Dominic raised his brows. “Is that so? Did you buy another failing company?”
Emmett laughed. “No, not this time. I’m getting married.”
That’s two down… “Seriously?”
“Don’t sound so surprised. Last time we talked I told you things were serious with me and Liane.”
“I know what you told me, but there’s serious and then there’s wedding serious.”
“What can I say? I love her. I want to spend my life with her.”
Lucky guy. “So when’s the wedding? You and Ace going to have a double one?”
“Are you kidding? He’d never agree to that. We haven’t set a date, but when we do I’ll let each of you know.”
“Congratulations.”
“Thanks. Never thought it would happen to me.”
“I never thought it would happen to any of us.”
“Well, you know we won’t live forever. I’ve waited long enough to find someone to love this much.”
Dominic felt the same way, but he’d never told any of his friends.
“Not to change the subject or anything,” said Emmett, “but is this a social call or do you need my help with something?”
“When did I ever make a social call to any of you?”
“Exactly.” Dominic smiled at the humor in Emmett’s voice.. “What’s going on?”
“What’s going on is that I hired the first member of my team to track down IP addresses and machine IDs. She started today, but during the interview she blew through that test Merrick and I designed in forty-five minutes.”
“Wow. Maybe it’s a shitty test?”
“Hysterical, Radcliffe. Really hysterical. No one else I interviewed broke through and found the ID in less than two hours. I wanted to call each of you and see if you’re having similar results.”
“I haven’t interviewed anyone yet. Liane is vetting candidates for me from among her former classmates, but I know Blaine and Ace have interviewed some. I believe Addison and Viggo have interviews lined up at least. You’re ahead of the game, as usual.”
“Well let me know how the candidates you interview do with the test. If we have to tweak it, we will.”
“Will do. So tell me about the new hire.”
Dominic smiled. He had avoided using a video chat for this call on purpose because he wasn’t one to discuss his sex life with any of them, and he was certain he looked like he’d just fucked his brains out. “Her name is Angela Davidson, and she earned a graduate degree about a year ago. She’s very excited about the project, and I know she’ll do well.”
“Great. I guess the rest of us had better get moving.”
“That would be a good idea.”
He and Emmett talked about other business-related matters, and then Dominic ended the call. He was no longer in the mood to call the others. Instead he sent out an email to each of them, letting them know about Angela. Then he asked the same questions he’d asked of Emmett about the test and any candidates they were interviewing.
Even doing something as innocuous as giving Emmett Angela’s name had brought back the reality that she was hiding from or terrified of someone or something. He’d been able to push it away for a while, but now that it had resurfaced, it was time to dig around a bit deeper than he’d already done.
Dominic rose and peered into the hallway. His office was close to the stairs. He listened, but didn’t hear movement. He’d left the bedroom door open on purpose so he was likely to hear her if she moved around the room or ran the water the bathroom. He returned to his desk and woke up his laptop, then tried a different approach to search.
When she’d told him about learning Italian from her mother and he’d asked if it had always just been the two of them, he’d caught a quick glimpse of terror on her face. She had a biological father, even if for whatever reason he had not been named on her birth certificate. Did she fear him returning to her life?
Or what if the man she feared would return to her life wasn’t her biological father, but a stepfather, or perhaps an ex-boyfriend of her mother’s? She’d lied to him and said she’d learned Italian from a roommate in college because she hadn’t wanted him to know her mother spoke it. Why not?
A nasty shiver ran down Dominic’s spine at that thought. She certainly looked Italian, but that didn’t mean anything. He had no clue what her mother looked like, so she might have inherited the dark eyes and dark hair from either parent. Her mother might have been a widow by the time Angela had been born, and Davidson was her married name. There were plenty of scenarios that explained everything he knew about Angela so far.
He searched a database that listed convicted felons, and this time typed in Marilyn Teresa Davidson as a general association, to see if any links came up. Nothing. He was familiar with this particular database because he used it weekly to keep tabs on the family he was hiding from. He wasn’t afraid of anyone tracing the usage back to him because the site was so busy that it would be like trying to sift through sand for one particular grain. There was safety in numbers where this site was concerned.
That, and he was ninety-nine percent sure his family didn’t know the name he now used.
After he spent an hour trying to find evidence that Angela and her mother had ever done anything other than the generic crap he’d already found online, he came up with not so much as a damn parking ticket for either one before they’d moved underground, so he returned to the database and typed in the usual names, just like he did every week.
Gene Trapani, his real cousin, had disappeared seven years ago when everyone had been forced to move underground. Dominic had never found any trace of him that was dated past 2118, and there was still none.
Leo Trapani, another cousin, had fled to Europe when Dominic was twenty-three to avoid prosecution by the FBI for multiple trafficking charges, but had been apprehended at some point and brought back to the USA. He was now underground serving time in a federal penitentiary located in CentralEast, underneath the former Washington, DC.
No one was supposed to know where such facilities had been built underground, but Dominic had friends in high places. The former hit-man Leo was in for life for multiple murders, but Dominic checked up on him anyway. You never knew who knew who and could do what.
Mario Trapani, Dominic’s grandfather, had died during a massive flood above ground in 2117. His surviving sons weren’t currently in jail, so all Dominic could find were their last convictions and time served, plus their last known addresses, all above ground. He still checked this database routinely just in case they showed up in a facility again one day.
One name not in the database because he had never had a felony conviction, or served time in any jail above or below ground, was Antonio Trapani. The only information on Antonio available online showed him missing as of age twenty-three, and his current whereabouts unknown. If anyone searched deeper for information on Antonio, they’d discover that he was also one of Mario’s grandsons, but what they wouldn’t find is the reason Antonio had all but disappeared from the face of the Earth.
Dominic pushed back from the desk for a moment and listened again at the door, but there was no movement upstairs. He walked to the wall of windows and glanced out over the fake night sky.
In his heart, he’d stopped being Antonio Trapani long before his twenty-third birthday, two days before he walked out on his family for good. The same day that he’d stood in his grandfather’s study inside the family mansion in a suburb north of Chicago, and refused to honor the old man’s request that he help his cousin Gene kill Frank, Mike, and Danny Rossi.
It wasn’t that he didn’t sympathize with why his grandfather had wanted them dead, or that he wasn’t just as upset that Leo, the original hit-man who had never had time to complete his job, had fled to Europe to avoid prosecution. That was a betrayal of the family, as much as the Rossi brothers had betrayed Gene’s trust when they skipped out on a massive drug sale without giving Gene his cut. Business was still business, even if
it was illegal.
The hit had been taken out on the Rossi brothers by Dominic’s grandfather, they got wind of it, and then they’d gone to the FBI. Leo had fled the country, but that left the others behind to face the feds.
Regardless of his sympathy and loyalty for his family, murder was not something Antonio had ever wanted any part of. He’d told his grandfather that from the time he had understood what the word meant, and as soon as he understood the kinds of organized crime their family was involved in. He wanted to do his part for the family in other ways. Ways that utilized his skills with computers and logic, but that wasn’t good enough for the Trapani family.
After the nuclear war scare of 2072, organized crime enjoyed a resurgence in the USA and other countries because of the panic. People wanted shelters, and all these massive underground cities were being built at the same time. That in turn wrought havoc with the delicate balance above ground between legal and illegal businesses, and the crime families once again moved in to take over, just as they’d first done during Prohibition in the 1920s.
By the time the FBI got their act together, after realizing that there would be no nuclear wars and mass populations didn’t have to move underground in a hurry, the damage had already been done. Antonio still hadn’t wanted to resort to killing people, so he walked out on his family. That simply was not done. Not if one wanted to live to tell about it, that is.
He changed his name to Dominic Greco, a character in an obscure book he’d read as a child, and moved to Los Angeles where his good friend, Viggo Ingram, helped him build a new identity.
But no one leaves a crime family. Not really. Not forever. While Dominic built his empire above ground, he watched his back constantly. It wasn’t until Tommy Twister sent The Madeline Project running amok that he began to believe he might be safe one day. In the panic that followed for two years, he moved underground and built extra layers of protection between him and his former family.
Then one stupid argument with a woman named Becca Stowe had nearly cost him all the work he’d put into hiding from a family who wanted him dead. Dominic shook his head as he walked back to his desk. It had been a mistake because he had let things go too far with Becca. As soon as she’d started trying to redecorate his apartment and made the quip about him not having to use condoms every time, he should have ended it.
Dominic had always been upfront and honest about what he wanted out of a relationship. Becca had a volatile personality that at first had excited him. She was a hellcat in bed, but he soon realized her temper wasn’t going to soften, and he couldn’t deal with the constant fights.
He also caught her snooping in his browser history more than once, with the excuses she’d been looking for a restaurant they’d recently gone to or an event they’d attended. He’d known she’d been lying, and still he kept seeing her.
Then when he’d ended it, she’d quit her job with his company and threatened him. She’d told him she had taken information with her from work, and it was only then he realized how easily she could ruin everything for him. He’d been blindsided.
Just like you are now with Angela.
No. He sighed and rested his chin in his hands. Angela wasn’t Becca. Becca had been different from the start. She’d had an agenda, and it hadn’t been too difficult to spot. Angela wasn’t like her at all, except in looks. Dark hair and dark eyes. He’d never been able to resist a girl with both. Becca’s strong personality had clouded his usually rational mind.
This time was different. Angela had a secret of her own. She wasn’t out to dig up dirt on him. She wouldn’t threaten him or try to betray him.
There were three more names he always typed in, and he did so now. The Rossi brothers. All three had survived the storms above ground and were in three different federal pens, or had been the last time he’d checked. Frank had a recent parole hearing, but he had them annually, and he’d never been released. So Dominic had no reason to believe he’d find out tonight that Frank Rossi was no longer in jail.
A noise reached his ears. The rest of his weekly search would have to wait. He closed the windows because he didn’t want Angela to see where he was searching, and then he went out to meet her. She wore nothing but one of his shirts, and his dick jumped to attention as he watched her walk down the stairs. “Did you get some sleep?”
“I did. Thank you, but now I’m starving and I missed your warm body next to mine.”
Oh Lord… “It’s not unusual for me to work late at night, or at any time actually.”
She sauntered up to him and put her arms around his shoulders. “I understand. Should I let you get back to work?”
He chuckled softly and kissed her. “Right. As if I could concentrate on anything else now after seeing you in nothing but a shirt.”
“I hope it’s all right I wore one.”
“Absolutely.”
“I wasn’t sure if anyone else was in the apartment.”
“Only on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, but don’t worry. Judy and Burt have worked for me for a long time. They’re married to each other, and they’re very discreet. So even if they catch us in the act one day, it won’t matter.”
She smiled at him in a decidedly wicked way, and he let out a shaky breath at the look of desire in her dark eyes. “That means we’re alone all night.”
“Yes, it does.”
“Too bad we have to work in the morning.”
“I’m the boss, and we have our laptops here. We can work in bed.”
Angela giggled, and then she ran a finger over his chest and down his abdomen, stopping just short of touching his cock.
“Where did this bold streak come from? I love it.”
She circled her finger around his lower abdomen forcing him to bite back a moan. “I’m glad to hear you say that because I love it, too. It’s wonderful to feel this way. Confident enough to flirt.”
“Oh Angela…” He grabbed her hand and placed it over his dick. “I wish you knew how damn beautiful and sexy you are.”
“You make me feel that way.”
“It’s about time.” He couldn’t stand it any longer. He pulled her into a rough embrace and kissed her, shoving his tongue into her mouth. She moaned loudly and pushed up against his erection, grinding her hips into it. Whoa! He’d unleashed a beast, and Dominic couldn’t be happier about that.
Chapter Twelve
Angela had no idea where this wantonness came from, but she didn’t care. She wanted him again. He captured her mouth in a kiss so hot she was sure they’d both combust. When he released it, his grin sent fresh wetness to her pussy. “I never did punish you for coming without permission earlier.”
Chills ran down her spine. “No, you didn’t. You should take care of that as soon as possible before I do it again.”
He shook his head slightly. “What are you doing to me?”
She didn’t understand the question, but she loved the look of lust and admiration in his eyes. “I’ve never had this much fun.” It was true. She’d spent a lifetime hiding from unknown assailants. All she knew about them was that they wanted her father and both uncles dead, and if they found her or her mother, they’d kill them, too. She didn’t even know their names.
Angela’s mother had refused to tell her any information, explaining it was for her own safety, but Angela was tired of hiding from unknown phantoms. She wouldn’t do anything foolish or break the WITSEC rules, but she also didn’t want to live without passion and maybe even love in her life. It was time to crawl out of the darkness and take a chance on someone for longer than a few dates.
“Neither have I,” said Dominic, his voice soft and full of awe. “I swear to you that’s the truth.” He sighed loudly and then planted a hand on each shoulder. “I want to explain something to you. I know I have a reputation of being a player, and there was a time I was, but I’m not that man anymore. The truth … I can’t believe I’m admitting this.”
She searched his beautiful face for any hint of bullsh
it, but all she saw was sincerity.
“The truth is that it’s been five years since I’ve had any real relationship. Oh, I’ve dated, but the relationships were casual and brief. Nothing more. I was burned badly by a woman who tried to hurt me and my company, and I’ve been gun-shy ever since.”
Wow. She hadn’t been expecting that. “I’m sorry that happened to you.”
He shook his head. “It’s over and done with. I don’t want to hide anymore. It’s time to let someone in again.”
She swallowed hard as his words eerily echoed her own thoughts. What had this woman done to him that he’d hidden from a serious relationship for that long? Angela wasn’t sure she wanted to know, but she certainly understood what it was like to wrap oneself in a cocoon and never want to leave. It was safer that way. Horribly lonely, but safe.
“I don’t want to hide either.”
He frowned, and concern filled his dark eyes. “What are you hiding from, Angela? Maybe I can help.”
Oh lord... It would be so easy to let him. It would make everything simple, and it would free her of the burden. He had unlimited resources and could likely find out who these men were, and whether they were still a threat. The DOJ and her WITSEC inspectors were supposed to do that, too, but she and her mother had so many contacts in both departments over the years that Angela didn’t feel she knew any of them. Certainly she trusted them, but couldn’t she also trust Dominic?
“I wish you could.”
Instead of satisfying him, her answer only further increased the worry on his face. “I don’t mean to imply I’m accusing you, but if there’s something you need to tell me that will impact me or my company, now is the time to do it.”
She shook her head. “No. Absolutely not. Nothing like that.” Not unless she was stupid enough to give this man her heart as well as her body. Even then, her first WITSEC inspector had told her that people in witness protection get married and have children, and they keep their secret for the rest of their lives. She couldn’t imagine becoming close enough to any man where she’d entertain the idea of marriage and children, but not tell him who she really was.
The Price of Secrecy Page 8