Chapter 5 - The Rising Storm
Isabella hadn't just been an innocent victim of a political match arranged by our families. She had orchestrated Sophia’s disappearance alongside my mother from the very beginning.
While I had spent four years believing Isabella was merely a composed mob heiress, she was actively securing her future as the queen of the New York underworld by ruthlessly erasing the woman I loved and the child I didn't know I had.
"Enzo!" I called out toward the hallway.
Enzo pushed the front door open, stepping inside with his hand resting near his concealed holster. "Yes, Boss?"
"Secure the perimeter. The Vitale family didn't just want a merger. Isabella was involved in Sophia’s exile from day one. They aren't going to wait for us to make a move."
Before Enzo could respond, his phone buzzed violently in his pocket. He pulled it out, checked the screen, and his face turned grim.
"It's from our lookouts at the harbor, Dominic," Enzo said, his tone deadly serious. "Salvatore Vitale just called an emergency meeting of the Commission. He’s claiming you breached contract, insulted his daughter, and broke the syndicate code. He’s authorized a hit on you."
Sophia let out a gasp of horror, wrapping her arms protectively around Lily.
"They know where she lives?" I asked sharply.
"Not yet," Enzo replied. "Your mother kept this apartment off the official family ledgers to hide her tracks. But Isabella is smart. If she realizes Lily went missing at the party, she’ll connect the dots fast."
"We move now," I said, standing up and taking charge. "Pack what you need, Sophia. Just essentials for you and Lily. We’re going to the fortress in Westchester."
"Dominic, I can't just abandon my bakery, my life—" Sophia started, panic rising in her voice.
"Sophia, look at me," I said, grabbing her hands gently but firmly. "I let them drive you away once because I was blind. I will burn all of New York to the ground before I let anyone hurt you or our daughter again. Trust me."
Sophia looked at me, seeing the absolute determination in my eyes, and nodded.
Within ten minutes, we had gathered a single suitcase of clothes and Lily’s favorite stuffed bear. I carried Lily, wrapped safely in my leather trench coat, while Enzo escorted us down the back stairs toward the armored SUV.
As we reached the alleyway behind the bakery, the muffled sound of squealing tires echoed from the main street.
Two black sedans pulled up abruptly in front of Carter’s Pastries. Through the side alley, I saw four heavily armed men in dark coats step out, led by Salvatore Vitale’s right-hand enforcer, Marco.
They were carrying silenced submachine guns.
"They found us," Enzo growled, drawing his weapon.
"Get Sophia and Lily in the back of the Escalade," I ordered, drawing my own sidearm from my shoulder holster. "Drive out through the back alleyway. I’ll clear the exit."
"Dominic, no!" Sophia cried, grabbing my arm. "Don't leave us!"
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I leaned down, pressing a hard, fierce kiss against her lips—the first kiss in four long, painful years. The warmth of her lips sent a surge of adrenaline through my veins.
"I’m not leaving you," I swore against her lips. "I’m protecting my family. Get in the car."
