Chapter 6 - Dominic’s Choice
Dominic watched the footage three times.
Anthony.
The boy who had followed him everywhere as a child.
The teenager Dominic had protected after Anthony’s father went to prison.
The man Dominic had brought into every important family business.
Anthony had opened the door.
Frank had walked out.
No force.
No struggle.
A betrayal performed like an appointment.
Nico stood beside the kitchen counter.
“I’ll get him.”
“No.”
“Boss—”
“No one moves until I understand why.”
Beatrice leaned against the counter.
“You already know why.”
Dominic looked at her.
“Power.”
That simple word hurt more than it should have.
Anthony had spent his entire life close to power.
Perhaps close had never been enough.
Dominic called him.
Anthony answered.
“Cousin.”
“Where are you?”
“You saw the footage.”
“Yes.”
“Then you know.”
“Why?”
Anthony laughed softly.
“There it is.”
“What?”
“The question you never ask.”
“Answer it.”
“I spent fifteen years standing three feet behind you.”
Dominic said nothing.
Anthony continued.
“Meetings? Dominic decides. Contracts? Dominic decides. Family? Dominic decides.”
“You were compensated.”
“That is exactly what you would say.”
Beatrice watched Dominic’s face tighten.
Anthony’s voice dropped.
“I didn’t want your money.”
“What did you want?”
“Your chair.”
The line went dead.
Dominic closed his eyes.
Beatrice walked closer.
“Dominic.”
He opened them.
No grief visible.
Only control.
“Let’s go get your cousin.”
The Mercury Casino had been closed for renovation for eight months.
Victor Venturi used the upper floors as private offices.
Dominic knew every entrance.
So did Anthony.
Beatrice knew something neither of them did.
The casino had once shared a loading tunnel with an old hotel across the alley.
She had delivered catering supplies there years earlier.
Naturally.
Nico stopped questioning how many secret roads she knew.
They entered through the hotel basement.
Dominic carried the copy of the microfilm.
Beatrice carried nothing.
At the final corridor he stopped her.
“You stay behind me.”
“No.”
“Beatrice.”
“You needed me because Evan expects me.”
“I need you alive more.”
The words came out before he could stop them.
Silence.
Nico suddenly found the ceiling fascinating.
Beatrice stared at Dominic.
He did not take it back.
“After tonight,” he said, “you can yell at me about that sentence.”
“If we live.”
“When.”
She almost smiled.
They entered the casino.
Lena sat near an old blackjack table.
Alive.
Evan stood behind her.
Victor Venturi stood near the bar.
Anthony beside him.
Frank D’Angelo sat in a leather chair like the entire room belonged to him.
Five men guarded the exits.
Frank applauded slowly.
“The king arrives.”
Dominic walked forward.
“Release Lena.”
“The film.”
Dominic held it up.
“First Lena.”
Frank smiled.
“We both know that isn’t how this works.”
Beatrice looked at Evan.
He had aged badly.
Not physically.
His expensive suit fit.
Hair perfect.
But his eyes had the restless emptiness she remembered.
The look of a man always calculating the next debt.
“Hi, Bea.”
She said nothing.
“You look good.”
Nothing.
“You could at least say hello.”
“You kidnapped my cousin.”
Evan smiled.
“Technically, Victor’s guys did.”
Victor snapped, “Watch yourself.”
Evan shrugged.
There it was.
The same cowardice.
Always someone else’s fault.
Beatrice felt something inside her settle.
She had once believed Evan’s chaos was her responsibility.
His debts.
His lies.
His disappearing money.
His apologies.
She had spent years trying to save a man who enjoyed drowning.
Not anymore.
Frank held out his hand.
“The film.”
Dominic tossed the copy across the table.
Frank caught it.
Anthony used a portable viewer.
A few frames appeared.
Names.
Payments.
Dates.
His eyes widened.
“It’s real.”
Frank smiled.
Then Dominic said, “It’s incomplete.”
Frank’s smile vanished.
“Of course it is.”
“Release Lena and you get the rest.”
Frank looked at Anthony.
Anthony nodded to Evan.
Evan cut Lena’s restraints.
She ran to Beatrice.
Beatrice held her tightly.
“Go with Nico.”
Lena whispered, “Bea—”
“Go.”
Nico escorted her toward the tunnel.
Nobody stopped them.
Frank believed he still controlled the room.
Dominic had counted on that.
“Now the rest,” Frank said.
Dominic looked toward Beatrice.
She shook her head.
“No.”
Frank blinked.
Dominic said, “She has it.”
Evan laughed.
“Of course she does.”
He stepped toward Beatrice.
Dominic moved between them.
Evan’s expression changed.
“This is embarrassing.”
“For you?” Dominic asked.
“For you.”
Evan looked around.
“The great Dominic Rossi protecting the chubby chauffeur.”
Nobody laughed.
Not Nico.
Not Victor.
Not Anthony.
Certainly not Dominic.
Beatrice felt the insult.
Old.
Familiar.
Small.
She had heard versions of it her whole life.
Too big.
Too ordinary.
Too visible when people wanted her invisible.
Dominic looked at Evan.
“What did you call her?”
Evan smirked.
“You heard me.”
Dominic removed the heavy gold ring from his right hand.
His personal Rossi signet.
Not one of the six old keys.
His.
The ring every man in the city recognized as a mark of his authority.
Then he did something nobody expected.
He turned.
Took Beatrice’s hand.
And placed the ring on her finger.
The room went silent.
Beatrice stared at him.
“Dominic.”
He did not look away from Evan.
“Now you understand.”
Frank stood.
“What game are you playing?”
“No game.”
Dominic’s voice was calm.
“You wanted to know what I protect.”
He looked at Beatrice.
“Now you know.”
Beatrice’s heartbeat pounded.
This was not a proposal.
Not yet.
It was something older in Dominic’s world.
A declaration of protection.
A line nobody crossed.
Anthony looked furious.
“You would put the Rossi signet on her?”
Dominic turned.
“I just did.”
“She’s a driver.”
“She saved my life.”
“She isn’t family.”
Dominic’s eyes hardened.
“You stopped being family the moment you opened Frank’s door.”
Anthony flinched.
Frank shouted, “Enough.”
He reached inside his jacket.
Victor moved too.
But not toward Dominic.
Toward Frank.
“I’m done.”
Frank stared.
Victor continued.
“You promised me the ledger. You promised Rossi would fall.”
“You are not leaving.”
Victor laughed bitterly.
“I just watched Rossi hand his signet to a woman in front of everyone. Half the city will know by morning. You think I want to be standing here when that happens?”
Frank’s confidence cracked.
Dominic saw it.
And smiled.
Victor walked away.
His men followed.
Frank shouted after him.
Anthony looked uncertain.
Evan looked terrified.
The balance shifted.
Then sirens sounded outside.
Frank stared at Dominic.
“You called police?”
“No.”
Beatrice did.
Everyone turned toward her.
She held up Evan’s phone.
“I sent the microfilm images to a federal prosecutor ten minutes ago.”
Dominic looked at her.
“When?”
“While you were making speeches.”
Nico laughed.
Even Dominic did.
Frank lunged for her.
Dominic intercepted him.
Anthony ran.
Nico blocked the side corridor.
Evan tried the back exit.
Ray appeared there.
Holding no weapon.
Just disappointment.
“Going somewhere?”
Evan stopped.
Beatrice walked toward him.
For years she had imagined what she would say if she ever saw him powerless.
Now she felt strangely calm.
“You used me.”
Evan opened his mouth.
“Don’t.”
He closed it.
“You married me. You stole from me. You searched my father’s things. Then you helped men hunt me because you thought I was still stupid enough to be controlled.”
“Bea, I—”
“No.”
She looked at the Rossi ring on her finger.
Then at Dominic.
“I don’t need him to punish you.”
Dominic gave a small nod.
Her decision.
Beatrice faced Evan.
“You’re going to explain everything to the people coming through that door.”
Evan laughed nervously.
“And if I don’t?”
Beatrice looked toward the sirens.
“Then explain it to Frank in prison.”
Evan glanced at Frank.
That did it.
He raised his hands.
“I’ll talk.”
Frank screamed his name.
Federal agents entered moments later.
Everything became noise.
Orders.
Handcuffs.
Names shouted.
Anthony was taken.
Frank was taken.
Evan was taken.
Victor would be arrested before sunrise.
Beatrice stood beside Dominic as agents secured the building.
She finally tried to remove his ring.
Dominic closed his hand over hers.
“Keep it.”
“This belongs to you.”
“It’s exactly where I want it.”
She looked at him.
“Don’t say things like that after midnight.”
“Why?”
“People make bad decisions after midnight.”
Dominic stepped closer.
“Then ask me again in daylight.”
Before she could answer, Sal came running through the casino.
His face was pale.
“Boss.”
Dominic turned.
“What?”
“Your mother called.”
“Is she safe?”
“Yes.”
“Then what?”
Sal looked at Beatrice.
Then Dominic.
“The ledger has already gone public.”
Dominic stared.
Sal swallowed.
“And your father’s name isn’t the biggest name inside it.”
He handed Dominic the phone.
May you like
At the top of the leaked document was one name neither of them expected.
ELENA ROSSI.
