Chapter 4 - The Man Inside the Family
Dominic reached the hospital in eleven minutes.
Mara was gone.
Her bed was empty.
The monitors had been disconnected.
A nurse stood crying beside the wall while hospital security replayed surveillance footage.
Dominic did not ask questions until he could trust his voice.
Mateo did it for him.
“Who took her?”
The nurse shook her head.
“I thought they were transferring her.”
“Who?”
“Two men wearing transport uniforms.”
Dominic stared at the screen.
The footage showed Mara being wheeled into a service elevator.
She was awake.
Frightened.
One man kept a hand near her shoulder.
Then Mara looked directly toward the security camera.
Her lips moved.
Mateo paused the footage.
“Can you read that?”
Dominic replayed it.
Mara mouthed two words.
Uncle Sal.
Dominic felt the floor disappear beneath him.
Salvatore Vascari.
His father’s older brother.
His mentor.
His closest adviser.
The man who had taught Dominic to drive, shave, negotiate, and survive.
The man who had approved Celeste’s access to Vascari Tower.
Dominic called him.
Salvatore answered on the second ring.
“Dominic.”
“Where is Mara?”
Silence.
Then a sigh.
“You were always impatient.”
Dominic closed his eyes.
It was true.
Not suspicion.
Not coincidence.
Truth.
“Where is my wife?”
“She stopped being your wife when she ran.”
“She’s carrying my son.”
“I know.”
Dominic’s hand tightened around the phone.
“How long?”
“Long enough.”
“Why?”
Salvatore laughed softly.
“You still think this is about Celeste?”
Dominic said nothing.
“Come to the old house.”
“Bring Mara to the phone.”
“No.”
“I need to know she’s alive.”
“You’ll see her soon.”
The call ended.
Mateo was already reaching for his keys.
“The old house?”
Dominic nodded.
The Vascari family owned an estate forty miles outside Chicago that had been abandoned for years.
Dominic’s father once used it for Sunday dinners.
After his death, nobody wanted to return.
Dominic and Mateo drove alone.
“No backup?” Mateo asked.
“Sal knows every man I would call.”
“That’s not comforting.”
“It wasn't supposed to be.”
The estate appeared through bare trees shortly before noon.
Dominic entered through the front door.
No guards stopped him.
Salvatore sat in the old dining room.
Seventy years old.
Silver hair.
Tailored gray suit.
And on his right hand, the silver ring with the black stone.
Celeste stood beside the fireplace.
Mara sat across the room.
Her wrists were free.
A blanket covered her legs.
She looked exhausted but unharmed.
Dominic’s eyes went directly to her.
“You okay?”
She nodded.
“Luca?”
“Moving.”
Dominic exhaled.
Then looked at Salvatore.
“Explain.”
Salvatore poured coffee.
“You inherited an empire at twenty-nine.”
“I inherited businesses.”
“Call them whatever helps you sleep.”
Dominic did not respond.
“You were reckless. Emotional. Then you married Mara.”
Salvatore smiled toward her.
“And suddenly you wanted legitimacy.”
Mara stared at him.
“You wanted Dominic to stay in the old world.”
“I wanted him alive.”
Salvatore looked at Dominic.
“You started selling assets. Closing operations. Cutting ties your father spent thirty years building.”
“They were destroying us.”
“They made us powerful.”
“They made us prisoners.”
Salvatore’s face tightened.
“Then Mara became pregnant.”
Dominic went still.
“You knew before she left.”
“Of course.”
“How?”
“Your doctor owed me favors.”
Mara looked sick.
Salvatore continued.
“A child would finish what she started. You would leave everything.”
“Yes,” Dominic said.
The certainty surprised everyone.
Salvatore stared at him.
“Yes?”
“I would have.”
Mara looked at Dominic.
He kept his eyes on his uncle.
“For her. For him. I would have walked away.”
Salvatore shook his head.
“That is exactly why she had to disappear.”
Celeste looked uncomfortable.
Dominic noticed.
“You forged the messages.”
Salvatore nodded.
“Celeste helped.”
Celeste stepped forward.
“You don't understand.”
Dominic looked at her.
“I understand enough.”
“No, you don’t. Salvatore told me Mara would leave eventually anyway. He said if I helped separate you, nobody would get hurt.”
Mara laughed bitterly.
“My car was rammed last night.”
Celeste looked at Salvatore.
“That wasn't supposed to happen.”
Dominic caught the words.
“Supposed to?”
Celeste paled.
Salvatore’s expression hardened.
“Be quiet.”
Dominic turned toward her.
“What was supposed to happen?”
Celeste’s eyes filled.
“I only told them where she was.”
Mara stared at her.
“Why?”
Celeste looked at Dominic.
“Because I loved him.”
Mara’s expression changed from anger to pity.
“That isn't love.”
Celeste flinched.
“You don't know anything about me.”
“I know you helped terrorize a pregnant woman because you wanted her husband.”
“I was promised nobody would hurt you.”
“And you believed that?”
Celeste had no answer.
Dominic looked at Salvatore.
“The crash.”
Salvatore remained silent.
“Was it you?”
“No.”
For the first time, Dominic believed him.
Then who?
Salvatore glanced toward the hallway.
Too late.
A man appeared in the doorway.
Young.
Forty, perhaps.
Dark suit.
Silver ring.
Dominic recognized him.
Evan Rusk.
Head of corporate security at Vascari Tower.
Evan smiled.
“Family reunions are always disappointing.”
Salvatore stood.
“You weren't supposed to come here.”
“No,” Evan replied. “You weren't supposed to bring them here.”
Dominic understood.
Salvatore had orchestrated Mara’s disappearance.
But someone else had escalated it.
Evan.
“The SUV,” Dominic said.
Evan smiled.
“Mara became inconvenient.”
Salvatore’s face darkened.
“I told you no one gets hurt.”
“And that weakness is why this organization is dying.”
Dominic moved slightly toward Mara.
Evan noticed.
“Don't.”
Dominic stopped.
Mara’s breathing had changed.
Her hand pressed against her abdomen.
“Mara?”
She looked at him.
“Something’s wrong.”
Pain crossed her face.
Dominic forgot everyone else.
He rushed toward her.
This time Evan did not stop him.
Mara gripped Dominic’s arm.
“My water broke.”
Celeste stared.
Salvatore cursed.
Dominic lifted Mara carefully.
“We’re going to the hospital.”
Evan stepped into the doorway.
“No.”
Dominic looked at him.
“My son is coming.”
“I know.”
Evan smiled.
May you like
“And that's exactly why none of you are leaving.”
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