Chapter 7 - THE MOTHER WHO REFUSED TO WAITEvery man in Dominic’s security operation told Claire to remain behind.
She ignored all of them.
Gabriel had taken Lily to the old Moretti estate.
Aerial surveillance confirmed three vehicles.
At least seven men.
Possibly more.
Dominic stood over a map.
“We enter from the east.”
Claire interrupted.
“No.”
Vincent stared at her.
“This is not a school-parent meeting.”
“Good. Because your last plan allowed someone to climb into a second-floor bedroom.”
Vincent’s jaw tightened.
Dominic raised a hand.
“Let her speak.”
Claire pointed to the map.
“Gabriel wants you angry.”
“I am angry.”
“Exactly. So the obvious entrance is probably covered.”
“You’re suggesting?”
“He wants Dominic alive long enough to talk.”
Vincent nodded slowly.
“Probably.”
“He won’t expect me.”
Dominic immediately said, “Absolutely not.”
Claire looked at him.
“My daughter is inside.”
“And I’m not letting Gabriel get both of you.”
“You don’t get to let me do anything.”
His voice lowered.
“Claire.”
“No.”
She stepped close enough that nobody else could hear.
“You know what separates me from all the people who obey you?”
“What?”
“I’m not impressed by you.”
Despite everything, his mouth moved slightly.
“I noticed.”
“I’m going.”
Dominic finally yielded.
But only after Claire agreed to wear a tracker and stay behind security until Lily’s location was confirmed.
The old estate stood two hours north.
A decaying mansion surrounded by forest.
Rain began shortly before sunset.
Claire sat in the SUV wearing borrowed dark clothing.
No weapon.
She had refused one.
“I wouldn’t know how to use it properly.”
Vincent handed her pepper spray instead.
“I feel terrifying.”
Dominic turned from the front seat.
“You stay with Vincent.”
“You’ve said that six times.”
“Seven.”
Claire looked at him.
“Bring her home.”
He held her gaze.
“I will.”
The operation began.
Two teams entered.
Nothing.
No gunfire.
No guards.
Too easy.
Then Dominic’s phone rang.
Gabriel.
“I expected better.”
Dominic put it on speaker.
“Where is she?”
Gabriel laughed.
“You always did skip pleasantries.”
“If you hurt her—”
“She’s a child. I’m not a monster.”
Claire nearly shouted.
Gabriel continued.
“She’s actually delightful. Talks too much.”
Claire’s eyes filled.
That sounded like Lily.
“You want me,” Dominic said.
“Yes.”
“Then take me.”
“Walk into the house alone.”
Dominic looked at Vincent.
“No.”
Claire whispered, “He needs you alive.”
Dominic nodded.
Then entered.
Claire waited forty seconds.
Then followed through another door.
Vincent cursed quietly and came after her.
Inside, the mansion smelled of damp wood.
Claire heard voices.
She moved toward them.
Gabriel stood in the ballroom.
Lily sat in a chair beside him.
Untied.
Uninjured.
“Mom!”
Claire ran.
A guard blocked her.
Gabriel lifted a hand.
“Let her through.”
Claire reached Lily and crushed her into her arms.
“You okay?”
“I’m okay.”
“You sure?”
“He gave me pizza.”
Claire almost laughed from sheer relief.
She turned toward Gabriel.
He looked surprisingly calm.
“Take Lily outside,” Dominic said.
Gabriel shook his head.
“Not yet.”
Dominic’s posture changed.
“Gabriel.”
“You killed me once, brother.”
“No.”
“You wanted me dead.”
“I wanted you gone.”
“Same thing.”
“It isn’t.”
Gabriel laughed bitterly.
“To the favorite son, perhaps.”
Claire held Lily close.
This wasn’t just criminal revenge.
It was decades of resentment.
Gabriel looked at the child.
“Do you know why I brought her?”
Claire’s voice shook.
“Because you’re a coward.”
“No.”
Gabriel looked at Dominic.
“Because he understands fear only when it has a face.”
Dominic stepped forward.
“Leave them out of it.”
“Like Father left me out?”
“You chose what you became.”
“Did I?”
Gabriel’s hand went inside his jacket.
Vincent moved instantly.
“Don’t!”
Gabriel pulled out a folder.
Not a weapon.
He threw it onto the floor.
“Read.”
Dominic opened it.
His face changed.
“What?”
Claire asked.
Dominic stared at Gabriel.
“This is impossible.”
“Father planned the explosion.”
Silence.
Gabriel continued.
“He wanted us fighting. He thought competition made strong sons.”
Dominic looked sick.
Their father had arranged an attack that nearly killed Gabriel, then allowed Dominic to believe enemies had done it.
“Why?”
“He thought I was weak.”
Gabriel’s smile broke.
“I spent seven years believing you ordered it.”
Dominic looked at the documents.
“I didn’t.”
Gabriel’s anger suddenly seemed less certain.
“Prove it.”
“I can’t prove a negative.”
Claire stepped forward.
“But you already believe him.”
Gabriel looked at her.
“You know nothing.”
“I know you could have killed Lily and didn’t.”
Claire moved slightly in front of her daughter.
“I know you could have attacked Dominic directly and chose messages instead.”
Gabriel said nothing.
“You wanted him to understand what happened to you.”
His jaw tightened.
“That doesn’t make you innocent. You terrorized children.”
Gabriel flinched.
Good.
Claire continued.
“But if you truly believed Dominic ordered your death, why is he standing here alive?”
Silence.
Dominic looked at his brother.
“Because part of you never believed it.”
Gabriel’s eyes filled with something dangerously close to grief.
Then a shot rang out.
Claire dropped over Lily.
Gabriel jerked.
Blood appeared on his shoulder.
One of his own men stood on the balcony holding a gun.
Andrew.
“You talk too much,” Andrew said.
Chaos erupted.
Dominic dragged Gabriel behind a pillar.
Vincent’s men returned fire.
Claire crawled with Lily toward the hallway.
A bullet struck the floor nearby.
“Run!”
They reached the door.
Andrew appeared at the bottom of another staircase.
His gun pointed toward Claire.
Dominic saw him.
“CLAIRE!”
She froze.
A shot exploded.
Andrew fell.
Dominic stood across the room, gun raised.
For one terrible second, Claire saw the man he had warned her about.
Then he dropped the weapon and ran to them.
“Lily?”
“Fine.”
“Claire?”
“Fine.”
Gabriel sat against the pillar, clutching his shoulder.
Sirens sounded in the distance.
Claire stared at Dominic.
“You called police?”
He nodded.
“When?”
“Before we came.”
Claire almost smiled.
He had listened.
Gabriel looked at his brother.
“You called cops?”
Dominic crouched beside him.
“I’m trying something new.”
Gabriel laughed weakly.
“You’ve gone soft.”
“Probably.”
Paramedics entered minutes later.
Lily refused to release Claire’s hand.
Dominic stood beside them.
The old mansion swarmed with officers.
The nightmare was ending.
Or so Claire thought.
Then Vincent approached.
“Dominic.”
His face was grim.
“What?”
“We have another problem.”
He held up his phone.
News outlets had received files from Andrew.
Financial records.
Photographs.
Documents tied to Dominic’s past.
Vincent spoke quietly.
“By morning, everyone in America is going to know exactly who Dominic Moretti used to be.”
Claire looked at Dominic.
May you like
For the first time, the danger wasn’t aimed at his body.
It was aimed at everything he had built.
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