"He's investigating my father's case."
“What?”
“He knows he’s innocent and doesn’t like walking around with the shadow of betrayal hanging over him.”
Dom's eyes narrow slightly. "And how, exactly, did this come up between you two? I wasn't aware you were… reacquainted."
Heat creeps up my neck. "Like I said, he’s investigating, and since I’m the daughter of the man he’s accused of betraying, he came to ask me questions.”
It's not entirely a lie, but the omission of our night together feels massive.
I can't tell Dom about our past relationship or how easily we fell back into each other's arms. I certainly can't tell him that Luca is the triplets' father.
“And this prompted you to come warn me? Do you think I’m in danger from this?”
“No. Maybe. You said you thought your father was involved. What if Luca figures that out? What do your men who are still loyal to Uncle Aldo do about that?”
He sits back as if he’s considering.
“Or what if his investigation attracts FBI attention? I know that’s something you’ve been concerned about.”
“Fuck. You’re right. We don’t need this right now. Luca should know better."
“You can’t really blame him. He’s been saddled with a lie.”
“We’ve all been lied about, Elena. You don’t do shit that could detonate a bomb within La Corona.” He stands and paces, his mind whirling with thoughts. Then he stops. “Could it be him?”
“Could what be who?”
“The one fucking with La Corona. The mastermind or puppeteer Roman has warned us about for years. This could be Luca’s revenge.”
“What? No.” Luca wouldn’t do that. Would he?
“Jesus, it makes sense.”
“No it doesn’t.”
“Think about it, Elena. He was wrongly accused and has had seven years to plot revenge. He knows all the players, but being in Italy, who’d suspect him?”
I shake my head. “Don’t do this, Dom. He’s been used as a scapegoat long enough.”
He tilts his head. “When did you grow fond of Luca? I always thought you blamed him.”
I look down, ashamed of how I’d treated Luca all these years. “I did at first. But like you, I had questions. If he was behind all this, why openly investigate my father’s death? Why bring attention and put a possible target on his back?”
Dom shrugs. “Fuck up La Corona.” But I can tell he thinks the reasoning is weak.
“Maybe it’s time for you to share your insights.” I didn’t come here to say that, but Luca has been carrying the burden and Dom can relieve it.
“Is that why you’re here? You want me to clear Luca’s name?” His brow furrows in intrigue more than annoyance as he sits across from me again.
“I came here to let you know what Luca was doing, but now that we’re discussing it, it seems only right.”
“What we need is peace and calm. Not just for La Corona but the families. That includes you and the kids. I made a vow to keep you and your children safe.”
What would he do if he knew they were Montis?
"I need you to stay away from Luca," Dom says, his tone shifting from protective to commanding. "Whatever he thinks he's doing, it puts all of us, including you and the triplets, at risk. The FBI would love nothing more than to approach you, make you seem complicit. They'd use your children as leverage."
