Chapter 5 - The Godfather's Vow
Back at the Calloway estate in Lake Forest—a massive, fortified manor surrounded by fifty acres of private forest—Dominic sat in his library, staring at a set of surveillance photos spread across his oak desk.
The photos showed Julian O'Connor meeting with Diane in the North Side bar.
Vincent stood beside the desk, his expression grim. "Diane sold her out, Boss. She gave O'Connor the route Lena takes back to the hotel."
Dominic’s eyes narrowed to slivers of cold gray ice. "Julian thinks he can use my past against me. He thinks I’m weak because I showed mercy to a mother and her child."
"What are your orders, Boss?" Vincent asked, resting his hand on his holster. "Should I double the security detail around the Regency?"
"No," Dominic said, standing up and pulling his heavy overcoat over his shoulders. "The hotel is too open. There are too many entry points. If Julian is planning a hit or a kidnapping, he'll do it on the road."
Dominic looked out the window at the falling snow. "I'm bringing them here."
An hour later, Lena was sitting in her suite at the Regency, folding a small pile of Nora's freshly laundered onesies, when a firm knock sounded at the door.
She opened it to find Dominic standing in the hallway, flanked by four armed bodyguards in full tactical gear.
"Dominic?" Lena asked, her heart skipping a beat. "What's wrong? What happened?"
"Pack your bags, Lena," Dominic said quietly, stepping into the room. "You and Nora are moving to my home in Lake Forest."
Lena looked at the guards, then back at Dominic’s rigid posture. Panic rose in her chest. "Why? Is... is someone coming after us?"
Dominic walked over to her, his large hands reaching out to gently grasp her shoulders. The warmth of his touch immediately grounded her frantic pulse.
"Listen to me, Lena," Dominic said, looking directly into her eyes with unwavering intensity. "A man from my past—a very dangerous man—thinks he can use you to get to me. He doesn't know who you really are, and he doesn't care. But I will not let him put a single scratch on you or Nora. Do you understand me?"
Lena swallowed hard, her chest tight. "Is it... is it the men who took your family?"
"Yes," Dominic said flatly. "And I swear to you on my life, Lena, I will not let history repeat itself. As long as you are in my house, under my roof, you are completely safe."
Lena looked toward the nursery, where Nora was gurgling happily with a wooden rattle. She realized then that her life had become tangled up in a war she barely understood, but looking into Dominic’s dark, fierce eyes, she didn't feel fear.
She felt an overwhelming sense of security—a feeling she hadn't experienced since her father died when she was a little girl.
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"Okay," Lena whispered softly. "We'll go with you."
Dominic offered her a small, solemn nod. "Thank you for trusting me."
