Chapter 106

Dominic POV

Dominic stood near the window of the hotel room’s bedroom while he stared down at the street below, watching the cars roll by lazily as the sun began to set.

The faint rumble of Mikhail’s men talking in the living area carried through the thin walls. Their presence wasn’t necessary now that things with Alek’s men were over, but Dominic kept them close anyway on the off-chance that he was stupid enough to try something.

With Alek not being dead was a problem to address at another time, though it didn’t escape him that by letting him live, their worries were far from over.

Dominic’s jaw tightened at the thought before pulling his phone out to check his messages. He scrolled through the details sent over to him by Mikhail’s second, his thumb hovering over the last update from his men stationed at the restaurant cleaning up the site.

Fourteen of Alek’s were dead, six critically wounded when fleeing the scene. Back at the mansion, it was in flames with his second-in-command executed point-blank by Marco himself.

The entire operation had been quite efficient. Brutal and clean, just the way it should always be done. Just the way Dominic liked it, actually. The only now was that Alek was still breathing.

He glanced toward the corner of the room where Aurora laid on the bed, curled up in a ball underneath the covers he’d tucked around her before she drifted off. It was no surprise to him how exhausted she was by what she’s been forced to witness.

If he had it his way, he would’ve kept her safe inside this hotel room.

Just a little while ago, Marco and Romero had arrived back to the hotel room with Gianna. She’d kicked and cursed them out until she’d been threatened into silence. Now Marco and Romero flanked her like sentinels, their presence a silent warning to her not to try anything.

Since then, she hadn’t said a word but Dominic could feel the storm brewing in her.

Stepping out of the bedroom and pulling the door shut softly behind him, Dominic scrolled through his contacts until he found Mikhail’s. Moving down the hallway, he gave those still in the living area a passing glance before heading outside of the suite.

As the call rang on the other end, he pulled the door shut until a small sliver of a crack was all that separated the door from its jam.

Once the call connected, he said, “Mikhail. Your men performed as promised.”

“And early,” Mikhail replied, amusement in his tone. “My men said Volkov’s own barely had anyone left to call a retreat. I expect he’s already halfway to Russia by now.”

“Yes, I imagine so. Though, there is no point in him running. His karma will catch up with him eventually. I look forward to being the deliverer of it.”

“Vicious, as always. I like that about you.” Mikhail chuckled. “He will need to regroup while he licks his wounds. Until then, enjoy your time off. I am sure it will take quite a while for him to become a threat again.”

Dominic allowed a faint smirk. “When that time comes, I will gladly meet him at his end.”

“I’ll look forward to it.”

“Payment details?” Dominic prompted.

They exchanged the information with crisp efficiency. Dominic had no issue paying Mikhail’s price, not after the precision his men had displayed today.

“Pleasure doing business with you.”

“Likewise, Guerrero. I look forward to our next transaction. And tell your girl… Aurora, isn’t it? Good luck. She will need it with friends like you around.”

Dominic’s brow twitched slightly, but he didn’t dignify the jab with a response. “Until next time.”

He’d barely lowered the phone before a sound on the other side of the door, broke through the quietness. It sounded like something cracking hard against skin—a slap?

His head snapped around, hand brushing against the door to push it open. Right as he stepped back into the suite, he could already tell from Mikhail’s men, and his own, that something had happened.

They forced a semi-circle around the couch where Gianna was. One of them—Romero—reached forward to grab an arm and pull the person attached to it toward him.

As Dominic stormed over to the scene, the first thing he saw was Aurora’s head snapped to the side, her hair falling over her face like a curtain. Gianna’s hand was still raised, trembling slightly, but her glare burned.

Dominic saw red instantly.

He crossed the room in three long strides and grabbed her by her arm, yanking her out of Romero’s grip. His fingers locked around her, squeezing until she gasped from pain.

“What are you doing?” She hissed.

“You touch her again and I will break your fucking arm.” He snarled at her.

Her face went white.

“Dominic,” Aurora’s voice cracked as she surged up between them, her hands pressed to his chest while she tried to force them apart. “Stop! Please, stop. She didn’t mean it.”

The impression of a hand was already forming on her pale skin, clean and horrible. He had no time to ask her why she was even out here when she was supposed to be sleeping in the bedroom, safely tucked away from the mess that was still being sorted with both Gianna’s arrival and Mikhail’s men.

“Please,” she continued to plead. “She didn’t mean it.

“Yes, she did.” His eyes moved to lock on Gianna, his jaw growing tight while she kept her own gaze pinned on Aurora. There was nothing friendly behind the expression she wore—no warmth or relief that her friend was as safe as she was after Alek was taken down.

All that remained was pure, unadulterated disgust.

It pissed him off to no end.

Gianna, of all people, should be dropping down to her hands and knees in order to kiss Aurora’s feet out of gratitude. Dominic would’ve gladly left her behind to rot or be taken out with Alek’s men if he had it his way.

The only reason she was still breathing was because of the woman standing in front of her.

She tried to wretch her arm out of his grip but he didn’t budge. “You’re sick! You’re all sick! I can’t believe this… he’s using you, Aurora! He’s tricked you into thinking he’s changed but he hasn’t! He’s still the same monster we were trying to run away from when we came to Mexico!”

“It’s not like that. Please, please, let me explain.”

“No!”

“Enough.” Dominic snapped, silencing them both.

“Please. Don’t hurt her. She doesn’t understand. She thinks she’s protecting me.” Aurora turned that pleading gaze on him next.

It made him want to shake her out of both exasperation and pity. “She understands nothing if she thinks hitting you is a solution to get you to talk to her.”

“She’s scared! Just… please let her go. I’ll talk to her.”

His nostrils flared.

For a moment, he toggled with the idea of ignoring her wishes entirely. It would certainly save them all a giant headache if he tossed Gianna out of the suite and told her to fend for herself before locking the door in her face.

The only thing that was currently saving her from Dominic actually following through with that desire was Aurora.

With visible effort, he released her arm and let her go. She stumbled back from him while clutching her arm, her glare not at all wavering from either of them.

“You’re too far gone. Switching sides over and over—how can you even keep track anymore?” The words were spat out between clenched teeth.

Aurora flinched as if the words had struck her harder than the slap had. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I-I never wanted you to get caught up in this.”

Gianna’s scream was jagged. “You keep doing this over and over again! You brought all this hell down on us when we were supposed to be free! You promised me we wouldn’t get dragged back into this mafia shit!”

Tears spilled down Aurora’s cheeks. “G…”

Romero stepped forward, a hand firm on Gianna’s shoulder. “That’s enough.”

She flinches away from him. “Don’t touch me!”

Romero sighed, looking more annoyed than he felt. “Want me to take her back ahead of time? We can leave now while you finish up business here.”

Dominic’s eyes didn’t leave Gianna’s. “Yes. Bring her back to the Carusos. Make sure she’s given to her father.”

Gianna twisted in Romero’s grip when he grabbed her. “Don’t touch me! Stop!”

“Marco, go with them.” Dominic ordered.

His cousin peeled away from his brother’s side, obediently and without question, trailing after his second.

“I’m sorry,” Aurora whispered, more tears streaming down her face.

Gianna wasn’t listening. Her curses and sobs filled the room as Romero guided her toward the door. She screamed, the sound echoing off the walls, while Romero shut the door behind them.

Dominic turned back to Aurora, his eyes sweeping over her face. The red mark on her cheek was already blooming into a welt. His fingers twitched at his side.

He said nothing as he pulled her away from the dozens of eyes watching the situation unfold. She went without a fight, following him back to the bedroom with her eyes trained down at the floor. As soon as the door was shut behind them, he brought her over to the bed and sat her down on top of it.

“Why did you let her hit you?” he asked.

Aurora’s lips trembled. “She was trying to…”

“Don’t defend someone who has hurt you, Aurora.”

“She thinks I’m brainwashed. She’s terrified and angry because she doesn't know what’s going on. I went out to talk to her because I knew she was probably scared with all those guys surrounding her. She doesn’t know what’s going to happen to her, that’s why she lashed out.” Her voice cracked on the last sentence.

He could only shake his head in response. “She’s not worth your loyalty.”

“She is to me. You have to understand, this is my fault. I’ve flipped so many times on her that she doesn’t know what to believe anymore.”

Dominic stepped closer, kneeling before her. He reached out, tilting her chin gently with his fingers. His thumb brushed along the welt, making sure to keep his touch featherlight. “I should’ve killed her for this, you know.”

Aurora’s eyes widened in panic. “Don’t. Please. R-Romero isn’t going to hurt her, right?”

“No. He won’t,” he said curtly. “If I gave him orders to do so, he would. Since I told him to bring him back to your family’s estate, she will be fine.”

Aurora sagged in relief.

He studied her face—the faint tremor in her jaw, the unshed tears clinging to her lashes. Something tight and unfamiliar coiled in his chest as the sight of her so damn sad and downtrodden.

He’d seen her upset plenty of times since meeting her, however for some reason, watching her crumble like this was doing things to him.

“Come on,” he murmured, moving to wrap his arms around her and pull her close to his chest. “You need rest.”

She sobbed into his chest, clinging onto him like he was her last hope on Earth of surviving.