“Elle and I are heading out now.” Dario and Dante exchanged a look, then turned back to me with mischievous smiles. “Not surprising, cousin,” Dario teased. “After that fiery dance you two just shared, I was half afraid the floor would catch fire. It was hot.” He fanned himself dramatically. “You’re definitely getting lucky tonight, brother.” “You're going to get lucky tonight brother.” Dante adds. I gave them both a playful tap on the back of their heads. Their laughter erupted, contagious even at my expense, and for a moment I was reminded of the carefree days when we were growing up together.
“Well, you two need to find your own woman.” I tease them. Dario chuckles then shakes his head. “Not much chance of that happening. Dante already kidnapped the only woman alive, who would put up with a mafia man.” Dario says. The humor slipped from his voice, replaced by a quiet wistfulness. His gaze lingered on the rim of his glass, shoulders sinking ever so slightly. There’s definitely something going on with him.
Before I could probe, Nico and Serafina approached us at the bar. “Dominic, I didn’t get to greet Elle earlier. Where is she?”
“She needed to use the ladies' room before we left.” I say. “You’re leaving so soon boss, tonight was a success.” Her husband pats me on the back. “I’ll go meet Elle, darling andwe’ll be back in a jiffy.” Serafina kisses her husband on the cheek before she leaves.
With the women away, Nico updates us about an upcoming arms deal. A few minutes later, from my position at the bar, I noticed Serafina rushing in our direction. Her look of panic puts me on alert. I straighten from where I’m leaning onto the edge of the counter. The others quickly pick up on the sudden change in my position and demeanor. They turn in unison to see what has drawn my attention away from our conversation.
Nico rushed to his wife’s side the moment he saw her distress. A cold dread gripped me—I couldn’t see Elle.
“Darling, what’s wrong?” Nico pleaded as Serafina collapsed into his arms. She was shaking, sobs choking her voice, too overcome to answer. “Serafina!” My voice cut through the noise. “Where is Elle?” At last, through broken sobs, she whispered, “There… there’s blood in the bathroom.” I didn’t wait to hear more.
My body was already moving. Around us, the crowd had fallen silent, whispers rippling through the room. The music had stopped. The only sound left was Serafina’s sobbing.
“I sprint toward the bathroom Elle entered less than ten minutes ago. The sight of blood on the floor halts me mid-step. Dario and Dante close in beside me, but I block them out, my eyes scanning every detail. The evidence tells a story I refuse to accept.
‘ELLE!’ I shout, slamming open stall doors one by one, praying she’ll appear. Empty. The weight of desperation crushes me.
On the counter, her silver clutch lies abandoned, her phone still inside. A tube of lipstick rests near a pool of blood. The realization that she’s hurt twists my gut. ‘Fucking hell, howcould this happen?’ My fist pounds the counter, the pain dulled by panic.
“Dominic, calm down! We’ll find her. Stay focused on Elle,” Dante urged, gripping my fists. Jimmy burst into the bathroom, breathless. “Boss, she was taken out the back exit—into the alley. There’s blood.” Rage seared through me. My wife had been hurt, dragged away. “Tell me,” I roared, “how the hell did someone get into my club and kidnap my wife?”
“Dominic, Dario is looking at the video feed right now.” Dante interrupts my tirade. Fear for my wife prevents rational thought. I didn’t even realize that Dario was no longer in the room.
The ground floor of the club is now empty of all the guests. We move through it on our way up the stairs. My men would’ve sent everyone away. On the second floor, where the office is located, is a line of security cameras. Dario is sitting in front of them “What have you got?” His fingers are tapping on the keyboard while his eyes focus on the monitor in front of him.
“Watch this—it’s three minutes before Serafina went looking for Elle.” Onscreen, a man in black, face hidden by a ski mask, emerges from the women’s bathroom. Elle hangs limp over his shoulder as he carries her effortlessly toward the back exit. My jaw tightens, fists clenched, nails biting into my palms.
“Now look who follows him out.” A woman trails behind, scarf pulled over her hair in a failed disguise. Rage spikes through me. “That fucking bitch. How did she get in? She wasn’t invited.”
“Brio let her in.” The footage makes it clear. It shows me parting with Elle at the dance floor, her heading into the bathroom. Seconds later, Brio Leone slips past the washrooms to the back exit. He opens the door, admitting a man and woman. They exchange a few words before Brio gestures toward the bathroom. The pair vanish from the camera’s view. Momentslater, Brio blends back into the crowd, acting as if he hadn’t just betrayed me.
“The snake and his bitch daughter will pay.” I rage. “Where do you think they’re taking her, Dominic?” Dante, who is standing next to me, looks worried. “I have one of our tech guys trying to track the vehicle that was waiting in the alley.” Dario provides. Pulling out my phone, I tap, opening an app.
“Her bracelet has a tracker—I can find her.” My pulse quickened. She was still moving, heading toward the edge of Brooklyn. “I know where they’re taking her. Send someone to lock down the Leone’s before they try to run.”
They would be dealt with later. My wife’s survival is my focus now. The possibility of losing her is unthinkable. A plan to secure her safety is foremost in my mind. I’m not foolish, their aim is obvious. She was taken as bait. It’s my life that they want to end. To make sure that we have a future together, we’ll have to outsmart them. I know that they would eventually make contact. My cellphone rings. Right on time. The bastards think that they are smart.
“Yes?” I answered, switching to the speaker. Laughter crackled through the line. “Nephew, it seems I’ve come into possession of something you’ve lost.” I stayed silent, letting him savor his supposed victory. “If you want your precious wife alive, come alone to the location I’ve sent. It’s time we finish this.” The call ended abruptly, leaving only the echo of his laughter in the room—and the weight of dread pressing down on me.
I study the location and smile—he thinks I’m easy to fool. The spot is in the opposite direction from where Elle’s being taken. I make it my business to dig up everything on my enemies, even the properties they try to bury under shell companies. The Albanian boss owns land right where they’re headed. Clever, but not clever enough.
“You’re not planning to go alone, are you, Dominic? You know he wants you dead.” “Relax. The place he sent isn’t where Elle is. It’s bait—he wants me isolated, without backup. Hand me your phone.”
I load the tracking app onto Dante’s device, locking onto Elle’s signal. Now we know exactly where she’s being taken.”
“I need you to get the men in position, before I’m taken there.” We go over the plan. Minutes later, I’m getting into my car to go to the location sent by my worthless uncle. I pause with my hands on the door handle.
“Promise me—if something happens to me, you’ll save my wife.” If her survival means my sacrifice, so be it. I see the protest in their eyes, but I cut them off. “Promise!” Reluctantly, they nod. Serafina and Nico fall in with my brother and cousin as I pull away from the club, the weight of their vow pressing on me like a shadow.
Dante and Dario hate the idea of me going alone, but they understand—it’s the only way to save her. They know losing Elle would destroy me. I can’t let that happen. Not now. Not when I’ve never told her what she truly means to me. Six months of missed chances weigh heavy on my chest. I swear, when this is over, I’ll tell her. I’ll make sure she knows how much I love her.
Chapter 38
~Dominic~
Why didn’t I walk Elle to the bathroom and wait outside? Another miscalculation. I let myself be lulled into a false sense of security, even knowing she was a target. After the attempted kidnapping, I’d fortified the mansion—breaches there are nearly impossible now.
