piled around him.
May you like
For a man who had once ruled rooms through silence, Dominic Salvatore discovered something strange.
He liked noise.
