Chapter 3 - The Man Who Had Been His Brother
Dom arrived at Frank's twenty minutes later.
He walked through the diner door with two men behind him.
Nema was waiting.
"You lied to me."
Dom stopped.
"About?"
"Tommy."
"I didn't lie."
"You made it sound like he was contained."
"He was."
"Was?"
"He escaped surveillance."
Nema laughed bitterly.
"That's comforting."
Dom looked toward Vincent.
"Tell me."
"Three men came in. Left when they saw me. Then she received the call."
Dom's eyes hardened.
"What did Tommy say?"
Nema repeated it.
Dom pulled out his phone.
"Lock down her apartment."
"No."
He looked at her.
"No?"
"I'm not going home."
"Good."
"I'm staying here."
"Absolutely not."
Frank suddenly appeared from the kitchen.
"Can somebody tell me why my diner looks like a gangster convention?"
Nobody answered.
Frank looked at Dom.
Then Vincent.
Then Nema.
"Nema?"
She sighed.
"Remember the coffee I spilled last night?"
"Yeah."
"It was poisoned."
Frank blinked.
"Okay."
"And this is Dom."
"Okay."
"Tommy tried to kill him."
"Less okay."
"And now Tommy wants to kill me."
Frank slowly removed his apron.
"I'm closing early."
Dom almost smiled.
Smart man.
Then the front window shattered.
Everyone ducked.
Nema screamed.
Dom grabbed her and pulled her behind the counter.
Vincent rushed toward the entrance.
A brick had landed on the floor.
Paper was wrapped around it.
Dom picked it up.
Three words were written across the page.
SHE DIES FIRST.
Nema stared at it.
"Still think I'm safe?"
Dom's face became frighteningly calm.
"No."
He turned to Vincent.
"Take her to the house."
Nema started protesting.
Dom cut her off.
"Enough."
She stared at him.
"You don't order me around."
"Tonight I do."
"Why?"
"Because you saved my life, and I refuse to repay you by watching yours end."
Something in his voice stopped her.
Not authority.
Fear.
Dom Vasquez was afraid.
Not for himself.
For her.
Dom's estate sat behind iron gates outside the city.
Nema entered and stared at the marble foyer.
"This is ridiculous."
Dom removed his coat.
"It's a house."
"It's a museum with plumbing."
Vincent walked away laughing.
Nema turned.
"He's enjoying this."
"Vincent enjoys very little."
A woman in her sixties appeared.
"Dominic?"
Dom's entire posture changed.
"Ma."
The woman saw Nema.
Her eyebrows rose.
Dom sighed.
"Don't."
"I didn't say anything."
"You were about to."
She smiled at Nema.
"Lucia Vasquez."
"Nema Reyes."
"Are you hungry?"
Dom said, "Ma—"
"Dominic, the woman looks exhausted."
Nema liked Lucia immediately.
During dinner, Lucia asked Nema about Frank's.
She never asked about Tommy.
Afterward, Dom found Nema in the kitchen.
"You didn't tell your mother."
"She knows enough."
"About what you do?"
"Everything."
"She doesn't approve."
"No."
"But she still loves you."
"Apparently mothers are irrational."
Nema smiled.
Then she noticed Dom wasn't.
"Tommy really mattered to you."
Dom looked toward the dark windows.
"He was fifteen when he first saved my life."
"What happened?"
"Three older boys cornered me. Tommy hit one with a tire iron."
"Charming childhood."
"We weren't charming children."
"Why would he betray you?"
Dom was quiet.
"Money. Fear. Resentment."
"Which?"
"I don't know."
Nema folded her arms.
"Maybe ask him."
"I intend to."
A phone rang.
Dom answered.
He listened.
Then his face changed.
"Where?"
Silence.
"Don't touch anything."
He hung up.
"What?"
"We found Tommy's apartment."
"And?"
"Empty."
Nema exhaled.
Dom continued.
"But we found bank records."
"From who?"
"A company owned by Carlo Bellini."
Nema frowned.
"Who's that?"
May you like
Dom looked at her.
"My biggest rival."
