Chapter 7
Dominic sat down before Lorenzo asked.
That frightened Evelyn more than shouting would have.
Lorenzo remained standing.
“Who?”
Dominic rubbed both hands over his face.
“Vincent Ramires.”
The name meant something.
Not to everyone.
To Lorenzo, it meant war avoided fifteen years earlier.
Ramires controlled a rival network in Philadelphia.
Old enemy.
Long memory.
Lorenzo’s voice lowered.
“Marcus borrowed from Ramires.”
“Yes.”
“How did you know?”
Dominic looked toward Marcus.
Then away.
“He came to me six months ago.”
Lorenzo’s eyes hardened.
“And you didn't tell me.”
“No.”
“Why?”
Dominic’s fingers interlocked.
His knuckles whitened.
“He said if you knew, you'd remove him.”
“I would have.”
“That’s why.”
Silence.
Lorenzo’s eyes narrowed.
Dominic continued.
He believed Marcus could recover.
He arranged one extension with Ramires.
Then another.
He did it because exposing Marcus while Evelyn controlled half the donor network risked a family split.
Again.
Stability.
That word disguised so much cowardice inside powerful families.
Lorenzo stepped closer.
“You negotiated with my enemy behind my back.”
Dominic looked up.
“To prevent your cousin’s husband from being killed.”
“And what did Ramires want?”
Dominic did not answer.
Marcus closed his eyes.
Evelyn’s breathing sharpened.
Lorenzo waited.
Finally Dominic whispered:
“Future access.”
“To what?”
“Club logistics. Two warehouse routes.”
Lorenzo became still.
Evelyn turned toward Marcus.
“You promised him routes?”
Marcus immediately shook his head.
“I promised nothing.”
Dominic looked at him.
“You discussed them.”
“That isn't the same thing.”
Lorenzo’s voice cut through both.
“Enough.”
Everything quieted.
Dominic pulled a copy of the extension agreement from his jacket.
Marcus’s signature appeared beneath a clause.
If leadership restructuring placed Marcus in temporary command, Ramires would receive commercial access to two Moretti-controlled distribution corridors.
Evelyn stared at her husband.
“You were going to sell routes.”
Marcus’s eyes flashed.
“To save everything.”
“Everything?”
Her voice cracked.
“You mean yourself.”
Marcus stood.
“You think your donor empire survives if Ramires calls the debt?”
Evelyn stood too.
“You made the debt.”
They faced each other.
The alliance that staged Leo’s humiliation was collapsing.
Then Lorenzo noticed the date.
The agreement was signed three weeks ago.
The emergency leadership petition was drafted two weeks ago.
The pool-party provocation came last.
Meaning Marcus had promised Ramires power—
May you like
before he had any plan to obtain it.
He had committed to removing Lorenzo before Evelyn ever slapped Leo.
