Chapter 5 - The Man Inside Dominic’s Empire
Dominic did not confront Daniel.
Not immediately.
That scared me more.
“Claire,” Dominic said, “go with Marco.”
Daniel smiled.
“Is something wrong?”
Dominic returned the smile.
“Nothing you need to worry about.”
I understood.
So did Marco.
We walked away.
The moment the elevator doors closed, I turned toward him.
“You’re leaving Dominic alone with him?”
“Dominic has survived people more dangerous than Daniel Cross.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
Marco looked at me.
“You care about him.”
“I met him tonight.”
“That isn’t an answer either.”
I glared.
Marco almost smiled.
Then the elevator stopped.
Not at the lobby.
At the eighteenth floor.
The doors opened.
Mason stood there.
I froze.
“How did you get away from the police?”
“They hadn’t arrested me yet.”
Marco stepped in front of me.
Mason lifted both hands.
“Relax. I came to talk.”
Marco reached toward his radio.
Mason said quickly, “Cross sent me.”
Marco stopped.
“What?”
“He promised to make the loans disappear if I brought him the drive.”
My stomach turned.
“So you knew Cross was involved?”
“Not at first.”
“You framed me for him.”
Mason looked at me.
“I was protecting myself.”
“Of course you were.”
“He knows everything about me, Claire.”
“And you thought giving him me instead would solve it?”
He lowered his eyes.
That was answer enough.
Marco said, “Where is Cross going?”
“I don’t know.”
“Mason.”
“I don’t!”
“Then why are you here?”
His face changed.
“Because Cross told me Dominic wouldn’t be alive by morning.”
I stopped breathing.
Marco immediately called security.
No answer.
He tried again.
Nothing.
“Internal communications are down.”
Mason whispered, “That’s Cross.”
Marco turned toward the elevator controls.
“We go back.”
I grabbed his arm.
“No.”
He stared at me.
“Dominic is upstairs.”
“Exactly. Cross expects security to rush upstairs.”
Marco’s expression changed.
“What are you thinking?”
I looked at Mason.
“Why did Cross want the drive?”
“To destroy it.”
“Where?”
Mason hesitated.
“Service garage.”
Marco understood immediately.
“He’s not upstairs anymore.”
---
Daniel Cross was standing beside a black sedan when we reached the garage.
Dominic stood twenty feet away.
Alone.
I wanted to scream at him for that later.
If there was a later.
Daniel held the flash drive.
Dominic apparently had given it to him.
“Walk away,” Daniel said.
Dominic remained still.
“My father trusted you.”
Daniel laughed.
“Your father trusted nobody.”
“He trusted you enough to make you rich.”
“He made me useful.”
Dominic’s voice stayed controlled.
“You killed Vincent Hale.”
“I handled a problem.”
Tiffany stood behind us, listening.
Her face crumpled.
Daniel continued.
“Vincent wanted to expose everything.”
“He wanted to expose my father.”
“And you.”
“I was twenty-nine.”
“You benefited.”
Dominic’s expression tightened.
“Maybe.”
That answer surprised Daniel.
Dominic continued.
“Maybe I benefited from things I didn’t understand. Maybe I spent years convincing myself Costantini money was cleaner than it was.”
Daniel smiled.
“At least you finally learned.”
“But Vincent Hale’s daughter deserves the truth.”
Daniel’s smile vanished.
“And Claire deserves her identity back.”
I realized then.
Dominic was recording him.
Not hiding it.
His phone sat openly on the hood of a nearby car.
Daniel noticed too late.
“You think that matters?”
“Yes,” Dominic said.
“Why?”
“Because the police standing behind you probably heard enough.”
Daniel turned.
Two detectives entered with uniformed officers.
Marco had called them before we left the elevator.
Daniel looked at Mason.
“You idiot.”
Mason stepped away.
“I’m done being useful.”
Daniel laughed.
“You think they’ll protect you?”
Mason looked at me.
“No.”
Then, surprisingly:
“But maybe she was right.”
I stared at him.
“About what?”
“I blame everyone else.”
For once I had nothing to say.
Daniel was taken away.
Mason wasn’t allowed to leave either.
Before the detectives escorted him out, he stopped beside me.
“I’m sorry.”
I studied him.
Three and a half years.
Fourteen thousand dollars.
Eighty-six thousand in fraudulent debt.
Bruises.
Lies.
Humiliation.
“I believe you’re sorry,” I said.
His eyes lifted hopefully.
“That doesn’t mean I forgive you.”
His face fell.
“And it definitely doesn’t mean I’m coming back.”
He nodded slowly.
Then he left.
When the garage finally emptied, Dominic leaned against the hood of the car.
Suddenly he looked exhausted.
“You all right?” I asked.
“No.”
The honesty caught me.
I stepped beside him.
“What happens now?”
“To Daniel?”
“To everything.”
He looked around his empire.
“The drive gets turned over to investigators.”
“Even if it damages your company?”
“Yes.”
“Your family name?”
“Yes.”
“Your fortune?”
He looked at me.
“That depends.”
“And you’re willing to risk it?”
“My father spent his life protecting the Costantini name.”
His expression hardened.
“I’d rather make it worth protecting.”
I looked down.
Dominic noticed.
“What?”
“I feel stupid.”
“Why?”
“This started because I wanted Mason to think somebody important loved me.”
Dominic turned toward me.
“And?”
“And now his opinion seems completely irrelevant.”
“It always was.”
“I know.”
Then Dominic smiled.
“Progress.”
I bumped his shoulder lightly.
“Don’t get smug.”
“Impossible.”
I laughed.
And then I realized we were standing dangerously close.
His gaze dropped toward my mouth.
Mine probably did the same.
He moved slightly closer.
Then stopped.
“Claire.”
“Yes?”
“The pretend part ended hours ago.”
My pulse jumped.
“I know.”
“If I kiss you now, it won’t be for Mason.”
“I know.”
“And I don’t want gratitude confused with something else.”
I stared at him.
“You’re surprisingly responsible for a terrifying casino owner.”
“I contain multitudes.”
I smiled.
Then kissed him.
Once.
Softly.
When I stepped back, Dominic looked stunned.
That was worth everything.
“Now,” I whispered, “you can stop thinking so much.”
His hand settled carefully at my waist.
“Little bird.”
“What?”
“This is going to become complicated.”
Behind us, Marco cleared his throat.
“Boss?”
Dominic closed his eyes.
I laughed.
Marco looked apologetic.
“We have another problem.”
Dominic sighed.
“Of course we do.”
Marco held up his phone.
May you like
“The Harbor Point story just leaked.”
---
