Chapter 6 - HER BROTHER’S WARNING
Mara didn’t sleep.
At 3:12 a.m., she stood outside Dominic’s office.
She knocked.
“Come in.”
He was awake, of course.
Men like Dominic probably considered sleep a weakness.
She entered.
“My brother’s alive.”
Dominic stopped writing.
“What?”
“He called me.”
“When?”
“After the shooting.”
“What did he say?”
Mara hesitated.
Dominic saw it.
“What did he say?”
“That Kane is coming.”
“Anything else?”
“No.”
The lie felt heavy.
Dominic stared at her long enough to make it clear he knew.
Then he stood.
“Your brother vanished eight years ago.”
“Yes.”
“Why call now?”
“I don’t know.”
“Because he needs something.”
“You don’t know him.”
“Neither do you anymore.”
Mara’s temper snapped.
“He saved my life.”
“Eight years ago.”
“He’s my brother.”
“And Kane is using him.”
“You don’t know that.”
Dominic moved closer.
“I know men like Victor Kane.”
“So do I.”
“No.”
Dominic’s voice hardened.
“You know what he did to your family. I know how he thinks.”
Mara hated how safe his certainty made her feel.
She hated him more for that.
“You think you know everything.”
“No.”
His eyes stayed on hers.
“I just know enough to stay alive.”
The phone rang.
Dominic answered.
“Yes?”
His expression changed.
“When?”
He listened.
Then hung up.
“Kane contacted one of my captains.”
“What does he want?”
“You.”
Mara laughed once.
No humor.
“Of course.”
“He offered five million dollars for you alive.”
“And dead?”
Dominic didn’t answer.
“That much?”
“Three.”
“Nice to know I’m worth something.”
“You’re not being sold.”
“Didn’t ask.”
“You were thinking it.”
Mara looked at him.
“Are you reading my mind now?”
“No. Your face is loud.”
For one strange second, tension shifted into something else.
Something too close.
Dominic noticed.
Mara stepped back.
“We should talk about Caleb.”
“We were.”
“No. About sending him away.”
Dominic’s face shut down.
“No.”
“Kane targeted him.”
“No.”
“He’s six years old!”
“And the safest place for him is here.”
“The safest place for him is nowhere near me.”
Dominic said nothing.
That silence hurt more than agreement.
Mara nodded slowly.
“You know I’m right.”
“I know Kane wants me to react emotionally.”
“Your son almost got shot.”
“My son will be protected.”
“By who? The men who let a sniper get onto your property?”
Dominic’s hand slammed the desk.
“Enough.”
Mara flinched.
His anger vanished instantly.
He saw her reaction.
Not fear of him.
Memory.
Dominic lowered his voice.
“I’m sorry.”
Mara looked away.
“No, you’re not.”
“I am.”
“Men like you always say that after the room gets quiet.”
Dominic stared at her.
Then someone knocked.
One of his lieutenants entered.
“Boss.”
“What?”
“We found the sniper.”
“Alive?”
“No.”
“Who was he?”
The lieutenant hesitated.
“Former Mercer security.”
Dominic’s expression turned to stone.
“Who hired him?”
“We checked his messages.”
He looked at Mara.
“There’s a name.”
Dominic said, “Say it.”
May you like
The lieutenant swallowed.
“Daniel Vale.”
