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CLAUDIA

Dominic and Claudia went to Stefano's club before noon the next day in an apprehensive mood. She couldn't believe how quickly things deteriorated after making love.

Despite declaring their love for each other, a deeper connection developed beyond physical attraction and sexual chemistry. He changed the night before. He was warm, serene, and gentle.

Dominic, stoic and protective when they met, was now detached and guarded.

She held her breath and closed her eyes as the BMW sped down the freeway. Why now? Dominic stated that remaining with her was more than a responsibility.

With each repetition, the words hit her deeply. She knew he wouldn't like the idea of going to her apartment, but she held out hope anyway.

Her eyes opened as he drove down the exit lane. She felt silly for wanting to cry while her eyes felt wet.

Emotions increased in the face of extreme stress. She fell for the pretentious jerk despite knowing it.

Claudia inhaled and combed her hair. The breeze from the open window and his cologne overwhelmed her senses.

She put boundaries between them.

She wanted to hide under a blanket and never come out of it, but she couldn't. She needed money for a cab ride home to safety.

Then what?

She didn't know. She didn't think she could pick up where she left off.

Claudia needed to grab her keepsakes and leave her home untouched. She knew entering her apartment was dangerous, yet wanted to risk it anyway. The Mafia outside of her building were all she could think about.

"Ready?"

Dominic's voice jolted her, and she stared at him. His huge shades covered his grim face and eyes. The man who had repeatedly made love to her the night before disappeared.

She agreed with a heavy sigh.

A few vehicles were in the open lot. She stretched her leggings as the sticky air stuck to her skin after climbing out.

On the way to the front door, she stared at the silent man again and felt her stomach clench and drop. She had to leave Dominic eventually, whether she lived another dozen decades or just another day.

She'd always love him.

Her throat and heart were burning when the guard let them in without making small talk. No chatter this time. He opened the door and took them through the dim club floor to the office, slamming it behind them and muttering about Stefano being on his way.

It was just her and Dominic after that.

Awkward.

A monitor with black-and-white images of every entry was on the desk.

While groaning, Claudia rubbed her legs frantically on the couch arm. Dominic put his sunglasses in his back pocket and paced the office, never leaving the door they entered.

This unusual stillness overwhelmed her.

She coughed and ran her hands down her legs. "You're going to Italy after we leave?"

Dominic paused in the middle of the room and glanced at her. His brown eyes were empty and cold. "Italy is my only choice."

Claudia shivered. "You're sure your property is safe?"

"Yes. Besides Giovanni, nobody else knows where it is." He cocked his head to one side. "My brother took Emery there for their anniversary last year."

With how sensitive his eyes were, Claudia could emphasize that portion of his words. "You don't think he told anyone?"

Dominic's hands opened and closed. "I hope he hasn't."

And that was as much of a response as she got from him on the subject. As he paced again, his eyes burned, making her nervous. "Take a seat."

"Huh?" Dominic stared at her as he reached for her legs.

"Your pacing. It makes me more uncomfortable." She wiped her sweaty palms on her clothes again. "I know you're eager to start this thing and send me on my way, but can you calm down for a minute?"

He paused and faced her. "Is that why you think I'm anxious?"

She met his gaze, and he shook his head. She demanded, "What?"

He stared at her carefully, like he was peeling an onion. "Dia, sometimes you're naïve."

Her mouth dropped open, and irritation raged through her like a hot summer storm. "I'm naïve? You're making me scared as hell over here."

"I can't help it," he responded calmly. "But that doesn't change what's about to happen."

She shot to her feet, her hands forming fists. A half-smile appeared on his full lips as she amused him.

That just pissed her off more. "You're a snob, Dom. You know that? A callous jerk, and you say I'm naïve? Get rid of that smirk! It's disgusting." She was a volcano poised to unleash fire and ash on him. "You haven't seen me angry, and you don't want to!"

That half-smile had spread during her tirade, changing his features and warming his eyes. "Sorry. I'll stop myself."

He didn't sound or look sorry at all. "I didn't want to uproot my life, you know? I didn't sign up for that. And I never expected to fall in love—"

Dominic was in front of her in a heartbeat, so she jerked back and would've fallen onto the couch if he hadn't grabbed her shoulders. He lowered his head to set his lips millimeters from her mouth.

Unwanted, edgy desire sent her hormones racing.

"I like how you are now," he said in a low tone.

Claudia sputtered as she ignored the heat building between them like an overworked furnace. "You like me standing up for myself? You're an asshole."

"An asshole that you're in love with," Dominic murmured. "And I realize you didn't ask for any of this. I'm going to make things right between—"

After looking at the computer screen, he let go of her and stood straight, eyes wide and nostrils flaring. Claudia wobbled as he turned to the door, her head cocked again.

The strange stillness of his body knotted her stomach.

She questioned, "Where are you going?" with her arms around her waist. Her body cooled immediately.

He looked at her again. "Someone is outside."

"Do you know who?"

Dominic nodded. "Yes. It's Massimo. He's one of Lorenzo's men."

Icy fear slithered through her and into her chest, where it wrapped around her heart.

Dominic turned to her quickly, placing his sweaty hand on her cheek. A moment passed before he spoke. "I've got to see what's going on."

"Don't—"

"I won't leave you here," he promised, his eyes burning like flames in a fireplace. "If something happens out there..."

He didn't finish his sentence, so she couldn't react. Dominic left before she could blink. The room warmed as if he had absorbed the chill. Her heart hammered against her ribs like it wanted to escape and run screaming.

She got restless after four minutes and stood up. She decided and rushed to the door, cracking it. The tiny hallway was lit dimly by track lighting. A white and crimson flash enveloped the club as she neared the hallway's end.

Her heart sank. Shouting and fighting came from the entrance. Who did Dominic say was there? An Italian mobster? Dominic's enormous silhouette hid behind him.

Stefano's voice then filled the room. "I wouldn't mess with Nicco. He isn't taking his medication and can snap your neck in an instant."

My God! Claudia moved quickly because Stefano didn't seem nervous about this unexpected visitor. She stopped at the end of the hall, mouth open.

Stefano wore a "Spiritual Gangster" t-shirt, while Dominic was firm in front of him.

The other man was waiting across the room, dressed in black clothing. He was around her age—maybe twenty-two.

His thick brown hair was messy and draped across his forehead. He was nearly as tall as Dominic, but his frame was less frightening.

No words could describe his appearance, and she felt creepy thinking about it.

Massimo was breathtaking.

He pointed his weapon at the two men, revealing his radiant brown pupils. Her stomach soared with panic when the newcomer glanced directly at Dominic. But he only cocked his head, daring the younger man to make a move.

Was Dominic completely losing it?

Her "Dom..." came out with a roaring sound.

She caught his and Massimo's attention instantly. His jaw flew open when he set down his weapon and stared at her.

"I told you to stay in the office," Dominic said. "Everything will be fine."

"That's not how it looks to me."

Nothing about this scenario made her feel at ease.

Indeed, it looked strange. And yet, this was one of Lorenzo's men.

Massimo gasped as the dazzling light above him faded, revealing a body covered in every kind of body art. Compared to Stefano, this man's tattoos were extraordinary.

One tattoo of a butterfly on the side of his throat stood out. That was her favorite animal because it resembled rebirth, something she thought about after her sexual assault.

Dominic looked back at him, and Massimo backed away, puffing. A second later, his spine was against the wall.

"Claudia, go back into the office."

Christ, did he relish bossing her? "Excuse me?"

"No. Let her stay here," the man said. "She is..."
Massimo stopped what he was about to say when Dominic growled toward him.

Rome appeared from nowhere, marched across the dance floor, and grabbed her arms as he focused on her. "You shouldn't see this."

Claudia sighed. "But—"

"Come on. I have a few things to show you."

Dominic's dark brows furrowed. "What things?"

Rome looked back and smiled. "Just things."

Claudia's voice didn't carry much weight. Within seconds, she had returned to the office, furious at being ordered around and worried about Dominic.

Rome sat in front of the doorway with his massive arms folded. "You can rest easy knowing they won't hurt each other."

She had no intention of relaxing and breathing. "They don't look like they're about to play chess."

He grinned broadly. "Massimo Cartelli has bigger problems than toying with Dominic. There are bigger fish to fry than either of you."

"What's going on?" she pushed. She couldn't imagine a worse situation than the one she was in.

A calm Rome stretched his arms and rubbed his chin. Then he said, "Another Mafia family took his woman, and finding her whereabouts ain't going to be easy. Nearly impossible."

Spontaneously, Claudia shuddered and slumped onto the couch. "Which family?"

"The Vitale's."

That conception gave her brain a workout. "What do they want with her?"

One large shoulder rose in a shrug. "Do we need an explanation for everything? The Mafia gets what they want. That includes the members and allies." He paused. "This is our world, sweetheart. Don't worry about Massimo being with Dominic. Mind your own business."

She didn't have much time to process those statements, but they were simple enough. Dominic entered through the open door, unscathed. Claudia climbed to her feet.

He raised a hand. "Everything is fine."

"I see that. What happened? "

"It was a minor standoff," he said. Rome left the office, and Dominic faced her. "He is here for Stefano. Nothing to do with us."

Claudia's relief shocked her. "Regarding his girlfriend?"

He nodded lazily. "Yeah. Massimo made a mess of things."

She sat back on the pleasantly plush cushion and contemplated Rome's words. "I don't understand why they would take her. Was she about to confess something she shouldn't?"

"I can't pinpoint it, but something tells me there's more. She may have acquired secret access data from him." Dominic scratched the back of his head. "If the Vitale family took her, he won't get her back. They'll hurt her, but not kill her."

Claudia was sad, despite not knowing either of them. Someone else's life suffered for no apparent reason.

It was all a mystery to her.

"You have such a big heart, Dia."

Claudia looked up to see Dominic studying her curiously. "Yeah, that's me. In times of hardship, my humanity always shines through."

He walked toward her and exhaled. "I hope you won't take that the wrong way. I understand how you feel. You care about Massimo and his girlfriend."

Claudia was speechless. She didn't think empathy was unusual for him or her. "We have more in common than you think, Dom."

He appeared ready to say something, but the desk monitor showed a happy photo of a woman and a younger Stefano.

The woman had dark hair and a sparkling diamond ring on her left finger. She had high cheekbones, brown eyes, and a light brown complexion.

Claudia glanced back at Dominic and saw his Adam's Apple rise and fall as he exhaled softly. "Do you... know her?"

He replied emphatically, "Yes," his eyes welling up with tears. "That is Amelia."

Claudia's jaw almost fell. She had never seen a picture of his late fiancée during their time together. She couldn't think of anything to say. What more can she say?

Dominic wiped his tears and said, "I... didn't think Stefano had pictures of the two of them." He braced himself for the door. "It's his screensaver. Wow. Sorry. Today is..."

Claudia moved forward, clasping his hand. "I know. There's no need to explain anything."

"The thing is, this was their last picture together. I was the person behind the camera."

"Oh, Dom..."

Holding his attention, she raised her hand to his cheek.

Claudia could see Dominic wanted to say more than that, but Stefano entered again and glanced at him. "Nicco, you didn't have to go out there."

"Call me paranoid," he declared, "but I didn't like knowing that a member of Lorenzo's team was here and I was staying out of it."

Stefano sat at his desk. "Your paranoia is obvious. Now let's get this show going before more unwelcome visitors crawl out of my ass."

Claudia frowned in concentration but didn't speak.

Stefano pulled a square transparent case from the drawer. A cluster of white pills sat in the middle.

After throwing it to Dominic, he caught it mid-air with a swish of his hand. She swore his face brightened when he took out the small package.

"I don't normally have these resources. My best friends asked for this, but I refused." Stefano paused. "Count this as good karma for you."

"Thanks." Dominic's eyes darkened. "I only need this and the updated documents."

"Not yet. You'll want someone to fight with."

Dominic turned to crack his neck. "I'll handle that when I leave the country."

Stefano laughed. "And make things harder for yourself? Nonsense. I can help you unleash some anger, but you must pay me."

"That makes sense," Dominic said. "Nothing is free; everything costs."

"You have someone here?" Claudia glanced between the men. "Someone willing to fight Dominic?"

"Men are willing to do anything for me," Stefano said. "This is also the quickest and safest method. Dominic also gets a scrumptious feast from beating someone up and taking his medicine. That's good karma. You two could use it."

He scowled. "Yes, and then I owe you. This transaction is familiar to me. No, thank you."

"Aw." Stefano acted hurt. "What I want isn't awful."

"And I'm secretly a cuddly bear."

Stefano grinned, reclining on his elbows. "I only ask for help when I need it. Nothing more. I'll call someone in if you're okay with it. Easy. Quick. It will enhance your life."

Dominic started speaking, but Claudia stopped him. "Wait. You just need help one day? Help with what?"

He said, "Whatever I may need help with."

A sigh escaped Dominic's lips. "It's Stefano's enjoyment. His rules."

Claudia then asked, "And this person seriously won't mind Dominic beating him to death?"

"Yes."

Dominic caught her attention.

She didn't like forcing a man to do anything, even if Stefano could call in unexpected favors.

Dominic glanced at her and muttered a curse before turning to a beaming Stefano. "Fine. Whatever. If you need anything, let me know."

Stefano emerged and clapped, and she sighed. "Perfect." He removed a phone from his pocket and started tapping. "I'll call him in now."

"Is it that jackass who just came in?" Dominic grinned. "Because I really would enjoy beating him."

In her mind, Claudia couldn't see Massimo agreeing to that.

Stefano shook his head. "No. He went about his business."

Dominic looked unhappy, but she noticed people in the hallway after a second. The screen showed two men approaching a closed door beside them.

"Don't leave the office this time," he advised.

She finally paid attention.

Claudia covered her face with her hands as the enigmatic duo left.

She had no desire to see Dominic beat someone up for fun. There were plenty of signs of how opposite they were to make her feel uncomfortable for the rest of the day.

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