Destroying Dominic (Genoa Mafia Series Book 3)

by Ginger Ring

  “Why?” Jasper’s mouth dropped open and Dom shared as much as he could. “No shit?”

  “Yeah.” Dom handed him the paper bag. “How long do you think this will take?”

  “Not long hopefully.” He placed it on the front seat of his car. “Madison called and had her housekeeper gather a few of her clothes for Steph to borrow until she can get some of her own.”

  Jasper pulled a tote bag out of the passenger seat. It had some fancy logo on the side. The bag alone probably cost more than everything the woman back at his home ever had.

  “Thanks.” She’d be happy to have those. Hell, he didn’t have anything that would come close to fitting her.

  “Oh, and when Maddy heard she’d lost her laptop, she had me get one of those also.”

  “Where the hell did you get one of those this late?” he asked, though he had a good guess.

  “The tech guys.” He handed Dom the backpack containing her new computer.

  “Just tell her to log on to her cloud and download everything she had.” Jasper caught his gaze and looked him straight in the eye. “Then we can track anything she does. If needed.”

  If felt like an invasion of privacy but he brushed it off as doing it for her own good. What she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her.

  Jasper rounded the car and opened the driver’s door. “Between the computer and the fingerprints, we should figure out her story soon.”

  “Yeah.” Dominic looped the bags over his shoulders. “If you hear anything, can you let me know? First?” It was a risk, but if he had to get her out of here in a hurry, Dominic would need a head start.

  “You know I can’t do that.” The man frowned. “But if I hear anything, you’ll be a quick second.”

  Dom scowled. He’d known the answer before he said it but had to ask anyway. “Thanks.” Jasper’s tires spun up dirt as he left. Dominic turned and walked back to the house, a few mosquitoes buzzing around him.

  It was quiet when he walked in the door. He put the backpack on the kitchen counter and carried the bag of clothes to the bedroom. The door was open and he peeked in. It was a kick to the gut seeing her lying in his bed. A sight he never dreamed of seeing, never had any hope of witnessing. He knocked but she didn’t move.

  Dominic walked to her side. She was sound asleep and wearing one of his t-shirts. It was the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen. He pulled the covers over her shoulders and tucked her in. It felt right having her here. As much as he tried to fight it, he wanted her in his life. She was where she belonged and he was keeping her.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Stephanie

  She yawned and stretched like a cat. The mattress was warm, firm, and, she realized with a start, much nicer than her own. With a groan, she rolled over in bed. Dominic’s bed. Slowly opening one eye, she took a good look at her surroundings. The nightmare of last night flooded her brain but she pushed it aside. She’d think of that another day. It was just too much at one time.

  He hadn’t joined her in the night, but then Dom said he wouldn’t. It was both a relief and a disappointment. Snuggling into the pillow, she could smell him. It was a combination of the musky sweet smell of the outdoors and his soap from the shower.

  His bedroom was just like the rest of the place, simple, sparse, and definitely showed a lack of a woman’s touch. There were no pictures on the walls and the curtains were for privacy and shade, not décor. There was a book by the bedside. She picked up the popular thriller. His worth jumped up a notch when she spied he used a bookmark instead of marking his last read spot with a folded over corner. People who did that were not true book lovers. You didn’t mar the landscape of nature and you didn’t defile the pages of someone’s hard work.

  The room was empty of furniture except for the bed, a dresser with a mirror, and a bookcase. Curiosity got the best of her and she padded on bare feet over to check out the other books in his collection. There were more thrillers, crime novels, and a few of the classics. Goosebumps rose and she rubbed her arms to stay warm. Peeking in the closet, she found a plaid flannel shirt to slip on. It dwarfed her, to say the least.

  The only personal touch in the place were a couple photographs on the dresser. Afraid to touch them, she bent over to study them first. It was a family photo. Dominic’s? The photo showed a happy couple with a young boy. The son had Dom’s eyes and the father in the photo seemed to share a similar jawline. The mother had a softness to her face that Stephanie had only seen a few times in Dominic when he smiled. It felt like prying to examine it any more.

  The other photo was of a young woman, perhaps in her early twenties. She was beautiful with long dark hair, brown eyes, and a wide smile on her face. Her eyes shone with love. Had Dominic taken the picture? Was this a former love? Jealousy spiked out of nowhere at the thought. The photo was obviously old. If he was involved with someone, Madison and Valentina would have known about it. She pushed the idea of Dom with another woman aside just as she did the other troublesome thoughts. There were other things she needed to deal with first.

  Her stomach growled, and after using the bathroom to wash her face, Stephanie carefully opened the bedroom door. Heavy breathing could be heard from the couch. Dominic was obviously in deep sleep. She came to a halt when he came into view. The man had shed his clothes from last night and only wore a pair of charcoal boxer briefs. He was too big for the couch and one foot rested on the ground. His hair was wild and covered part of his face.

  She took a step closer. The man was tall and lean but she’d never seen him with so few clothes on. He was the perfect male specimen—tan, strong, and full of muscles—but just as scarred as he was internally, he was on the outside as well. The wood floor creaked as she stepped closer. She covered her mouth with a hand. His entire body was marred with scars. Some appeared to be cuts, some were burns, and some were from God only knew what.

  He had a tattoo on his side but she couldn’t make out what it was. Stephanie stood transfixed, watching the rise and fall of his chest. The man did things to her that just couldn’t be explained. Before she could even blink, he reached out and pulled her to the couch next to him. Her back pressed tightly to his chest and he drew the blanket over them both. She couldn’t speak, could barely breathe.

  “It’s early.” The warmth from his breath tickled the back of her ear. “Rest.”

  It didn’t seem possible but in only a few minutes she was fast asleep again.

  ***

  The smell of coffee was in the air. Stephanie snuggled into the blankets for the second time that morning, only this time she awoke on the couch. Alone. Sitting up, she turned to see Dominic leaning against the counter staring at her while sipping the brew from a white mug she recognized from the art center. He was sexy as hell and she probably looked like a sloppy mess.

  Her fingers got stuck in the tangles of her hair. Where the hell was her comb? What was the use? Stephanie’s whole life was a disaster and the fact that she was homeless and didn’t even own the shirt on her back came rushing in. She lay back down and covered her head with the throw.

  “Get up.” Dominic gently shook her and pulled the cover from her face.

  He now had a mug in each hand. She slowly sat up and reached for the one he offered. Dominic sat his on a nearby table and settled in behind her, his long legs on each side of hers. Slowly, he began to work the tangles from her hair with a comb, starting at the bottom and working his way up. Tears welled up in her eyes. No one had ever combed her hair except for her mom when she was a child. It brought memories of childhood with a mother who passed away too young and it brought promises of what could be with this man.

  Dominic may have been a monster to some but he’d come to her rescue more than once, and that was something no one had ever done.

  “You’re pretty good at this,” she managed to choke out.

  “I can’t dance but I’ve had a lot of practice with hair.”

  His fingers touched the back of her neck and she fought the u
rge to lean back against his chest. Just the warmth from his thighs had her flesh buzzing.

  “I heard you don’t date either.”

  “Why, are you interested?” The comb stilled before attacking her twisted strands again.

  “Could be.” She placed a hand on his thigh. “I need a protector and you seem to be pretty good at that.”

  “You would sell yourself for a bodyguard?” He laughed. “Last night you thought I was going to kill you. You yourself said you didn’t trust me.”

  “Maybe I changed my mind.” Stephanie closed her eyes. He was a dangerous man, yet with him, she really did feel safe. Dominic made her feel things that she thought were dead. The man behind her gave her hope. In all her dealings with him, he’d always treated her with respect and care. Maybe it was time to start living instead of running. “It’d only be selling if I didn’t want you and you didn’t want me.”

  “I never said I didn’t want you.” He flipped the finished side of her hair in front of her shoulder and started on the other. “It’s not safe to be with one of us though. You know how Madison’s life has changed. She rarely gets to go anywhere alone.”

  “I don’t want to be alone anymore.” It was the truth and it hurt to admit it. She was used to being by herself, but it didn’t mean she wanted to be that way forever. It wasn’t living, she barely existed.

  Dominic sighed and tossed the comb on the couch. “When I was younger, I had a girlfriend. Thought I was in love and all that shit.”

  “Is that the woman in the photo in your bedroom?”

  “Yes.”

  “You must still care or you wouldn’t have her picture.”

  “No, it’s a reminder. Men killed her to get to me.”

  A gasp escaped her lips as she turned to face him. “I’m so sorry.”

  “They did horrible things to her. Torture, rape…” He looked away and shook his head. “Having someone to love makes a person weak and they become a target.”

  “What if the one you care about already is a target? There isn’t a doubt in my mind that if the people I am hiding from find me, they will do all of those things as they ultimately want to kill me. At least I will have someone on my side. I know Roman wants me dead too but…I’m not a threat to him. You have to make him believe that. You once said I owed you.” Dominic turned her way and looked into her eyes. “I will give you anything you want. Please let me stay. I don’t want to run anymore.” She really did care for this man. More than she ever thought she would or could.

  Strong arms pulled her to his chest and he stroked her hair. “You don’t owe me anything. You don’t have to run and you can stay as long as you want.”

  “I don’t have anything to offer. I have no clothes, no makeup, shoes, nothing.”

  “I’ll take you shopping and you can get whatever you need. Madison’s housekeeper picked out some things and sent them over last night. You were already asleep when they arrived. And Jasper got you a laptop. It’s all set to go.”

  “A what?” She sat up. It was the one thing she missed more than anything. All her hard work had just gone up in smoke.

  “A computer to replace the one you lost.”

  “I know what a laptop is, but seriously? They got me one?” This whole situation was so confusing. One minute the family wanted her dead and the next they were being overly generous.

  “Yeah. He said to just go to your backup site and you can get back to your writing.”

  “I can’t believe it.” A little hope peeked through the clouds and brightened her day.

  “I know you think you lost everything but you have a home here. People who do care.” Dom rubbed his leg against hers. Whether it was on purpose or not, it sent tingles down to her toes.

  “Do you care?” Her lower lip quivered. Willingly or not, they’d danced around each other for over a year now. Ever since he’d shown up to fix the mess in the shop, Dom had been there whenever she needed him. That wasn’t coincidence. It was fate, karma, destiny. But did he feel the same way?

  “Yes. I do.” His voice was low and raspy.

  “Why?” As much as she hoped, there was still that doubt in her mind that he really didn’t mean it. Would she ever get over her distrust after what happened with Maksim?

  Dominic rubbed the back of his hand against his chin. The scrape of his dark whiskers sent butterflies across her stomach. How she yearned to feel their rough texture against her skin. Her cheeks flushed as she raised her gaze to meet his.

  “Why? Because I was truthful when I said ever since I kissed you, I can’t get you out of my mind. I try to fight it but I can’t.”

  They stared into each other’s eyes for a moment before she laid her cheek on his chest. His heart beat strong against her ear. “Don’t fight it and I promise not to run.”

  “It’s a deal.” He kissed the top of her head and stroked her hair.

  She could move but didn’t want to. For the first time in a long time she felt safe, and she was staying right where she was.

  ***

  Maksim

  “Hey, boss, you need to see this.”

  “Can it wait? I’m a little busy right now.” Maksim studied the latest request for girls that had just arrived. His clients were getting more and more demanding. The heat was on from the feds also. One had just shown up yesterday questioning the disappearance of a former maid who had worked in the neighborhood. He’d never pulled one that close before but he’d gotten greedy and the price was right.

  “No, it can’t.” Luis tossed his phone on the desk and Maksim picked it up to take a closer look.

  It couldn’t be, but it was. He’d know that hair and face anywhere. The news article had included a surprisingly good picture of the couple in front of a burning building. The woman was Stassi Bravikova. She was alive.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Dominic

  He’d taken her shopping the next morning. It’s was something he hadn’t done with a woman in a very long time. She bought a few clothes and toiletries. Stephanie said she didn’t want to be indebted to anyone but she didn’t have a choice and reluctantly let him pay. After that they went grocery shopping. Something he’d never done with a member of the opposite sex. Surprisingly, it felt nice.

  Stephanie continued to stay at his place for the next few days. He was hesitant about their situation at first but they were getting along fine. Madison told her to take the week off to get her wits about her and rest. It was a good thing because Dom knew Roman was pressuring his wife to fire her. Madison’s seamstress was filling in until Madison returned next week since her mother had started feeling better.

  Stephanie was writing nonstop. He hadn’t a clue what she was working on but it seemed to make her happy. Dominic continued to spend his nights on the couch with Stephanie sleeping soundly in his bed. The woman was vulnerable and still a bit in shock from losing everything she owned. He may have been a killer but he’d never take advantage of a woman at such a weak moment.

  It was a nice surprise to find out she was such an amazing cook. She was great in the kitchen and insisted on cooking and doing a little cleaning to pay for her room and board. It didn’t matter to him that he was compensated but it did to her. Having a warm home cooked meal waiting for him after a long day was an odd but welcome experience, to say the least. It was also one he could get used to. Jasper said they would have the fingerprint results Friday, which was tomorrow. He had a job today and planned on taking her with him for two reasons. If she was going to be with him, she had to know what she was getting into and he also didn’t want to leave her alone.

  They’d just gone for a run around the less touristy part of the lake. After a quick shower, unfortunately separately, he had Stephanie riding shotgun in the work van. It was a simple pick up. A clean and go, as he called it. The sun beat down through the window as he drove. Damn, it was hot. There was a good chance a storm was brewing and it would be a bad one. All week it had been in the nineties, with the humidity making it o
ff the charts.

  “Where are we going?” She rubbed her arms and he turned down the AC.

  “I have a job.”

  Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her still. “What kind of job?”

  “You’ll see.” It was now or never. She had to see the real him and what he did.

  Taking his eyes off the road, he witnessed her slump in the seat. Her pretty lips pouted and her arms crossed in front of her chest. What was she thinking? Stephanie was smart. Sharper than she let others think. He’d noticed that right away. Dominic also suspected she had a connection to a crime family, something older than her association with the Caponellis. She knew too much about the family dynamics and aspects of the business to have just gained that from watching television shows or movies.

  It took about thirty minutes to reach the shed. The same building they’d worked Square over in not too long ago. The Mayhem Tribe had found the people responsible for trafficking drugs through town and for blowing up the apartment building where Stephanie had lived. Apparently, the drug dealers had the place wired to blow if the police found out about them. They’d been tipped off, only it wasn’t the cops that were on to them but the biker gang.

  As they pulled off the road and into the driveway, he spied a couple of the gang members outside. One exhaled some smoke and then snuffed out his cigarette on the ground with his heel. He and the others in his group got on their bikes and started down the drive in their direction. Dominic slowed down but the gang just waved and sped up, leaving a trail of dust along the road.

  “Who was that?” Stephanie turned in her seat to watch them go.

  “Friends of the family.” Dominic parked next to the metal shed. “Stay here.” He needed to check out the place first. They’d left the doors open, probably to keep the air circulating. In the middle of the floor lay three bodies on a large plastic sheet. There was no blood, so they’d been killed somewhere else and then transported there. They obviously didn’t arrive on the back of their bikes, so someone in their gang must have a truck.