Chapter 10
Angelo looked toward Dominic.
So did everyone else.
Dominic’s face hardened.
“Careful.”
Silas laughed.
“You still talk like you own rooms.”
He stepped inside.
“No weapons.”
Rocco had already checked him.
Helena’s posture had changed.
Not fear.
Calculation.
Silas looked at Angelo.
“Your aunt ordered the front car hit.”
“Yes.”
“She wanted you alive.”
“Yes.”
“But she changed the target that morning.”
Dominic’s jaw tightened.
Silas continued.
“The original target was Dominic.”
Helena said nothing.
Silas looked toward her.
“She paid half.”
Then his eyes returned to Angelo.
“Someone else paid the other half to make sure you survived once the target changed.”
Angelo’s fingers tightened.
“Who?”
Silas smiled.
“Dominic.”
Silence.
Helena turned slowly toward her son.
For once, she had not known.
Dominic’s breathing remained steady.
Angelo stared.
“You knew my car was marked.”
Dominic lifted his chin.
“After the change.”
“And you paid Marzano.”
“To keep you alive.”
The room shifted again.
Emma stared.
Helena looked almost offended.
Dominic continued.
“My mother wanted you broken.”
“I needed you breathing.”
Angelo’s eyes hardened.
“Why?”
Dominic gave a bitter smile.
“Because nobody follows the cousin who inherits a corpse.”
There it was.
Not love.
Not loyalty.
Strategy.
But then Silas shook his head.
“That’s the part he tells himself.”
Dominic snapped:
“Shut up.”
Silas smiled.
“I was there when he paid.”
He looked at Angelo.
“He said if you died, the family would tear itself apart.”
Dominic’s face changed.
Silas continued.
“He said he hated you.”
A pause.
“But he wasn't going to let Helena turn both of you into graves.”
Dominic’s hands closed.
Angelo looked at him.
The hatred between them had never been simple.
Dominic had helped create the ambush.
Then tried to limit it.
Then spent months stealing authority from the man he had kept alive.
A betrayal wrapped around a rescue wrapped around another betrayal.
Helena spoke.
“You pathetic fool.”
Dominic turned.
Her voice became vicious.
“You paid an enemy to protect him?”
“He's family.”
“So am I.”
“You tried to cripple me.”
Helena smiled.
“And now you're whining because I almost succeeded.”
Dominic’s face twisted.
Angelo watched them.
Then asked Silas:
“Why come now?”
Silas’s expression hardened.
“Because Helena still owes me.”
“Money?”
“No.”
He looked toward the sealed service hatch.
“A man.”
Everyone went quiet.
Helena's eyes narrowed.
“What man?”
Silas looked at her.
“Stop.”
His voice became colder.
“You know exactly who.”
Angelo waited.
Silas continued.
“Your father’s old consigliere.”
Angelo stared.
“My father’s consigliere died nine years ago.”
Silas smiled faintly.
“No.”
The major twist opened beneath all of them.
“He’s been living under another name since your father died.”
Helena’s face went pale.
Dominic turned toward her.
May you like
Silas looked at Angelo.
“And he is the man who gave Helena the idea to put you in a chair.”
