Chapter 1
Domenico did not follow his father into the wreckage.
He turned back toward Lily.
The broken bicycle wheel was still in his hand.
His fingers loosened around it when he saw the raw skin beneath the metal cuff around his daughter’s ankle.
His breath changed.
Slow in.
Slower out.
“Who put this on you?”
Lily’s lower lip trembled.
Her eyes moved toward Richard.
Then toward Helen.
Neither grandparent spoke.
Domenico crouched.
“You can tell me.”
Lily rubbed both palms against his jacket.
“Grandpa.”
Richard pushed himself upright among the torn wrapping paper.
His face was pale from the blow, but arrogance remained in his eyes.
“She needed discipline.”
Domenico looked at him.
Nothing else moved.
Even the guests behind the glass seemed afraid to breathe.
“How long?”
Richard straightened his shirt.
“Long enough.”
Domenico’s jaw tightened.
Lily suddenly pulled at his sleeve.
“Daddy?”
He looked down.
Her voice dropped into a whisper.
“Grandpa said you said yes.”
Domenico went completely still.
Richard’s expression changed.
Only slightly.
But Domenico saw it.
“What did he say I agreed to?”
Lily sniffed.
“That I was bad.”
Domenico’s eyes lifted slowly.
Lily continued.
“That Ethan gets cake because he’s good.”
Across the room, eight-year-old Ethan lowered the untouched plate in his hands.
Helen’s fingers tightened around her pearls.
Domenico noticed.
“And the chain?”
Lily nodded.
“Grandpa said Daddy wants me to learn.”
Silence.
Richard looked almost satisfied.
Domenico stood.
“You told my daughter I ordered this.”
Richard’s chin lifted.
“I told her her father finally understood discipline.”
Domenico took one step toward him.
Helen’s breath caught.
Then Domenico stopped himself.
He looked through the glass doors at the guests.
Several immediately avoided his eyes.
One capo stared at the floor.
Another slowly put down his drink.
Domenico understood.
This had not happened privately.
His parents had made sure people watched.
He turned toward his security chief.
“Did anyone here believe I authorized this?”
The man hesitated.
That hesitation answered first.
Then he took out his phone.
“There was a message.”
Domenico held out his hand.
The message had been sent to senior household staff forty-three minutes earlier.
Under Domenico’s name.
DO NOT INTERFERE WITH RICHARD’S DISCIPLINE OF LILY. I APPROVED IT.
Domenico read it twice.
His thumb stopped moving.
The security chief swallowed.
“It came through your authenticated family account.”
Domenico slowly raised his eyes toward Richard.
His father smiled.
May you like
Someone had not merely chained Lily.
Someone had used Domenico’s own identity to make sure nobody saved her.
