Chapter 7 - BLOOD DOESN’T MEAN FAMILY
“No.”
Mara shook her head.
“No. Daniel wouldn’t hurt a child.”
Dominic tossed the phone onto the table.
The messages were right there.
Payment instructions.
Photos.
Caleb’s schedule.
Daniel’s name.
Mara read them three times.
“They’re fake.”
“Possible,” Dominic said.
“You don’t believe that.”
“I believe evidence until I find better evidence.”
“My brother saved me.”
“He may have changed.”
“You don’t change into someone who shoots children.”
Dominic’s eyes darkened.
“People change into worse things every day.”
Mara grabbed the phone.
“There’s a number.”
“Already tracing it.”
“I’ll call.”
“No.”
“Dominic—”
“No.”
“Stop ordering me around!”
“You’re standing in a house under attack by an organization that burned your family alive. I’m going to order you around.”
She slapped him.
The room went silent.
Even Mara looked shocked.
Dominic slowly turned his face back toward her.
The lieutenant stared at the floor.
Smart man.
Mara’s breathing shook.
“Don’t ever use my family to control me.”
Dominic stepped closer.
His cheek was red.
“Then stop walking into traps because you miss your brother.”
Before she could answer, her phone rang.
Daniel.
Mara grabbed it.
“Where are you?”
“Mara?”
His voice sounded wrong.
Weak.
“Daniel?”
“I need help.”
“Where are you?”
“Warehouse district. Pier nineteen.”
Dominic shook his head.
Mara turned away.
“Are you hurt?”
“Yes.”
“Did you shoot at Caleb?”
“What?”
“Tell me!”
“No! Jesus, Anna, no!”
Dominic took the phone from her.
“Daniel Vale.”
Silence.
Then Daniel said, “Mercer.”
“You have thirty seconds to explain why your name is connected to an attempt on my son.”
“I was set up.”
“Twenty-five.”
“Kane’s inside your organization.”
Dominic’s face sharpened.
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then you’re useless.”
“I know he’s planning something at your charity gala.”
The ballroom.
The shooting.
Three months in the future, that warning would come true.
But now Dominic said, “Why should I believe you?”
“Because your wife didn’t die in an accident.”
Dominic went completely still.
Mara stared at him.
Daniel continued.
“Kane ordered the hit.”
Dominic’s face lost all color.
“You’re lying.”
“I saw the file.”
“What file?”
“Your wife was going to testify.”
Dominic’s voice dropped to almost nothing.
“Against who?”
“You.”
Silence.
Mara looked at him.
Dominic said, “Where are you?”
“Pier nineteen.”
The call ended.
Dominic grabbed his jacket.
Mara followed.
“You’re not coming.”
“Yes, I am.”
“No.”
“He’s my brother.”
“He may be setting us up.”
“Then you’ll want me there.”
Dominic gave her a furious look.
She didn’t move.
“Fine.”
At the pier, they found an empty warehouse.
Blood on the floor.
A chair.
Broken ropes.
Mara whispered, “Daniel?”
Something moved upstairs.
Dominic raised his gun.
“Stay behind me.”
A wounded man stumbled from the shadows.
Daniel.
Older.
Bearded.
Alive.
Mara froze.
“Danny?”
He looked at her.
For eight years, she had dreamed of this moment.
He smiled.
“Hey, Annie.”
She ran to him.
They crashed into each other.
Mara cried into his shoulder.
Daniel held her.
Then Dominic shouted:
“GET AWAY FROM HIM!”
Mara turned.
Dominic’s gun was aimed at Daniel.
Daniel had a knife pressed against Mara’s stomach.
His voice changed.
Cold.
“Sorry, little sister.”
Mara stopped breathing.
May you like
Daniel whispered into her ear.
“Kane wants his ledger back.”
