Dominic’s POV

Chapter 88: Blood and Betrayal

Several days had passed since that night with Gemma—the night I surrendered my heavily guarded heart to her completely. In her arms, I discovered a sanctuary I never knew existed in my blood-soaked world. For those precious hours, I believed she had given herself to me with the same desperate totality. Then my encrypted phone shattered our perfect moment with its urgent buzz, and I had to vanish into the darkness of family duty.

Marcus’s capture by our family operatives demanded my immediate presence. As the Capo responsible for our financial networks, I needed to coordinate the media blackout and ensure no loose threads remained. Our contacts within law enforcement successfully buried the arrest records, and our legal team kept the entire operation sealed from prying eyes. Yet that treacherous snake managed to secure representation from one of the city’s most expensive attorneys—no doubt funded by our enemies—and walked free within hours. The thought of him breathing the same air as decent people made my blood run cold with rage.

I had left a note for Gemma at my secured apartment—a desperate plea wrapped in vulnerability I’d never shown another soul. Her silence cut deeper than any blade ever could. Now, agony consumed every fiber of my being, the physical pain intertwining with emotional devastation until I couldn’t distinguish between them. Fury at Marcus’s betrayal, frustration at my own failures, and crushing regret for ever trusting that poisonous bastard churned in my chest like acid. The pressure sometimes grew so intense I wondered if this was how men died of broken hearts. Losing her had shattered something essential in my core.

Desperate for the brotherhood that had always been my anchor, I arranged lunch with Caleb and the others. I hadn’t seen my blood brothers since our emergency meeting with our family’s legal team at Caleb’s fortress-like office. We met at an upscale restaurant in neutral territory, and their familiar faces provided momentary relief from the darkness consuming me. As we prepared to leave, movement in my peripheral vision froze me to the spot.

There sat Gemma, luminous and smiling, with the same civilian I’d noticed lurking outside her building during my surveillance sweeps. For one devastating second, our gazes locked across the crowded dining room. I could only shake my head in bitter disbelief. After everything we’d shared—after she’d been completely mine that night, body and soul—she was entertaining another man. Was this some twisted game? A calculated move to wound me? Or did she simply take pleasure in watching a Capo crumble? I forced myself to turn away and stride toward the exit.

"Dominic, you look like hell," Xavier’s concerned voice followed me into the street.

"Nothing’s right anymore, Xavier," Caleb answered before I could respond. "I recognize that look. You want my advice?"

"Absolutely not," I said flatly.

"I’m giving it anyway. No matter how much this tears you apart, don’t abandon her. Crawl if you have to, beg, humble yourself before her, but never surrender," Caleb commanded with the authority of a Don. "If you give up on her, you’ll never survive the aftermath. Trust me—I’ve walked through that particular hell."

"Your situation with Ivy," I acknowledged with a heavy sigh.

"Exactly. I endured months of torment and near-madness fighting for my wife. But every moment of suffering was worth it," Caleb’s expression held the hard-won wisdom of a man who’d conquered his demons.

"Want me to run a background check on the guy?" Jude offered, his surveillance instincts kicking in.

"No. I’ve seen enough," I replied curtly.

After parting ways with my brothers, I returned to the anonymous luxury hotel that had become my sanctuary. I couldn’t stomach returning to my penthouse apartment where her scent still lingered, or the family compound house where servants would witness my downfall. I drank myself into oblivion alone in that sterile room, surrounded by the ghosts of my failures.

The following morning, I dragged myself to Zenith Systems headquarters, struggling to maintain the facade of the ruthless Capo everyone expected. Zoe observed me with sharp eyes but maintained her professional distance. I was attempting to focus on laundering reports when my mother’s call interrupted.

"Dominic, how are you holding up?"

"Managing, Mom." I tried to inject some strength into my voice.

"’Managing’ isn’t an answer for a mother who’s worried sick. Where were you yesterday?" Her maternal radar had always been impossibly accurate.

"Around the city, Mom."

"’Around the city’ tells me nothing. I need real answers."

"I was handling family business."

"No, you weren’t. You didn’t answer your secured line, weren’t at the office, weren’t at the penthouse, and haven’t been seen at the compound house in weeks. In fact, my sources tell me you’ve been completely absent from both properties."

"Mom, I’m staying at the hotel." I surrendered to her relentless maternal investigation.

"Why a hotel when you have perfectly secure residences?" 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

"Because I can’t bear to enter places that remind me of what I’ve lost, and I can’t face the family seeing me like this."

"Then come home to me. You don’t need to hide in some impersonal hotel room, son."

"Mom, I need isolation right now. Please don’t take it personally."

"Dominic, let me help you through this," she pleaded with the desperation only a mother could feel.

"The best way you can help is by giving me space to process this, and the hotel provides the anonymity I require right now."

"Fine. I’ll respect that decision. But I need to know exactly where you’re staying, so I can find you if necessary."

"Understood, Mom. I’ll send you the details through secure channels."

When I terminated the call, I caught Zoe studying me with undisguised concern. Yet she maintained her professional silence, simply settling into her chair so we could begin the day’s criminal enterprises.

Days bled into weeks, and weeks dissolved into months. Several months had passed since that final night with Gemma when I’d believed we had a future together. My descent into darkness accelerated with each sunrise. Occasionally, I’d encounter Gemma during family gatherings at Caleb’s compound, but she’d invariably disappear the moment I arrived. My existence had contracted to mechanically executing my Capo duties during daylight hours, then retreating to my hotel to drink away the memories.

I began appearing at headquarters looking increasingly unstable—arriving late, reeking of expensive whiskey, hollow-eyed like a man already dead. I delegated all client meetings to Zoe, limiting my participation to signing whatever documents she placed before me. Her continued silence struck me as uncharacteristic; she merely watched me with calculating eyes, speaking only about operational necessities. My life had become a barren wasteland, each day more desolate than the last.