Dominic's office smelled of gun oil and leather, the windows drawn shut, shutting out the skyline as if the city itself had betrayed him. He stood near the bar, glass in hand, not drinking, just gripping it like it might be the only thing keeping him from exploding.
Luca stood by the door, arms crossed, face tight.
"They hit the warehouse in the dockyard," Dominic said, voice low but edged with fury. "Three of our men are dead. One is missing."
Luca did not flinch. "The bodies?"
"Two of them were stripped. Left with messages carved into their skin. One word each."
"What did it say?"
Dominic turned slowly, eyes storm-dark. "Leave her."
Silence rippled through the room like gunfire.
"They know," Luca said finally.
Dominic's jaw clenched. "Too fast. Someone inside is talking."
Luca took a breath. "You think it's James?"
"No," Dominic said. "He's a spoiled child, a rabid dog with a short leash. But someone is holding the leash, and they're using him to get to me."
His gaze drifted to the far wall, to the massive screen that displayed silent camera feeds from around the building. Aria appeared briefly in one, stepping into the hallway outside the guest room, barefoot, robe clinging to her like second skin. Her hair was damp from a shower, but her expression was distant. Haunted.
Dominic's voice lowered. "She's the weak spot they think they've found. But she's not the one who's going to break."
---
Aria wandered aimlessly through the penthouse corridors, each room colder than the last. She had expected the morning after to be awkward, but not terrifying. The news of the attack hit her harder than she had expected. It was not just a warning shot—it was a promise of more blood.
She could feel it. The walls were pulsing with tension.
Dominic had disappeared behind closed doors the moment the call came through. She had not seen him since.
Her thoughts raced as she stepped out onto the rooftop garden again. The breeze chilled her skin, but she welcomed it. It reminded her she was still alive.
She sat on the edge of the stone bench, knees tucked to her chest.
"You're either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid," said a new voice behind her.
She turned sharply. A tall man stood near the door, hands in the pockets of his tailored suit. He had sharp green eyes and a lopsided grin that looked more dangerous than kind.
"Who are you?" Aria asked warily.
"The name's Matteo. I'm Dominic's cousin. Also the fun one, or so I've been told." He walked toward her with slow, lazy confidence.
"You work with him?"
Matteo shrugged. "Work is a strong word. Let's just say I clean up when things get messy."
Aria stood. "If you came to scare me, it won't work."
"Good," Matteo said, eyes narrowing slightly. "Because you're going to need a spine if you plan on staying in Dominic's world."
"I never planned to stay."
"Doesn't matter now. You're in it, sweetheart. And once you're in, you either become part of the armor or the target."
Aria swallowed, voice low. "Do you think I'm a weakness?"
Matteo didn't answer right away. His eyes roamed her face like he was trying to decide what she was made of.
"I think you're something Dominic hasn't had in years," he said at last. "A reason to bleed."
---
Later that evening, Dominic returned to the main suite. He had not planned on seeing Aria until he calmed the storm inside him, but there she was, sitting on the couch, waiting.
She rose when he entered.
"You didn't tell me," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.
"There are a lot of things I haven't told you."
"They died because of me."
"No," he said sharply. "They died because someone wanted to send a message. They chose the method. Not you."
Her eyes flared. "That doesn't change what it means."
Dominic stepped closer. "And what does it mean, Aria?"
"That I don't belong here. That I'm just a reminder of what they can take from you."
His jaw flexed, and for the first time, something raw broke through the polished veneer of control he always wore.
"I have killed men for far less than what they did to you," he said. "You think this is the first time someone's gone after what's mine? You think I don't know the cost?"
Aria flinched.
He ran a hand through his hair and exhaled harshly.
"You were right to be afraid of me," he said quietly. "But not for the reasons you think. I don't destroy what I care about. I destroy everything that tries to take it from me."
She stared at him. "Why do you care?"
Dominic's eyes held hers like a magnet. "Because for the first time in years, someone looked at me and didn't flinch… until I gave them reason to."
The silence that followed pressed against her skin like heat.
He stepped forward, hands brushing her arms.
"You asked me once why I saved you," he said. "I still don't have the full answer. But maybe it's because you remind me of who I was before this world made me into a monster."
Aria's heart thudded painfully.
And then—
A sudden crash erupted downstairs.
The lights flickered.
Dominic's hand went to the gun under his suit instantly.
"Stay here," he said.
But Aria followed him into the hall just in time to hear shouting from the elevator entrance.
"Dominic!" Luca's voice. Urgent. Panicked.
They reached the main hall as Luca burst in, blood trailing down his temple.
"They took Matteo."
Dominic froze.
"What?"
"They grabbed him outside the warehouse. Left a flash drive in his car. Said you'd know where to look."
Dominic's expression twisted with something dark and lethal. He grabbed the drive and headed for the surveillance room.
Aria followed, pulse hammering in her throat.
The video loaded.
Matteo was tied to a chair. Bruised. Bloody. Still smiling.
A man stepped into the frame. His face hidden behind a mask, but his voice distorted low and steady.
"Every king has a weakness," he said. "Let's see how far you're willing to go to keep yours breathing."
Dominic's face turned to stone.
And Aria realized—
This was just the beginning.