Page 89 of Dominance

First round must have been good.

“Just taking a break, Adriano. Like to warm up solo. The boys should be here soon. You wanna join us?”

“If you want me to embarrass you in front of everyone, sure.”

“Oh! A challenge?”

“No, I mean I’m more likely to kill someone with a ball than make it down the fairway.”

“Ha! Fair enough.” He’s calm. Relaxed.

Rare these days.

Tagging along into the cool confines of the clubhouse, I steer him toward the bar.

“Beer?”

“Don’t mind if I do.”

A few sips in gives me a better sense of his state.

“Ah,” he sighs, “so, are you just playing hooky like me, or was there something you wanted to ask me?”

“Nothing gets past you.”

“Yeah, shut up, smart-ass. Everybody’s always begging for scraps.”

“No scraps. I wanted to ask you a favor, something I’d like permission to do.”

“Shoot!” Dom nods, looking far more pleased that I’m not trying to play him.

This is the version of him that I remember from when we were kids. Sharp. Chipper. Dom was the eldest of the cluster of kids around us, a couple of years older than Alessandro. Meaning I always thought of him as an adult growing up, being almost ten years my senior.

Even in my teens, twenties, he was…higher up.

But he always played around, joked with me and the twins. More like a dismissive uncle. Fun. Removed.

He was fair. Most of the time.

The hyper-violence started back then, flashes of his rage.

In retrospect, I think something happened, something made him snap years before losing the bid for don to Aless. But what did I know?

WhatdoI know?

“Well?” he prods, taking a bite of fries as soon as his burger arrives.

Another good sign.

Most days he barely eats. Started to wonder if he was snorting his lunches again.

“Well, so here’s the thing. The wedding is…soon.”

“The wedding is in nine days! Countdown has begun.”

“Right. And I’m excited.”

“Could have fooled me.”

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