by Ginger Ring
Destroying
Dominic
Genoa Mafia Series Book III
By Ginger Ring
Destroying Dominic
Copyright © 2018 by Ginger Ring.
All rights reserved.
First Print Edition: October 2018
Limitless Publishing, LLC
Kailua, HI 96734
www.limitlesspublishing.com
Formatting: Limitless Publishing
ISBN-13: 978-1-64034-448-8
ISBN-10: 1-64034-448-9
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Prologue
Seven Years Ago
Anastasia
A flash of lightning lit up the sky. It’d been storming all evening but the rain had so far held off. It was unusual weather for southern California, but then everything had seemed off lately.
“I don’t know about this. What if we get caught?” Marina stomped her high heeled foot.
“We won’t get caught.” Stassi pulled her two friends along. “Come on. This will be so much fun.” They ignored the claps of thunder as they stood on the corner.
Marina wouldn’t move. “Stassi, you know you aren’t allowed to be out by yourself. Your father will be furious if he finds out. Plus, we should be studying for finals.”
“That’s exactly why we need to do this. Soon, you’ll both be working full-time jobs and I’ll be getting married. Don’t you want to have some fun before you have to settle down?”
Lord knew she did. Sure, Maksim, her intended, was nice and her father treated him like a son whenever he was around, but the guy was all business. The same family business that she’d grown up in. The mafia business. What it all entailed she’d never be privy to or even wanted to know. It just meant that her father was a big deal around town and she was never without a bodyguard.
She’d witnessed men come into the house and never leave, or they exited the place with bloody faces and cracked ribs. She’d sneaked around, seen things she shouldn’t have. Her father always wanted a son, but that wasn’t to be. The man pretty much ignored her ever since her mother died so many years ago. Her value only lie in who she would marry and the alliance that union would make. Maksim was from a high-ranking family, the best, and it was only a matter of time before they were hitched.
It also meant that her life wasn’t her own. At eighteen, she’d still never been out by herself, gone to a club, or even had a date except for the ones arranged with Maksim and under the supervision of their fathers. They were rivals, so, of course, their children must marry to officially bind their families, even if she didn’t want any part of it. It was her duty.
Stassi shivered. Recently, when others weren’t watching, she’d noticed Maksim staring at her like she was prey. It was in her nature to not judge others, but he seemed to have a dark vibe surrounding him. Being around him was not one of her favorite things to do. They had zero in common. One time, he was at their house for dinner and she joked about his fancy shoes. She was just trying to break the ice and say something funny, but Maksim was so insulted he snapped at her. The air was hot and humid yet a chill ran up her spine.
“I’m sorry, Stassi.” Sarah’s lip stuck out and she draped an arm over Stassi’s shoulder.
“About what? Don’t tell me you’re chickening out also.” Dang it, she didn’t want to go by herself, but there was no way she was going to sit at home with her dad finally out of town. It was rare that she could sneak off unnoticed.
“No, I’ll go. I’m just sorry that you are marrying Maksim. You’re far too young.”
He wasn’t the most handsome, that was for sure, but looks didn’t make a marriage. She would be well taken care of. His family had more money than hers, and that was saying something. She’d be upgrading her gilded cage for a golden one.
“You know what the deal is.” Stassi shrugged. Sarah and Marina were friends from school who knew about her family and that she was contracted to marry. They could marry for love. Her, not so much. “Please, let’s go. If we don’t get there in time, the limo will be full and they’ll leave without us.”
They’d taken an Uber to the address that was on the card.
“So how did you find out about this?” Marina finally got in line behind a half dozen girls.
They were all laughing and sporting short, low-cut dresses. The outfits of these girls made theirs look like they were going to church. What did hookers wear these days? It couldn’t be less than what they had on. Stassi rolled her eyes.
“I overheard the guys talking about this place. That it was a hidden nightclub. Only the best are allowed in. You have to have one of these cards to get in. I snatched one when they weren’t looking.” She waved it in front of their faces. “It’s so secret you have to hand over your phone until the end of the night. They don’t want photos getting out. I wonder if there’ll be any celebrities there.”
The young women squealed when a black stretch limo pulled up. A handsome young man in a suit got out of the passenger side and walked up to them. A few girls swooned and giggled.
“Ladies, my name is Luis. You’re all looking very lovely this evening. I hope you all have your cards with you.” He held out a box and winked at the first one in line. “Please drop those and your phones in here.”
Marina touched Anastasia’s arm. “I still don’t like this.”
Stassi reached for a strand of hair to twirl around her finger. “I promise. Everything will be fine. If we don’t have any fun, we’ll go home and watch a movie. Okay?”
Her friend nodded and smiled but it was forced.
It seemed like a good idea at the time, but now doubts edged into her mind.
“Hello. Please drop your cards and phones in here,” Luis repeated as he walked down the line. The man wasn’t as good looking up close and his cologne burned her nose. Stassi held out the business card and dropped it and her phone in the box. He nodded toward the limo. “Thanks, beautiful. You’ll never forget this night. As soon as you’re all in, we’ll be on our way.”
“Let’s go. It’s going to be a blast. I just know it,” she reassured her friends, and Stassi herded them toward the vehicle like a mother hen.
The other girls in the limo didn’t seem the least bit nervous and were busy passing a bott
le of tequila and some red plastic cups around. Stassi declined but Marina and Sarah each took a sip. They weren’t twenty-one, but no one seemed to care. They traveled for about fifteen minutes through dark alleys and empty parking lots. It was as if they were trying to make sure no one knew where they were going.
Stassi peeked out the darkened windows a few times. No one else paid any attention to the neighborhoods they were in. The vehicle slowed and she studied the surroundings—they seemed to be in a warehouse district. Maybe Marina was right, but all Stassi wanted was to have a little fun, escape her life for a few hours. Stassi wrung her hands as lightning illuminated their dismal surroundings.
The car finally stopped outside a two-story concrete building. This time, Luis and the driver both waited outside for them. The building pulsated with loud music coming from inside. A couple girls jumped up and down. That seemed to calm her a bit. Maybe the place was legit.
Luis opened the door to the building and the latest dance tune boomed as disco lights flashed in the distance. The girls crowded in, with Stassi, Marina, and Sarah trailing behind. It was dimly lit but there was a long hallway ahead. Everyone rushed for the music and bright party lights that came from the end of the corridor.
Stepping into the main room, they all stopped and gawked. It was just an empty room. Something wasn’t right. Where was the DJ, the dancers? This was supposed to be a club. Were they the first ones there? The girls wandered around, confused.
The music stopped and the lights were flipped on. Blindingly bright lights. A few questioned what was going on. Marina and Sarah clung on each side of Stassi.
“I knew this was wrong,” Marina cried. “Oh god.”
“What’s this about?” Stassi spoke up. “Where’s the party?”
Luis smirked and strolled up to her. His hand tightly gripped her face and Stassi grimaced. “You stupid little girls are the party.”
Gasps filled the air.
Before they knew it, men came out of the shadows. The girls scattered like ants but it was no use. The men tied the girls’ wrists behind their backs and held them all standing in place in a circle. Some started to sob or call for help. Stassi shook her head, eager to wake from this bad dream. Only there was no rousing from it; she was living a true nightmare.
Her friends were pulled from her side and each held by a brut. Some wore bandannas covering their faces like they were about to rob a bank. Unlike Luis, these captives were dressed in leather cuts and jeans. Bikers. Her mind worked overtime trying to remember every detail to figure out why this was happening. Every detail was tagged and logged in her brain, including their shoes. The man who held her captive had a big handlebar mustache.
“Silence, everyone,” Luis shouted until they quieted, but some of the girls still sobbed. The storm outside rivaled the chaos inside. The thunder was now a constant rumble. A lone figure stepped into the middle of the room. His face was also covered but the change of mannerisms from the others clearly showed he was the one in charge.
“Ladies, I’m sorry your evening isn’t going to go as you planned.” The man quickly walked to each of the girls, looking them up and down. A few he struggled with and roughly lifted their chins to see them better. Stassi kept her head down as he passed by her. “From this day forward, your lives will, unfortunately,” he paused, “never be the same.” He went back to the center of the room and started pointing. Something about the man was familiar, but she couldn’t put her finger on it.
“Take this one, this one, and those three to Vlad, and the rest to Igor.” The room went crazy as bags were thrown over the girls’ heads and they were dragged kicking and screaming from the room. Stassi glanced at her two friends. The pain and fear on Marina’s face would haunt her forever. She couldn’t move as they were both dragged away. Stassi’s heart pounded in her chest. This couldn’t be happening. When her vision went black from the bag, it jerked her into action. Stassi struggled as best she could in a dress and high heels.
Heavy rain pelted the roof as tears streamed down her face.
“Wait,” the boss shouted, and the man holding her stilled. Stassi felt warm fingers touch the back of her neck as someone brushed her hair away and tore the sack off her head. A deep laugh rumbled behind her and a hand reached around her neck. The lights flickered as lightning struck outside. The sound of thunder was deafening but she heard every word he said.
“This one stays with me.”
Her gaze fell to the floor. She finally recognized the voice and the shoes. They both belonged to Maksim.
Chapter One
Stephanie
It was a good wedding as far as weddings go. The couple was an unlikely pair. Valentina Caponelli, the daughter of one of the biggest mafia dons in Chicago, had married Ryan Donavan, one of Genoa’s police officers. Opposites really did attract.
Stephanie Barclay surveyed the festivities from across the dimly lit ballroom. The wedding had taken place at a lakeside estate belonging to Roman Caponelli, the brother of the bride. The reception and dance had progressed to Firenza, the restaurant and event center that the bride ran. Valentina was also a lawyer—to say the woman was an overachiever would be an understatement.
By anyone’s standards, this had been a very high-end celebration. The gown had been designed and made by the bride’s sister-in-law, Madison Caponelli. Maddy could have been a highly paid designer of couture gowns but she’d given it up to marry into the mob. Yes, love was blind, deaf, and totally messed one up.
If Stephanie thought about it too much, her head might explode. She’d done her best to get away from that kind of people and now she was right back in the middle of them. The Caponellis would be shocked to know how she’d been raised. To everyone here, she was just a drifter, a summer tourist who’d stayed. How very wrong they all were.
Before meeting Roman, Madison had run the Bells and Bows Bridal store for years. When Stephanie passed the shop with a help wanted sign in the window, the rest was history. Since Madison’s marriage, all the responsibility had fallen on Steph’s shoulders. It was her job today to keep everything running smoothly, and, so far, it had gone like clockwork.
She reached for a strand of hair to twirl around her finger but her hair was up. Stephanie took a deep breath. Every moment here was torture. Funny how it never bothered her to help plan a wedding at the shop, but this was different. It brought back raw memories.
All the traditions that were so important to the festivities now rubbed her like sandpaper. Maybe it was just jealousy. Envy for something that would never happen, could never happen. Her trust was gone. Her identity was that of someone else. Her life was one day after another of looking over her shoulder in the hopes that it wasn’t her last. A couple couldn’t keep secrets from each other, and she had more than most. No sense dating when you couldn’t even tell someone your real name.
It was almost midnight. Thankfully, there was only one more hour and then she could help with clean up. The staff was wonderful, but someone still needed to oversee things. At least the gifts could stay here. The Caponellis owned Firenza, and no one would dare steal them. She snagged a glass of champagne off a tray as a server passed by and downed it in one sip. It was time to go to work and cross another tradition off the list. Stephanie tucked a box under her arm and hurried to the bride.
Valentina was talking to an older woman, and Steph tapped her on the shoulder. “I hate to interrupt, but it’s time to toss the bouquet.”
“Oh, yes.” Val turned and hugged the woman. “Thank you for coming, Aunt Camille. I’m so happy you could share this special day with us.”
“It’s my pleasure, dear.” Camille kissed the bride’s cheek and left the two girls alone.
“Let me see it.” Valentina clasped her hands together in front of her chest.
Stephanie opened the box that held the throw bouquet. Whereas Valentina’s elegant bouquet was made up of fire and ice roses, this one was simpler. “It’s lovely.” A whiff of lavender caught her nose as Ste
ph pulled it from the tissue of the box. It was a collection of wildflowers in yellows, pinks, purples, and oranges.
“I thought you’d like it. I made it with you in mind, that’s why you have to catch it,” Valentina declared.
Stephanie handed the bouquet to the bride. “Oh, no. Thanks, but I’m not interested.”
“You have to.” Valentina frowned for the first time that day.
“I just don’t believe in that stuff.” Weddings and riding off into the sunset were for other people.
“Humor me, okay?”
Stephanie shook her head.
Several giggling young women gathered near the stage. Madison waved her over to the group but Steph’s feet remained locked in place. Finally, the maid of honor, with a nod from the bride, rushed over and led Stephanie by the arm to the group of single women.
“Come on. I know you’ll be next. I can feel it,” Madison insisted. Her friends were determined to get her hitched. It was the last thing she wanted or needed right now. Not only was it stupid, it was dangerous for any man to get involved with her. If anyone took up with her, he would have to be fearless and good with a gun.
“That’s called a buzz. You’ve probably just had too much to drink.” Stephanie brushed it off but faked some enthusiasm anyway. She’d been playacting for so long, it was hard to know who she really was anymore. If one thing was true, it was that she really did care for Madison and Valentina. The rest she kept at arm’s length.
“The only thing I’m drunk on is happiness, and I want that for you too.” Madison and Roman had been married almost a year and yet they still acted like newlyweds. They were just too much to be around at times.
She rolled her eyes and quelled the need to do the finger in her mouth gag bit.
Maddy kissed her on the cheek and whispered in her ear, “You will be next. So catch the damn flowers. It’s an order.”
