Chapter 5 - Cleaning House
The aftermath of the betrayal was swift and merciless. Under Dominic’s direct orders, the syndicate was purged of any element loyal to Nathan Cross. By midnight, three of the captains who had secretly sided with the coup were eliminated, their operations absorbed by men Dominic trusted with his life.
In the basement, the iron door of the wine cellar was shut. The brass padlock was snapped into place. But this time, there would be no rescue. The silence they had condemned Mia to was now their own.
Dominic stood on the balcony of his study, looking out over the Hudson River. The storm had passed, leaving behind a clear, star-lit sky. The air was freezing, but he didn't feel it. For the first time in years, the heavy fog of paranoia that had governed his life felt... lighter.
The door to his study creaked open.
Dominic didn't turn around. "I told you to get some rest, Mia."
"I couldn't sleep," her quiet voice replied.
He turned to see her standing in the doorway. She was wearing a simple, soft gray sweater and sweatpants he had ordered his staff to buy for her. The bruises on her face were still dark, but her eyes were clear. The fear was gone, replaced by a profound, exhausted peace.
"Where is Harper?" Dominic asked.
"Asleep in your bed," Mia said, a small, tentative smile touching her lips. "She insisted on sleeping under the 'big soft blanket.' I hope you don't mind."
"She can have the bed. She can have the whole house," Dominic said, walking back into the room. He poured a glass of warm water and handed it to her. "How are you feeling?"
"Better," she said, taking the glass. Her hands were still bandaged where the ropes had cut into her skin. "I heard... I heard what happened tonight. The guards were talking."
"They shouldn't have been talking."
"I'm glad they did," Mia said, looking up at him. "I was afraid, Dominic. Not just of Nathan and Claire, but of... this world. I thought that once you found out, you would just see us as a liability. A nuisance."
Dominic stepped closer to her. He looked down at the bandages on her wrists, then at the silver bird pendant still hanging around her neck.
"You saved my life, Mia," he said, his voice softer than any of his men had ever heard it. "You and Harper. If she hadn't stopped me on those steps, I would have taken that medication. I would have been dead within a week. You aren't a liability. You are the only real thing in this entire house."
Mia’s breath hitched. She looked into the eyes of the man who ruled the city with an iron fist, the man everyone feared. But she didn't see a monster. She saw a protector.
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"What happens now?" she asked.
"Now," Dominic said, reaching out to gently touch the side of her face, avoiding the bruised skin. "We rebuild. But not like before. No more lies. No more snakes in the grass."
