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“Yes. One you’re going to be a part of.”
Curiosity gets the better of me. “Are you serious?”
“Those Kevlar suits of yours… How many do you think you can make in a day?”
I crunch the numbers in my head. “Well, since I already have your measurements, I can probably get through one a day.”
Dominic shakes his head. “Not for me, for my men.”
I hold my breath. “What are you planning?”
“We’ve been hiding long enough. It’s time to take the fight to their doorstep.”
“That sounds dangerous.”
“It will be. That’s why I need to go in prepared.”
“Is there really no other way?” I ask, my heart drumming loudly in my chest.
“I’m afraid not. The only way this stops is if I die—” My blood freezes when he says this, the thought too terrible to bear. “—or if I kill Lorenzo and Renato first.”
Chewing on the inside of my cheek, thewhat ifstake over my brain.
What if Dominic isn’t successful? What if he ends up dead?
What if hesucceeds?
It’s pretty clear these attacks won’t stop. I won’t pretend to know Lorenzo’s motivations, but if he’s after Dominic, the man leaves me no choice but to hate him. When—not if—Dominic makes it out of this alive, will he still have to dedicate himself to the Mafia? It feels foolish to dream of a future far away from all this nonsense, but I can’t stop seeing it.
A house in the suburbs complete with a white picket fence, a big yard full of green grass where our children can run around, a cul-de-sac where Dominic can teach the kids how to ride their bikes… It feels more like a fairytale than reality.
I guess we’re just going to have to focus on solving one problem at a time.
“I can do it,” I say. “Just tell me how many I need to make.”
“I’ll compile a list for you. I’m planning to gather my most loyal men. There aren’t going to be too many. Five at most. I need to keep the circle as small as possible to avoid the risk of moles.”
“And then what?’
Dominic presses his lips into a thin line. “I’m going to hit Lorenzo where it hurts. Nobody knows Lorenzo’s racket like I do. All I have to do is burn it to the ground.”
Chapter 26
Arin
The apartment becomes a fortress of sorts. A command center. Men I’ve never met come and go, arriving for their fittings before promptly leaving without a word. I’m not particularly worried, though. If Dominic trusts them enough to be a part of his inner circle, then I trust them, too. Things are moving far too quickly and urgently around here to spare any time for doubt.
I work around the clock, creating suits with Kevlar linings from scratch. It feels good to use my hands again, the rhythmic sound of my sewing machine a comforting metronome helping me keep up with the pace. The more suits I make, the faster I get. Before I know it, I’m churning out special orders like I’m a factory instead of a one-woman show.
“Mommy?” Felicia calls out from the play area I’ve set up in the corner, the same way I did in my small dress shop.
“Yes, sweetie?”
“Wanna snack.”
I glance at the time. It’s been a while since we had lunch, and knowing my daughter, she’ll throw a tantrum if she doesn’t have something to tide her over for dinner.
“Let me guess,” I say with a smile. “Do you want pudding?”
