Chapter 6 - The Man Who Called From the Grave
Marin answered before Dominic could stop her.
“Hello?”
Silence.
Then breathing.
Her hand shook.
“Dad?”
Dominic moved closer.
A male voice finally spoke.
“Marin.”
Not her father.
She closed her eyes.
“Victor.”
A soft laugh.
“You're clever like Samuel.”
“Where is Celeste?”
“Alive.”
“Her sister?”
“Also alive.”
“What do you want?”
“The key.”
Marin looked toward Dominic.
Victor continued.
“And the memory card.”
“Why me?”
“Because your father trusted you with the only thing that can destroy what's left of us.”
“I don't know what that is.”
“You will.”
The call ended.
Dominic reached for his coat.
“We're not giving him you.”
Marin stood.
“He has two people.”
“We give him what he asked for.”
“He asked for me.”
“He doesn't get everything he wants.”
Marin walked closer.
“Dominic.”
“No.”
“I know you think that word works because people usually obey you.”
“It does.”
“Not today.”
His jaw tightened.
Marin lowered her voice.
“Celeste is there because of this. Her sister is there because of this. I'm not staying behind while somebody else pays for my father's secrets.”
Dominic stared at her.
“Samuel died trying to keep you out of it.”
“And that worked wonderfully.”
He almost argued.
Then stopped.
Rafael said carefully, “We can use her presence strategically.”
Dominic turned his head.
Rafael immediately looked regretful.
Marin smiled.
“I like him.”
“You shouldn't.”
They prepared a tracker inside Marin's shoe.
A listening device beneath her collar.
Dominic insisted on a bullet-resistant vest beneath her maid uniform.
She stared at herself in the mirror.
“This is absurd.”
Dominic adjusted the vest.
“You look fine.”
“I look like an armored cupcake.”
His mouth twitched.
“Still fine.”
Marin caught his hand.
He stopped.
“If something happens—”
“No.”
“You don't know what I was going to say.”
“Yes, I do.”
“What?”
“You were going to tell me to protect my people, or your mother, or the dog.”
She smiled weakly.
“The dog is important.”
“You're coming home.”
“Dominic.”
“You're coming home.”
Something in his voice broke through her fear.
She touched the signet ring.
“Then you'd better make sure your fiancée survives.”
His eyes changed.
“Careful.”
“Why?”
“You keep calling yourself that.”
“Only tactically.”
“Of course.”
They reached the abandoned hotel at 2:14 a.m.
Marin entered alone.
Victor waited in the ballroom.
He looked older than the photograph.
Thinner.
One eye clouded.
But alive.
Celeste and her sister sat against the far wall.
Victor smiled.
“Samuel's daughter.”
Marin stopped ten feet away.
“You've said that twice now. It's getting repetitive.”
Victor laughed.
“Dominic likes you.”
“Apparently.”
“He'll get you killed.”
“Maybe. But so far you're the one kidnapping teenagers.”
Victor's smile disappeared.
“You have his mouth.”
“Whose?”
“Your father's.”
Marin held up the key.
“Let them go.”
“The card.”
She showed him.
Victor nodded toward Celeste.
A man cut her restraints.
Celeste ran toward Marin.
“Go.”
Celeste hesitated.
“I—”
“Go.”
She grabbed her sister.
They disappeared through the side door.
Victor held out his hand.
Marin gave him the key.
“The card.”
“First tell me why my father died.”
Victor looked almost sad.
“Because he discovered Alessandro's plan.”
“What plan?”
“To take Bellgrave completely.”
“And Dominic?”
“Dominic's father wanted out of certain businesses. Alessandro wanted more.”
“Samuel helped Dominic's father?”
Victor nodded.
“He copied my ledger because he believed it could protect Dominic when Alessandro moved against him.”
Marin's stomach tightened.
“So the warning…”
“Do not trust the first Castellano who offers protection?”
“Yes.”
Victor smiled.
“Samuel wasn't talking about Dominic.”
Marin stared.
“Then who?”
“Alessandro.”
A sound behind Victor.
Dominic appeared from the shadows.
“You always did talk too much.”
Victor's men raised weapons.
So did Dominic's.
Marin stood between them.
“Everybody seems very dramatic tonight.”
Victor smiled.
“Dominic.”
“Victor.”
“Still wearing your father's face.”
“Still pretending you weren't responsible for half his problems.”
Victor's expression tightened.
“Your uncle was worse.”
“I know.”
Marin held up the memory card.
“Then let's stop talking about dead men and find the living one.”
Victor looked at her.
“Alessandro isn't hiding.”
“Where is he?”
“Inside your house.”
Dominic's gaze sharpened.
Victor laughed.
“You think Celeste was the only compromised employee?”
Rafael's voice came over Dominic's earpiece.
“Boss.”
Dominic touched it.
Rafael was shouting.
“Get back to the estate.”
“What happened?”
“Security breach.”
Dominic went still.
“Eleanor?”
Marin's heart stopped.
Rafael answered.
“Missing.”
Marin ran.
They reached the estate twenty minutes later.
The front doors stood open.
Three guards were injured.
No bodies.
Marin raced upstairs.
Her mother's guest room was empty.
A single note rested on the pillow.
Dominic picked it up.
COME TO THE OLD CASTELLANO CHAPEL.
Marin looked at him.
“Alessandro.”
Dominic nodded.
Victor, who had followed under guard, stared at the note.
“He's ending this.”
Marin turned.
“How?”
Victor looked at the ring on her finger.
“By making Dominic choose.”
Dominic's voice became cold.
“Choose what?”
Victor met his eyes.
“His empire.”
Then he looked at Marin.
“Or her.”
The chapel doors stood open when they arrived.
Marin could see her mother inside.
And behind Eleanor stood a man holding the real ledger.
Alessandro Castellano smiled.
May you like
“Come in, nephew.”
Then he raised a gun toward Marin's mother.
