Page 95 of Dominance

In any case, the lack of intel notwithstanding, there doesn’t seem to be a clear motive for Dom wanting this guy gone. Guiliano has been active for nearly two decades. The only reason my brothers and I never wiped him off the map was a clear divide of territory with some of our Italian rivals, and his connections with the Triad.

Alessandro always tried to avoid war.

Dom doesn’t seem to care.

More than that, however, there is a pattern emerging with the hits he’s sent Ciro and Ero on, the places they’ve robbed. He’s covering up something. Covering up his tracks, maybe?

Screeching to a stop, my instincts immediately go into hyperdrive.

The alley is long and thin.

No doors. No exits. Except for the gate at the end of the street in the archway. Service entrance for city works.

The SUV is stopped, parked haphazardly. Doors open.

Not a single one of the brutes in sight.

Where the hell did they go?

Slipping from the car, I strafe down the alley, my gun ready, my body in full tactical mode. Instinct and muscle memory are a hell of a thing.

No one in the SUV.

No sign they climbed the walls somehow.

“What the actual fu?—”

A scuffle echoes up from the darkened corner to my left and I pivot, creeping over toward the noise.

This whole situation reeks of ulterior motives, bad planning. Only on my part.

Guiliano’s gang knew exactly where they were going.

“I hate catacombs…” I grumble, edging up to the lip of the well-hidden gap in the cobbles. Steps only a shoulder’s width wide descend into pitch black.

Good ole Orvieta.

I take the first few steps before I cave and click on my flashlight, tipping the beam down but keeping my gun barrel up. Dripping water and echoes filter from up ahead, along with muffled whispers and the occasional footstep.

Great.

Me and five baddies alone in the dark. Steeling my nerves I let my objective mind take over, locking into that ice-cold state that’s seen me through worse than this.

Careful steps, quiet.

Disorganized. That’s the word I would use to describe every crackpot scheme we’ve been rolling out since he took over the family.

And that’s not like Dom. Not like he used to be.

It also makes no fucking sense for him to try and dispose of me so close to my wedding, so close to the goal he laid out for Gloria and I to produce him an heir of his blood. Maybe he changed his mind. Found another sperm donor for Gloria.

Never mind the whole thing is sick as hell.

The slightest movement of air to my left has me stepping back, to the side. A pipe swishes where my head just was.

Followed by a growl at their miss and the sound of the assailant reaching for his holster. Should have had it out, dipshit.

Close my eyes. Prep for the dark?—

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