Dominic: The Protectors Trilogy - Book one

by Anne Marck

  I clearly remember my stepfather’s satisfied look at receiving the information. I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.

  I didn’t really process the words. I just made a mental note to ask Vincent about it later, but I never had time for that. Everything happened too quickly and, less than two hours later, my mother was crushed between a rock and her own car.

  Monster, damned monster.

  Changing strategy, I remove the hoodie and sign again for a ride. Maybe looking like a girl makes things easier. Not that I’m going to get into just any car. I’m angry, not dumb.

  A few more tries, and a vehicle finally signals that it will stop.

  Half-uncertain, I approach the window. To my relief, there’s a woman behind the wheel.

  “Hi,” I say awkwardly. “My name is Lu … Luiza, and I’ve lost my purse … Can you give me a ride to the top of Lincoln Avenue?”

  Dominic

  I can’t concentrate on what’s being said. I have a bad feeling about Luna.

  “Do you agree, Dom?” Chris looks at me expectantly.

  “Whatever …” I grumble, anxious for this shit to end.

  I don’t want to be back in the company, but I also can’t ignore the fact that my brothers do need my help.

  “That will work out well,” Damien says.

  “As long as my terms are upheld,” I mutter humorlessly. Then I watch my two brothers, who are clearly pleased that I’m back, and decide to withdraw the hostile attitude. They aren’t responsible for the damn torment I’m in. “I’m happy to be here.”

  Christian is the first to call me out. “I don’t believe it, but we need to go out to celebrate.”

  “Not today, bro. I have a few things to sort out.” I give him a slap on the back.

  “Damien?” Chris asks.

  Damien quickly turns his eyes toward the setting sun.

  “What the fuck is going on with you two?” Christian looks between us suspiciously. “Suddenly no one can go out at night?” He narrows his eyes. “Women. I can only conclude there are women behind this sudden change.” The idiot’s laughter makes me laugh, too.

  Damien clears his throat uncomfortably. “I wish, man. But I actually need to sign some contracts, and I have to read them carefully. If you’ll excuse me.”

  If I didn’t know the bastard, I might believe him.

  “I can help you,” I say solicitously.

  He narrows his eyes at me.

  Yeah, I got you.

  “Not necessary, Dom.” He raises one of his eyebrows in defiance. “Besides, I think you have your own business to handle.”

  “Nothing that makes it impossible for me to keep an eye on your business, too, brother.” I barely contain my humor.

  Christian watches everything closely. Then he shakes his head and laughs. “You guys are definitely weird.”

  Glad someone is entertained by it.

  Luna

  After examining me carefully, the woman lets me into her car and gives me a ride. We’re both relieved when it’s over. I think she expected me to announce a robbery at any moment. With my current appearance, I can’t blame her.

  I ask her to drop me off where I can walk the rest of the way on foot so my arrival won’t be noticed. Then I climb the steep road carefully so I won’t be seen, sneaking through the shrubs of the few mansions in the area.

  Passing in front of one of the largest houses with huge lattices on the gates, I remember Vincent once commenting on the owner during a dinner. He said the mansion belonged to a Mr. Gael Nikolaevich, a Russian mafia boss. Thinking back to that, who is Vincent to talk about someone with such disdain when he’s a criminal himself?

  I stop to take a breath and use the opportunity to admire the property. Good architecture, arguably the largest house here.

  “Lost?” A foreign accent surprises me.

  I leap at the sight of a tall, rustically handsome man, dressed in a suit that fits his body well, and bring my hand to my heart. “S-sorry … I was just resting,” I stutter nervously.

  He crosses his arms, assessing me suspiciously.

  “Sebastian, the car is ready, man,” another man with a thick accent says.

  “Go ahead, Ball. I’m right behind you.” His tone sends a shiver down my spine.

  The other man throws me a funny look then turns around, heading toward a car that I didn’t even notice.

  “Be careful, girl,” the stranger warns. “It’s already getting dark and nothing good can come from walking alone at night here.”

  I bite my lip, swallow, and then nod. Then I compose myself and walk away, feeling his eyes burning my back.

  Dominic

  “You could be more discreet about what you think of my driving,” Damien mocks, parking the car in the space next to where I left mine.

  “Driving like a snail to irritate me isn’t a very smart move, Damien, considering Jasmine has asked me to take her to my house and I’m seriously considering giving in to the request.”

  I feel like laughing at my own joke. Damien is so transparent, and he doesn’t even know it.

  “If you think you can deal with two brats under the same roof, go ahead,” he returns crankily.

  I take a deep breath then exhale calmly. “I think Jasmine isn’t as bad as you say. Her company will do Luna good.” With that, I unbuckle the seatbelt and step out of the car.

  I hear Damien’s angry babble. The guy is incredible. He runs a billion-dollar company yet doesn’t realize he’s biting his own ass over a girl.

  I call the elevator and hope my brother joins me.

  “Leave her here, Dom,” he says. “I could help with this situation, maybe even get her a job at the construction company.”

  I stop the teasing and get serious. My brother is a good guy, despite his snobby appearance, as Jasmine would say. I can tell he’s interested in her, despite the fact that he tries to hide it.

  “Behave with her, Damien. Jasmine has had a hard life, and the last thing she needs right now is you throwing shit at her. If you’re interested, do the right thing. And keep your dick away until you decide.

  “Is this fucking thing broken?” I grumble, watching the steel box pass slowly by each floor, taking longer than ever.

  “Same speed as ever, brother,” Damien whispers distractedly.

  As soon as I approach the apartment door, I know something is wrong. Then, when I step inside, I have no doubt when I see Jasmine, head down, pacing back and forth, entwining her fingers nervously.

  “Where is she?”

  Jasmine looks at me in distress. “I-I-I can’t tell you, Dominic. I’m sorry.” Her words are spoken so low that I need to strain to hear her.

  Oh, shit, shit, shit!

  I take a step forward. “Come on, Jasmine; tell me where Luna is.”

  She backs away. “Lu asked me not to. I really can’t tell you.”

  The fuck you can’t!

  “You don’t understand, Jasmine. Luna is in danger. You have to tell me. Now,” I demand.

  “Tell him, Jasmine,” Damien intrudes.

  Her gaze flits between us. I don’t need to see Damien to know that his expression isn’t positive either. “I-I’m not going to talk … and I’m leaving this house,” she says with false determination, barely hiding her own terror.

  Before I can do anything, Damien is on her.

  “You’re not going anywhere. And you will tell us where that brat is. Now!” The hiss that slips past my brother’s teeth surprises me.

  “Let go of my arm, asshole. I’m leaving, and you can’t stop me!” she screams.

  I turn toward her. “Jasmine, her stepfather is a dangerous man who has tried to kill her more than once. Dirty already knows who she is, too, and it won’t take long for him to find her.”

  Her eyes go wide.

  “I need to protect her. Please, Jasmine, tell me what’s going on.” I give up the calm façade and practically spew my anguish. “She’s too stubborn to know what’s right.”
>
  Jasmine palms her face, doubt dripping in droplets of sweat down her forehead. “She … She asked me to keep it a secret, Dominic.” Her last appeal is almost a plea.

  “If you want her safe, you have to tell me where she is.”

  A deep sigh leaves her as Damien holds her to him. “She said that …” She takes a deep breath. “Luna went to her house to grab a camcorder to use against her stepfather, and then she said something about …” She presses her hand against her head. “… about exposing him.”

  Fuck!

  Shaken by the certainty that something very bad is about to happen, I pull out my cell phone and start searching for her.

  Luna

  The foreigner was right; the sun is descending on the horizon, leaving darkness in its place. Doesn’t matter. It’s better not to be seen. I have less than two hours to get in, get my camera, call the police, and expose Vincent to all those he cheated.

  I stop in front of the property that was my home for many years and look through the bars, my heart racing. So many years living here and now this place seems so cold, so far from my reality. What used to be a home built by my parents with love is now only a beautiful heap of cement, iron, and glass. In the end, money without love has no value.

  I clasp my hands to my chest and take a deep breath, fear and anxiety stirring in my stomach.

  “Come on, Luna. Be brave,” I whisper to myself, not seeing anyone around me.

  Maybe Vincent isn’t even here anymore. I hope our things are still inside. Otherwise, I don’t have a plan B.

  Taking a few breaths, I twist my foot onto the railing that surrounds the property and climb up. If I fall, that will be a disaster.

  With a sweaty, trembling hand, I hold myself firmly as I throw my leg over the pointed arrows.

  “Crap,” I mutter low as my crotch hits one of them. Then I carefully slide down the railing on the inside and finally touch ground.

  Not bad, Luna. Not bad at all, I try to convince myself.

  A noise among the dry leaves paralyzes me.

  “Look who’s back!

  That voice …

  Luna

  Oh, crap. Frank, the man who tried to kill me in the hospital. His cloying scent of cologne and tobacco is unmistakable.

  This is the moment when I should regret the stupidity of what I’ve just done.

  Shit, shit, shit. What was I thinking? I should have expected this.

  I turn to face my fate.

  The dark-faced fellow with an ugly grin looks at me triumphantly, like a hunter in the face of a rare beast that will make him a lot money. “Back home?”

  I swallow hard, feeling my eyes grow. If I’ve ever felt I was in danger, nothing compares to how I feel now.

  Dominic, forgive me.

  Dominic

  “Calm down, man. You’ll end up killing us!” Damien roars from beside me.

  “I told you not to come along, dammit!” I ignore his damn protests and concentrate on flying through the rush-hour traffic.

  Go! Go! Go! I grumble mentally, crushing the steering wheel in my hands.

  “What are you thinking of doing, Dom?”

  I don’t answer.

  After what Jasmine said about Luna’s fucking plans, I did my research and found out that the bastard, Wine, is having his triumphant event tonight, but I’m not going there. Luna told Jasmine she would stop by the house where she lived to pick up some crap. She’s so stupidly fucking stubborn.

  “Where are we going, man?”

  “To her house,” I say coldly.

  I didn’t want him to come with me. Damn, I wish I had gone home, gotten what I needed, and ridden my bike. But to go all the way to the other side of the city would have been stupid, and I had to let Damien get into the car with me.

  “She’s fine, brother. Calm down. I know she’s fine.”

  My muscles tauten. “You have no way of knowing.”

  “Don’t do anything foolish for her, Dominic. I know what you’re feeling, but think it over, man. We don’t know what the fuck is going on. She isn’t worth your life.”

  Fucking hell!

  “Shut your damn mouth, Damien! Keep it fucking closed or get out of the car!” I explode.

  Adrenaline boils my blood, bringing with it a fury I didn’t even know I was capable of.

  If something happens to her, I will never forgive myself.

  “All right, all right, I’m sorry. I just don’t want you getting hurt because of this.” Damien leans back, pulling back his attitude.

  Luna

  He takes one step forward, and I take one step back. We continue to the point where I find myself trapped against the bars, having my personal space invaded by his presence.

  “I watched you for years.” He leans into my face, too close.

  I suffer the bitter taste of sickness. The feeling only gets worse when Frank slides a finger down my cheek.

  “You know it was me, don’t you?” His voice is honeyed and whispered, a poisonous combination.

  “Y-you … What?” I stammer.

  He chuckles, growing even more menacing. “Oh, come on, Luna … This game isn’t fun. You know it was me at the hospital. I can see it in your scared eyes.”

  “You tried to kill me,” I accuse, dropping my mask of fear.

  “And it seems I didn’t succeed, did I?” He presses my body against the railing. “You are here, alive and looking good.” The sexual suggestion of his contact twists my stomach.

  Without thinking, I spit directly in his face. Saliva drips below his eye, running down his face. Frank doesn’t even blink, but I see anger pass through his lifeless expression.

  With a graceful movement, he removes a white handkerchief from his pocket and wipes off the damage without taking his attention away from me. “This was not smart, my girl.” He smiles, giving the distinct impression of amusing perversion rolling through his mind.

  “The police are coming, Frankie,” I say in one last attempt to escape.

  He appraises me. “Has anyone ever told you that you suck at lying?” His smile widens before he bursts with laughter. “Vincent will love your visit.”

  “It’s not a visit, Frank. This is my house. You’re criminals, and soon, your house will prison.”

  He grabs my arms and shakes me. “Little dumb bitch! Do you really think anyone has the guts to mess with Vincent?”

  “Let go of me!” I scream. “Get your dirty hands off me!”

  His grip only tightens.

  Consumed by anger, I lift my knee and heave it between his legs.

  Frank leans over with both hands holding his dick.

  “There! Stupid motherfucker!”

  I start running across the yard. I need to quickly lock myself inside and call the police.

  Less than five steps away, I’m caught by my hair and dragged backward. The force is so great that I fall on my ass.

  “You’ve always been a spoiled bitch. Today, I’m going to teach you a lesson.” His expression is the embodiment of evil.

  He ruthlessly drags me through the immense yard by my hair in a direction that alarms me. He’s not taking me home, but to the farthest wing where the servants live. The windows are dark, telling me no one is there. Where are Marie and Baba?

  “Frank, let me go! You’re only making the situation worse. Let me go and no one will know!” I appeal, but nothing stops him.

  He stops in front of the door where the housekeeper sleeps, now abandoned. Pulling a key from his pocket, he opens the door then throws me in violently. In the darkness of the room, my legs crash into something.

  “We’re going to play tonight, Luna, like I’ve always wanted to.”

  Fear tears me apart from the inside out.

  “And you’re going to be a good girl for me.”

  “Stop, Frank. Please let me go, and I won’t come back,” I choke out.

  The sound of his laughter makes my fear rise.

  “I’m going to call Vincent and tell him
not to come here tonight. I don’t want anything interrupting our fun.” He slams the door in my face and everything goes dark. Then the noise of the lock being turned manifests my worst fears.

  I begin to scream for help with all the strength in my lungs. The hope that someone will hear is stifled by the knowledge that my house is surrounded by gardens on all sides. No neighbor can hear me.

  Dominic

  “That’s the one,” my brother whispers as we stop at a safe distance.

  Luna’s parents’ house can’t even be called a home. It’s one of the largest mansions in the city. The rugged exterior surrounded by bars and well-trimmed trees guarantees privacy.

  “You stay here. I’m going in,” I tell Damien.

  “No way, man. Don’t even think about it,” my brother argues.

  I grab his hand tightly. “I need you out here to keep an eye out,” I lie. I would never put Damien in any danger.

  He snorts, throwing me one of his fucking looks. “Fuck that.”

  Ignoring him, I look more closely at the house. There’s no one in sight, but a few backyard lights are on. I have a strong feeling that my girl is there. I can’t explain; it’s just this vibrant energy that is impossible to ignore.

  Is Luna alone? I doubt it. I find it hard to believe these guys would leave the house unattended when they want her.

  I decide not to stand by and wait for my presence to be noticed. Sneaking through the darkness of the trees, I approach the boundary between Luna’s house and the neighbor’s. My time on the streets taught me how to walk like a shadow, to climb things, to go unnoticed.

  Climbing a tree, I prop myself onto the fence. Then I follow the fence line of climbing plants about twenty feet outside the area, always looking through the vegetation and checking for her. All is dark except an immense, illuminated swimming pool.

  When I pass what I think is the front entrance, I decide it’s time to invade. I stay close to one of the trees and climb up, just to drop down into the mansion’s garden.