Chapter 11 - The Enemy Dominic Thought Was Dead
Dominic entered the abandoned shipping terminal alone.
At least that was what Daniel believed.
The flash drive rested inside his jacket.
His pulse remained steady.
His thoughts did not.
Mia.
Gabriel.
Clara.
Every person he loved was somewhere inside the building.
For twenty years Dominic had built power so no one could make him helpless.
Now one man had proven how useless power could be.
Daniel appeared on an upper walkway.
“Dominic Castellano.”
Dominic looked up.
“Daniel Hayes.”
“You know, your wife was much friendlier.”
Dominic’s face changed.
Daniel smiled.
“That bothered you.”
“If you speak her name again, you won’t leave this building.”
“You’re in no position to threaten me.”
“Try me.”
Daniel laughed.
Then Mia was brought into view.
Dominic’s heart clenched.
She was crying but unharmed.
Gabriel stood beside her.
Silent.
Pale.
Holding Mia’s hand.
“Daddy!” Mia screamed.
Dominic took one involuntary step.
Daniel raised a weapon.
“Stay.”
Dominic stopped.
“Where’s Clara?”
“Busy.”
“Ethan?”
“Alive for now.”
“Let the children go.”
“Drive.”
Dominic removed it.
Daniel sent a guard down.
“Place it on the table.”
Dominic obeyed.
The guard retrieved it.
Daniel connected the drive to a laptop.
While files loaded, Dominic scanned the building.
Exits.
Guards.
Sight lines.
Matteo had taught him never to enter a room without knowing how to leave.
Sofia had mocked them both.
“You two walk into restaurants like you’re planning a war.”
He heard her voice in memory.
For once, he wished he were simply walking into a restaurant.
Daniel frowned at the screen.
“Encrypted.”
“Of course.”
“Password.”
“Children first.”
Daniel looked at Mia.
Then Gabriel.
“One.”
Dominic’s eyes narrowed.
“One child.”
“No.”
“Then no password.”
Daniel smiled.
“Fine.”
He pointed at Mia.
“Take the girl outside.”
A guard escorted her toward the door.
“Gabriel stays.”
Mia screamed for her brother.
Gabriel’s grip slipped from hers.
Dominic wanted to move.
He forced himself not to.
Once Mia was outside, a hidden team retrieved her.
One safe.
Three remaining.
Dominic gave the first part of the encryption key.
Daniel unlocked one folder.
“Second part.”
“Clara.”
Daniel snapped his fingers.
Clara was brought onto the platform.
Dominic’s chest tightened.
A bruise marked her cheek.
But she was standing.
Alive.
Their eyes met.
She gave him the smallest nod.
I’m okay.
Daniel noticed.
“Touching.”
“Release her.”
“No.”
“You agreed.”
“I agreed to negotiate.”
Dominic’s voice dropped.
“You will regret this.”
Daniel leaned over the railing.
“You know what your problem is, Dominic? Your father raised you to believe reputation was power.”
“My father knew loyalty was power.”
“Then why did Salvatore betray him?”
Dominic looked up sharply.
Daniel smiled.
There it was.
The hidden truth.
“Salvatore didn’t just betray you,” Daniel said. “He betrayed your father first.”
Dominic’s father had died when he was nineteen.
Supposed heart attack.
Sudden.
Unquestioned.
Until now.
“Salvatore killed him,” Dominic whispered.
“Because your father wanted out.”
The room seemed to narrow.
Daniel continued.
“Your father wanted legitimate businesses. Salvatore wanted expansion.”
Dominic looked at Matteo’s hidden position across the terminal.
If Daniel was telling the truth, Salvatore had destroyed two families across decades.
The Castellanos.
The Hayes family.
Sofia.
Thomas.
Maybe countless others.
“Where is Salvatore?” Dominic asked.
Daniel laughed.
“You still don’t understand.”
A door opened behind him.
An old man stepped onto the walkway.
Silver hair.
Cane.
Familiar face.
Dominic felt nineteen again.
Salvatore Castellano.
Alive.
His uncle smiled.
“Hello, nephew.”
Dominic said nothing.
For years he had mourned him.
Honored him.
Named business divisions after him.
Salvatore looked toward Gabriel.
“Your boy has Sofia’s eyes.”
Dominic’s hands clenched.
“Stay away from him.”
Salvatore sighed.
“You sound like your father.”
“Good.”
“That’s not a compliment.”
“It is to me.”
Salvatore’s expression hardened.
“I gave you everything.”
“You gave me lies.”
“I gave you an empire.”
“You stole one.”
Salvatore descended slowly.
“Your father was weak. Sofia became weak. Thomas Hayes was weak.”
Clara shouted, “They were better than you.”
Salvatore looked at her.
“The nanny.”
Daniel grabbed her arm.
Dominic took one step.
“Take your hand off her.”
Daniel smiled.
“Or?”
A gunshot suddenly echoed outside.
Everyone froze.
Matteo’s team had been discovered.
Chaos erupted.
Dominic moved.
He tackled the nearest guard.
Clara shoved Daniel.
Gabriel dropped to the floor.
Salvatore ran toward the rear stairs.
Daniel grabbed Clara and dragged her with him.
“Dominic!”
Dominic turned.
Too late.
A steel security door slammed down between them.
He pounded against it.
“CLARA!”
On the other side, Daniel pulled her into a vehicle bay.
Ethan was already inside a van.
Gabriel remained trapped on Dominic’s side.
Mia was safe outside.
Two children recovered.
But Clara and Ethan were being taken away.
Salvatore had escaped.
Dominic looked through the small reinforced window.
Clara pressed her palm against the glass as Daniel dragged her backward.
Dominic placed his hand against the opposite side.
No words.
Then the van doors closed.
She disappeared.
Dominic turned toward Matteo.
“Find them.”
Matteo nodded.
Dominic looked at Gabriel.
His son stood trembling.
Dominic knelt.
“I’m going to bring her back.”
Gabriel stared at him.
Dominic held out his hand.
Gabriel took it.
Then he opened his mouth.
Again, no sound.
But this time his lips formed a word.
Clara.
May you like
Dominic saw it.
And understood that his silent son loved her just as much as he did.
