Page 57 of Dominance

“Finally!” Dom flinches as Adri touches him. “I wanted you here for this, thought you’d appreciate it.”

“Dom, take it easy.” Adriano scowls, clearly trying to assess whose side to take. I got the impression last night that he’s not too fond of Vito.

“I’ll do no such thing. This fucking weasel is backstabbing us.”

“I would not do that!”

“Ha! You expect me to believe you? Once a traitor, always a traitor. Adriano and his brothers know that all too well, right?”

“What is he talking about Adri?” I ask, unable to subdue my curiosity.

“Tell her, Vito. You too Adriano. May as well come clean, air all of our dirty laundry.”

“I did what I had to do. You didn’t give us a choice.” Vito’s round, wrinkled face is red, his eyes rimmed, like he’s on the verge of tears. “And I made a terrible choice.”

“You did what you had to do, Vito.” It’s all Adriano says, like he just made up his mind about something. Or like he’s checking out of the situation before he can do something he’ll regret.

“Always so forgiving, Adriano! Unlike me.”

“Dad…” I start, terrified of what might happen next.

“I’m sorry you have to see this, Gloria. But it’s for the best. You need to learn what happens to people who cross me.”

“It’s fine, just…don’t do anything rash.” My voice. Someone else’s words. Someone calm. Certainly not the voice of the screaming panic in my brain, locking my legs up.

“That’s my daughter. The voice of reason.”

“Listen to her, to reason, then, Dom!” Vito begs.

“Fine. Here’s some rationale for you: you’re always first to lead a coup aren’t you, Vito? I should have known from the start. You were so eager to give me Alessandro to save your own skin. The first to support me when I took back what was rightfully mine. I should have guessed you were waiting in the wings to stab me in the back too.”

“It’s a lie!” Vito’s fist hammers onto the table. His wife and other family members all stand stock still around him, some with hands-on weapons. But Dom’s men outnumber all of them.

“Just say you’re working for the feds, and I’ll make it quick.”

“I would never work with them. Not even to overthrow you…you snake!”

Dom grins, ear to ear, nodding. “There he is. TherealVito Carlote. The coward.”

“You come in here, to my daughter’s birthday celebration and accuseme. This is an outrage.”

“Outraged? I am absolutely outraged. That I let you stay a part of this family for so long. But I’m in a good mood today, and it is your daughter’s special day.”

An ominous shadow darkens the grounds as he says it.

And I brace myself for him to grab a gun, to murder the man right here in the open.

“I don’t have to sit here and take this,” Vito forces out, his whole body shaking in fear.

“No, you don’t have to sit there and take this. You could get down on your knees and beg, though. Or just gather your people and get the fuck out of my city.” Dom slams his whiskey glass on the table, shattering the glass, cutting his hand.

Vito flinches, throwing out his arm to block his wife from the shards.

The grounds are dead silent as my father’s hand drips blood on the stones.

“This. This is what we were. No more. I never want to see your face again. Everything you can carry with you. Take it and go. If you’re still in New York tomorrow night, you’re all marked for death.”

Without another word, Dom turns and leads his crew away, leaving me and Adriano standing there, stupefied.

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