Chapter 2
Dominic recovered first.
He always did.
“The child saw a statue somewhere.”
He shrugged.
“That’s your great conspiracy?”
Angelo stared at him.
Dominic stepped closer.
Confidence returned with every sentence.
“You haven’t been downstairs since the ambush.”
“You barely leave this wing.”
His eyes swept the room.
“And now the household staff are feeding you ghost stories because they know you’re desperate to feel important again.”
Emma’s jaw tightened.
Dominic noticed.
“What?”
His voice turned cruel.
“You want to correct me?”
He smiled.
“Go ahead, maid.”
“Tell the head of the family how useful you’ve become while cleaning his sheets.”
Emma went still.
Angelo’s thumb stopped against his signet ring.
Helena sighed.
“Dominic.”
He looked toward her.
She did not sound offended.
Only mildly inconvenienced.
“Don't waste time humiliating someone who gets paid to scrub floors.”
Her eyes settled on Emma.
“She already knows what she is.”
Noah moved closer to his mother.
Angelo saw Emma’s hand immediately cover his head.
Not dramatic.
Instinctive.
Protective.
Too practiced.
Angelo looked at Dominic.
“How many times?”
Dominic frowned.
“What?”
“How many times have you made that boy cover his head?”
Emma inhaled sharply.
Dominic laughed.
“You think I beat children?”
Noah flinched at his voice.
Dominic looked down at him.
Then deliberately raised his hand—
not striking.
Just adjusting his cuff.
Noah instantly ducked.
Dominic smiled.
“There.”
“He scares himself.”
Angelo’s face changed.
Several bodyguards looked away in disgust.
Dominic saw that.
His arrogance hardened.
“If any of you have a problem, hand me your jackets.”
Nobody moved.
For weeks Dominic had been acting capo.
Giving assignments.
Controlling access.
Moving men.
Those habits had become authority in his head.
Angelo saw it now.
He looked toward his oldest bodyguard, Rocco.
“Lion room.”
Rocco hesitated.
That was wrong.
Angelo’s gaze sharpened.
“You know where it is.”
Rocco swallowed.
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me it was open?”
Silence.
Dominic smiled.
Power shifted back toward him.
Angelo watched Rocco’s eyes drop.
“Answer.”
Rocco’s voice came low.
“Dominic said you ordered it reopened.”
Angelo looked toward his cousin.
Dominic spread his hands.
“You were unconscious.”
“You needed somewhere secure for emergency council.”
“You told them I ordered it?”
“I told them what they needed to hear.”
His smile returned.
“Somebody had to keep the family moving while you learned how to sit upright again.”
The insult landed.
Angelo gave him nothing.
That made Dominic’s eyes narrow.
Rocco led them downstairs.
Emma stayed with Noah beside Angelo.
Dominic came too.
Helena insisted.
“Someone needs to make sure this farce doesn't become another tantrum.”
The old lion chamber smelled of stone, dust, and cigar smoke.
Not abandoned.
Used.
Fresh glasses sat on the long table.
Eight chairs.
One larger chair at the head.
Angelo’s chair.
Dominic walked past it.
Then sat in it.
Every man stopped.
He leaned back.
Smiling.
“What?”
His fingers rested against the arms.
“You haven't used it in months.”
Angelo’s gaze became cold.
Dominic smiled wider.
“That’s the thing about empty chairs.”
“Eventually somebody sits down.”
Noah hid partly behind Emma.
Then pointed toward the stone fireplace.
“Blue bottle.”
Rocco searched behind the carved lion relief.
His hand returned holding a small cobalt glass vial.
Dominic’s smile finally vanished.
Helena looked at him.
Not frightened.
Annoyed.
Angelo held out his hand.
Rocco placed the bottle in his palm.
No label.
No explanation.
Angelo turned it once.
Then looked at Emma.
“You saw him use this?”
Before she answered, Helena laughed.
“Oh, please.”
She stepped forward.
“I gave him that.”
Everyone looked at her.
Angelo’s voice dropped.
“For what?”
May you like
Helena lifted her chin.
“To keep you manageable.”
