“You didn’t have to do shit,” I protest.
“You don’t understand.” Dominic makes a sharp turn into the coffee shop, then throws the car into park. “We were getting pulled in different directions at the time and had scores to settle.”
“What are you talking about?”
He runs a hand through his hair and takes a deep breath. “You know about what happened to my brother but you don’t know about my cousin.”
I sit up in my seat and look at him.
“My cousin was gunned down in cold blood by people tied to the mob. I was fifteen years old at the time and he was twenty-five. He was a good man and he wasn’t involved in anythingshady. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time and the men must have thought he was someone else. No one did a damn thing about it. They knew it was the mafia who had done it but they said they didn’t have enough evidence. That influenced my decision to be on the right side of the law and I promised myself that when I was twenty-three I would apply to the bureau.”
“Dominic, I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you ever tell me this?” I reach over and touch his arm.
“Because when you told me what your family did, I knew I couldn’t tell you. I wasn’t even sure what I wanted to do, but I knew I had a duty to avenge my cousin. I don’t believe in taking care of people the way you do. Honestly, I thought your father would be in charge forever, so I put in my application. I never thought they would take me, just like I never thought your father would leave his entire empire to you. I was in denial thinking you wouldn’t take over. But when you did, I knew it was a sign that I had to do this for my cousin. To make matters worse, my brother was spiraling and it took its toll on me.”
“You should have told me. We could have talked about this.” My voice cracks as I pull my hand back. “We had that huge fight the day after it was announced in my father’s will that I was in charge. You told me not to do it and I told you I had to. Then you texted me later and said we couldn’t be together anymore. You changed your phone number and disappeared from my life. When I finally was able to track you down, I found out you were working for the FBI, our enemy.”
“It wasn’t personal, Cipi. I couldn’t bring myself to tell you the truth. You would have thought I betrayed you when I didn’t. Besides, I was trying to protect you. You think it was easy watching you from afar? Hearing your name whispered in bureau briefings?” He reaches for my hand but I pull back.
“We could have made it work if you had just talked to me instead of making the decision for both of us. I didn’t have tobecome the boss,” I whisper, my voice cracking as I fight to keep my emotions at bay.
Dominic shakes his head. “It would have never worked. A mafia queen and an FBI agent.” He chuckles slightly. “We both had shit we had to do. I had to avenge my cousin. You had to go lead your family and show all those male mafia bosses that women can play in their league. I would have held you back and I would have been a target. As much as it hurt me, I had to let you go. But it doesn’t mean I didn’t think about you every day.”
“Did you avenge your cousin?” I change the subject because I’m afraid I will start crying.
He nods. “It took many years but I was able to find the men who shot him and got them sentenced to life in prison. I never wanted to hurt you, Cipi. I wanted to be with you but your family would never accept me.”
“They accepted you when we were together,” I protest.
“Yes, but back then I was just Dominic Cartieri, a baker’s son. Dominic Cartieri, the FBI agent, would have brought a lot of problems to your doorstep.”
I shift my gaze to the window so he can’t see the tears forming in my eyes. He has no idea how much he hurt me.
“I never betrayed you, Cipi. The whole time I was with the agency, I never went after your family.”
I don’t acknowledge his comment. “I want to go to Madeline’s house.”
“What?”
“You heard me, I want to go to Madeline’s house.”
“You should be resting.”
“It’s still early. I have nothing else planned for the day because I’m supposed to be resting. Besides, I’m a mafia boss and I can do what I want. And what I want is to question her myself. She has a connection to Rafael and I know her grandson is involved in this somehow. I just need proof.”
Dominic doesn’t protest. He shifts the car into reverse and backs out of the space. “As you wish, Your Majesty.”
Chapter sixteen
Thirty minutes later, Dominic turns onto the winding road that snakes through the hills toward Madeline Toma’s estate.
The ride is quiet. Mostly because I don’t know what to say after Dominic dropped that bombshell about his cousin on me. Even though we had gotten pulled in different directions, maybe there was a way we could have made it work.
I can’t dwell in the past right now. I have a murderer to find.
At the gatehouse, a uniformed guard places a quick call before waving us through.
The wrought-iron gates swing open, adorned with twisted vines and roses that gleam in the afternoon light. We follow the semicircular paver-stone driveway that features a marble fountain in the center. Winged lions spew arcs of water into a black stone basin.
