Chapter 13 - The Choice Dominic Couldn’t Buy
The Moretti estate had never looked threatening to Dominic.
Not once.
He had grown accustomed to the iron gates.
The cameras.
The guards.
The locked interior doors.
The panic buttons hidden beneath tables.
Safety had always looked like control.
That night, as he approached his own property alone, the mansion looked like a trap.
Rebecca's agents remained six blocks away.
Marco argued until Dominic threatened to lock him in the SUV.
Sophia argued longer.
In the end, Dominic told her the only sentence capable of stopping her.
“If Matteo sees you, Lily becomes less useful than you.”
Sophia went silent.
She hated him for being right.
Dominic entered through the front gate.
No guards.
Matteo had already neutralized the exterior security system using information obtained through corrupted contractors.
Dominic filed that failure away for later.
Assuming there was a later.
The foyer lights were on.
The exact place where Lily had first stopped him.
Dominic entered.
“Matteo.”
A voice came from above.
“Welcome home.”
Matteo stood at the top of the staircase.
Carlo stood behind him.
Lily sat on one of the steps holding Mr. Whiskers.
She looked frightened.
But unhurt.
Dominic breathed.
“Mr. Moretti!”
“Stay there, Lily.”
Matteo smiled.
“She really likes you.”
Dominic looked at Carlo.
Carlo avoided his eyes.
“Let her walk down.”
“No.”
“You have me.”
“I want more.”
“What?”
“Rebecca Shaw's copy of the ledger.”
“I don't have it.”
“Get it.”
“She won't give it to me.”
Matteo laughed.
“Then perhaps you're not as powerful as everyone says.”
Dominic slowly removed his coat.
“What do you really want?”
Matteo's smile weakened.
Dominic continued.
“You already know the ledger exists.”
“Yes.”
“You know Rebecca has it.”
“Yes.”
“You cannot make that disappear.”
“I can make witnesses disappear.”
“Daniel gave a statement.”
“He can withdraw it.”
“Victor is cooperating.”
Matteo's face twitched.
There.
The wound.
Dominic stepped closer.
“This stopped being about evidence.”
Matteo's jaw tightened.
“Then what is it about?”
“You want someone to admit you mattered.”
Matteo's expression changed.
Dominic understood powerful men.
Especially those raised around more powerful ones.
“Victor never respected you.”
“Shut up.”
“He gave other men responsibility.”
“Shut up.”
“You mistook fear for respect.”
Matteo came down two steps.
“So did you.”
Dominic paused.
That was true.
Matteo saw it.
He smiled.
“We are the same.”
“No.”
“Because you have rules?”
“No.”
Dominic looked at Lily.
“Because I finally know my rules weren't enough.”
Matteo laughed.
“Is this where the maid saved your soul?”
“Her name is Sophia.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because names matter when you've spent years turning people into categories.”
Matteo stared.
“You sound weak.”
Dominic nodded.
“Maybe.”
That surprised him.
Matteo's expression shifted.
Dominic continued:
“I spent most of my life avoiding weakness. Then a four-year-old walked into my foyer and asked me for something money couldn't buy.”
Lily raised her hand.
“A boyfriend.”
Dominic almost smiled.
“Yes.”
Matteo snapped.
“Quiet!”
Lily shrank.
Dominic's expression became cold again.
“Don't speak to her that way.”
“There he is.”
Matteo smiled.
“The real Dominic.”
“No.”
Dominic shook his head.
“The old one.”
He walked forward.
“You want him?”
Matteo watched.
Dominic stopped beneath the staircase.
“Let Lily go.”
“And?”
“You get everything.”
“What does that mean?”
“My companies.”
Matteo blinked.
“Your territory.”
Silence.
“Your waterfront contracts.”
Matteo stared.
Dominic continued.
“The legitimate businesses. The warehouses. Political relationships. Everything I can legally transfer.”
“You're lying.”
“No.”
“Why?”
Dominic looked at Lily.
“Because none of it is worth her.”
The child looked at him.
Her eyes filled.
Matteo laughed.
“You'd throw away an empire for a maid's kid?”
Dominic's voice sharpened.
“For Lily.”
Sophia heard the entire conversation through a transmitter Rebecca had placed on Dominic.
She stood six blocks away.
Her hands covered her mouth.
Marco looked at her.
“He means it.”
“I know.”
That was the terrifying part.
Inside, Matteo descended.
“You think this makes you noble?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
“Tired.”
Dominic's voice softened.
“I am tired of being the man people fear.”
Matteo stared.
“I built my whole life so nobody could take anything from me.”
He looked around the foyer.
“And it turns out that meant there was almost nothing worth taking.”
Lily whispered:
“That's sad.”
Dominic smiled faintly.
“Yes.”
Matteo looked disgusted.
“Carlo.”
Carlo stiffened.
“Take the girl upstairs.”
Carlo didn't move.
“Carlo.”
He looked at Lily.
Then at Dominic.
Then toward the front door.
“No.”
Matteo froze.
“What?”
Carlo swallowed.
“I said no.”
Matteo stepped toward him.
Carlo moved Lily behind his body.
“I'm done.”
“You're dead.”
“Probably.”
Dominic seized the moment.
He crossed the foyer.
Matteo reached inside his jacket.
Dominic struck his arm aside.
The two men crashed into the banister.
Carlo grabbed Lily and ran down the back staircase.
Dominic shouted:
“OUT!”
Lily screamed his name.
Outside, Rebecca heard the chaos.
“Go!”
Federal agents moved.
Sophia ran with them despite instructions.
Inside, Dominic and Matteo struggled.
No elegant fighting.
No cinematic choreography.
Just two desperate men colliding with furniture and walls.
Matteo pulled free.
Dominic could have reached the weapon that had fallen across the floor.
He saw it.
So did Matteo.
Dominic moved toward it.
Then stopped.
Sophia's words returned.
Dangerous men can choose to become different.
Matteo lunged.
Federal agents burst through the doors.
“DOWN!”
Dominic raised his hands.
Matteo ran toward the library.
Agents followed.
Minutes later he was captured near the garden exit.
Dominic remained kneeling in the foyer.
Hands visible.
Rebecca approached.
“You okay?”
“Yes.”
“Where's Lily?”
A voice came from the doorway.
“Mommy!”
Sophia ran.
Lily collided with her.
Sophia dropped to her knees and held her daughter so tightly Lily squeaked.
“I can't breathe.”
“I don't care.”
“Mommy.”
Sophia cried and laughed.
Then Lily looked over her shoulder.
“Mr. Moretti?”
Dominic remained kneeling.
Rebecca stood beside him.
Sophia's smile faded.
“What?”
Rebecca's expression was conflicted.
Dominic already understood.
“The ledger,” he said.
Sophia stood.
“No.”
Dominic looked at her.
“Sophia.”
“No.”
Rebecca spoke gently.
“We need to take Mr. Moretti in for questioning.”
“Questioning?”
Dominic smiled sadly.
“Probably more than that.”
Lily looked confused.
“Where is he going?”
Nobody answered.
Dominic walked toward her.
Rebecca allowed it.
He crouched.
Exactly as he had the first night.
Lily touched his face.
“Are you in trouble?”
“Yes.”
“Did you do something bad?”
Dominic looked at Sophia.
Then back at Lily.
“Yes.”
The child's face fell.
“Recently?”
Despite everything, Sophia laughed through tears.
Dominic smiled.
“No.”
Lily considered that.
“Can you say sorry?”
Dominic's throat tightened.
“I can.”
“Then say it.”
He looked at Sophia.
Her eyes were wet.
Dominic whispered:
“I'm sorry.”
Sophia shook her head.
“Don't make this goodbye.”
He looked at her.
Rebecca placed a hand near his arm.
“We have to go.”
Dominic stood.
Lily grabbed his hand.
“Wait.”
Everyone stopped.
She dug through Mr. Whiskers.
Then produced something.
A folded crayon drawing.
The same drawing from the foyer.
Sophia stared.
“I thought Dominic had that.”
Lily shook her head.
“I made another.”
She handed it to him.
Three figures.
Still holding hands.
But this time the tall man had a smile.
Dominic looked at it.
Lily said:
“For when you come home.”
May you like
And for the first time in years, Dominic Moretti had no idea whether he still had a home to return to.
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