Destroying Dominic (Genoa Mafia Series Book 3)

by Ginger Ring

  “Yeah, keep telling yourself that.”

  “It’s true.” He matched his breaths to the lifts.

  “You could’ve fooled me.” Jasper winced as he sipped from his water bottle.

  “Don’t you ever shut up?” Dom had to fight the urge to toss the weights at the guy’s head.

  “What?” Jasper rolled his eyes. “Everyone loves to hear me talk.”

  “You’re the only one who loves to hear you talk.” Dominic mentally calculated the many ways he could kill Jasper and the various locations to bury his body. Unfortunately, Roman would be pissed, and killing a member of the family meant death for the killer as well.

  “I think Miss Stephanie Barclay likes you. Not sure what she sees…different strokes for different folks, as they say. Maybe she likes to walk on the dark side.” Jasper shrugged and wandered over to the window.

  “She wouldn’t be caught dead with a guy like me,” Dominic muttered.

  “Why not?” Jasper turned and walked back to his side.

  “You know why.” Dom sighed and put the weights down where they belonged. Maybe he needed to go for a run or something as this sure as hell wasn’t working. Why the hell couldn’t he just leave?

  “No, I don’t know why. And besides, you two are a couple of idiots. She was watching you all night and you were doing the same. You’re both fucking stupid.” Dominic turned fast and Jasper jumped back, putting his hands up. “I’m just trying to help.”

  “I don’t need your help. Can’t you just get the hell out of here?”

  “Look, I know I joke around a lot but I can tell she means something to you. I got the feeling you think she’s in some kind of danger. If you need backup, just let me know. You need someone to watch her when you can’t, just let me know.” His face was sincere.

  “And why would you do that?” Dom narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

  “Because we’re brothers, man. Whether you like it or not. If you want a girl to love you, tell her your secrets.” Jasper placed a hand on Dom’s shoulder. “And she’ll tell you hers. I’m out of here”

  A lump formed in his throat. Not everyone was blood-related in Roman’s crew but they would take a bullet for each other.

  His family had perished years ago, before he’d been taken. When Roman Caponelli found him, he’d given him another chance at life. After what happened, Dominic had proclaimed himself a loner, but the older he got, the more he realized it wasn’t enough anymore. Unfortunately, anyone who knew his secrets would never feel anything but disgust.

  The phone in his bag buzzed.

  “Hello?”

  It was Roman’s number but it was Madison who spoke. “Dom, I hate to ask, but I need a huge favor.”

  “Sure. What is it?” She didn’t need to ask as he would never turn her down.

  “I can’t get a hold of Stephanie. I’ve left messages and she hasn’t returned any. I’m a little worried.”

  “Maybe she just has the phone turned off.”

  “You’re probably right, but I just wanted to make sure. I left a message early this morning but still nothing. She’s supposed to pick up the gifts today with one of the guys and take them to Val and Ryan’s house. I also wanted to talk to her about work tomorrow.”

  “I’m at the gym but I’ll drive by on the way home and see where she’s at.”

  “Thanks, Dom.” Madison hung up.

  If he hadn’t just left her place he’d be worried, but it was a good chance her phone was in her car or turned off. Steph wasn’t a phone person and barely used hers, if at all. She didn’t have that many people to call.

  Jasper was gone so he didn’t have to deal with any more of his bullshit. After a quick shower, Dominic left the gym and drove to Steph’s place. The last thing he wanted to do right now was talk to her. They both needed time apart, at least he did. Just being in the same room with her had him doubting everything he did or said. Maybe that dickhead Jasper was right, he did have it bad.

  He drove slowly through town. The cars were now bumper to bumper. As soon as he could get on a side street, he took it. The town depended on tourists in the summer but it was a bitch to get around. Stephanie’s street was quiet so he took a sweep through the back parking lot just to check. There were no bikes and her car wasn’t there or out front.

  He then checked Firenza. Nothing. They must have picked up the gifts and were dropping them off now. It was a long drive back the way he just came, as Val and Ryan were given the house next door to Roman as a wedding present from her father. It was a multi-million dollar gift, that was for sure. If he’d been thinking, he would have checked there before he left. The problem was when she was on his mind, he wasn’t thinking.

  With traffic, it took a half hour to get back to where he just was. The Donavans’ driveway was empty. “Damn.” He hit the number on his phone for the tech guys. “I need to find someone.” Dom gave them the description of her vehicle. Using the many cameras they had around town, it still took a couple of minutes before they located her at a small coffee shop.

  “Anything else you need, Dom?” the tech questioned.

  “No.” He paused. “Hey, wait. Can you get me a tracker for a car?”

  “Sure. Where do you want it sent?” The tech guys would never give their location so he told them to leave it at the gatehouse and he’d pick it up tomorrow. If he wasn’t a stalker before, he felt like one now. There would be no need for Madison to worry about her friend after tomorrow because he was putting a tracer on Stephanie’s car.

  “Also, I need you to do something else.” He spied a cat prowling along the side of a house and it made him think of the smell back at her apartment.

  “Sure. What do you need?”

  “I want surveillance on a building.” He gave them Stephanie’s home address. “I think we might have someone cooking meth.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Stephanie

  This was turning out to be one of the longest days of her life. After Dominic left, she couldn’t think straight. Rationalizing that it must be from hunger, Steph made a good dent in all the food he’d brought her. Feeling human again, she remembered she was in charge of making sure all the wedding gifts got to Ryan and Valentina’s home. Surprisingly enough, it was Danny, one of Ryan’s coworkers, and a couple of Roman’s enforcers who met her at the club and helped carry the gifts out.

  Roman had a ton of burly men to move things but it took two girls to get things organized. The guys may have known how to shake things down but they had no clue what fragile meant. A few even tossed the gifts back and forth before she could get them to stop. Their boss would be getting an earful when she saw him next. Actually, she tried to avoid the man as much as possible so chances were good she wouldn’t be saying a thing.

  Danny brought her pickup truck but it still took a couple of trips to get it all done. She liked Danny but the woman swore like a sailor and was a little too open about her personal life. Steph felt her face flush just thinking about some of the things she’d mentioned about her night with Jasper. At least it took her mind off of Dominic for a while.

  Stephanie sipped her ice coffee. It was late in the day to be drinking caffeine but chances were good she wouldn’t be sleeping much that night anyway. The weatherman had just issued a tornado watch for the evening. There was nothing she hated more than thunderstorms. It brought back memories best left in the past.

  Her fingers clicked on the keys of her laptop. The coffee shop was only open until five and then she’d have to find somewhere else to go. There was no way she’d be spending a minute in the second story of her rickety apartment complex during a severe thunderstorm, not to mention a tornado. It was a good chance she’d be moving from place to place throughout the day until everything closed up for the night. After closing time, she might be sleeping in her car, afraid to go upstairs. Maybe if things got too bad, she could go to the town’s storm shelter, she’d done that before.

  So far, she was
on a roll. The words flowed and there was a new hook to the storyline. A waitress set another iced coffee on the table and took her empty glass. She was dressed in a simple t-shirt with the store logo on the front. They must give free refills because she hadn’t ordered one. Another hour passed and the place was now vacant. A coffee shop obviously had more of a morning rush than a late afternoon crowd.

  “Is there anything else I can get you before we close?” The girl rested a hand on the empty chair at her table. In other words, they were kindly asking her to leave.

  “No, just the check, please.” Stephanie closed her laptop and started to gather her things.

  “It’s all taken care of, hon.” The girl smiled.

  “Huh?” The place was empty except for her and the staff. “By who?”

  The girl just shrugged. “Not sure. I was just told you didn’t owe a thing.”

  “Really? That’s weird, but thank you.” Maybe someone paid it forward. She heard about that happening on the news all the time. Stuffing everything into her bag, Steph told the staff goodbye and stepped out into the sultry air. The wind had picked up and a few leaves skidded across the parking lot. Stopping by her car, goosebumps rose on her arm. It was as if someone was watching her, but a scan of the surrounding area proved there was no one around. Probably just the effects of the storm freaking her out. Pretty soon, the hair on her head would be standing on end.

  Stephanie drove to Pier 290. It was right on the lake where she’d gone for yoga on the beach a few times. The restaurant had a great vibe and she loved that it opened right out to the water. Taking a seat, Stephanie jumped at a flash of lightning. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to be sitting outside. The waitress assured her that as long as it didn’t start raining she’d be fine. The storm was still a long way off according to the television in the bar. Despite just having several glasses of ice coffee, Stephanie ordered fish tacos and a glass of wine. Their tacos were the best in town.

  She’d left her computer in the car and brought in a book to read. It felt good just to sit and stare at the clear water and the few passing boats that were not afraid of the impending storm. The lake was famous for the wooden boats that all the lake homers seemed to have. Most were in the $200,000 and up range. Roman had one, but then what didn’t he have. Hours passed as she sipped her wine and savored the great food. The evening sky had darkened and it was closing time. As much as she dreaded it, it was time to go home.

  Stephanie waved down her server. “Can I just get the bill?”

  “It’s been taken care of, and a very generous tip also.” She smiled.

  “What?” An unsettling sense of déjà vu surrounded her. “By who?”

  “Not sure. The bartender just said it was taken care of.” The young lady gathered Stephanie’s empty plate and utensils. “Have a good night.”

  “Uh, thanks.” Stephanie hesitated. The thought that someone was following her around and paying her bills was starting to freak her out. At least they were a generous lurker.

  It was a Sunday night, so the place closed earlier than other nights, but, fortunately, it wasn’t too dark out yet despite the gloomy sky. Still, she held her purse and book close to her body like a shield.

  Killing more time, Stephanie studied some of the displays on the hallway walls as she left. There was even a vintage Playboy bunny costume from when there used to be one of Hugh Hefner’s clubs on the lake. The lights above were boat propellers, which were a fun accent. Not able to stall any longer, she stepped outside. Luckily, there was no boogeyman ready to jump her. The storm seemed to have passed further to the south but it was still warm. Light shown through the windows of a nearby boat builder and customers could be seen checking out the vessels. They must have had a late-night appointment. For what they paid for the boats, it was a good bet they’d open at midnight if someone suddenly had the urge to purchase one.

  Her car sat under the light pole and she checked the backseat before unlocking it and getting in. It never hurt to be careful.

  She couldn’t put it off any longer. It was time to go home. When she was just about to pull out of the parking lot, something caught her eye. A familiar truck flicked on its lights and tailed her out. Her heart stopped and she had to take several deep breaths to calm down.

  It wasn’t some Good Samaritan who had paid for her drinks and meals. It was Dominic in the shadows. He’d been totally invisible until now. Did he suspect she’d be on guard and he didn’t want to scare her any more than she was? He confused the hell out of her. Was she still in danger when he said not to worry? Had he become her protector for some weird, kinky reason? She really knew nothing about the man. At least he’d left of his own free will when she was at her most vulnerable earlier in the day. Dom was a lot taller and stronger than her. If he really wanted to, he could’ve raped, killed, and buried her, and no one would have known what happened to her. That was his job, making people disappear, but she’d never heard of him doing any harm to women. Roman wouldn’t allow any of his men to do that. Apparently, Dom didn’t dance or date either, but he’d kind of danced with her.

  The man kept his distance as he shadowed her on the main road back to town. It was both frightening and reassuring at the same time. The radio confirmed that the threat of a storm had bypassed Genoa but would probably stir back up for tomorrow. It was typical weather for this time of year. Hot and steamy followed by a cold front that often plowed through anything in its path. Downtown Genoa was quiet for a Sunday evening in June.

  When she turned down her street and he followed, a knot formed in her gut. She couldn’t deal with him anymore today, or anyone for that matter. It’d been a long weekend and she had to get up for work early tomorrow. Madison and Valentina may be off enjoying time with their men but she had no one. Dom’s headlights flickered in her rearview mirror as his truck drove over a speed bump. She had no one but the enigma that was Dominic Scarlatti.

  She parked her car in the front, grabbed her things, and locked the car. Hurrying to the front door, she ran in and closed it quickly behind her. Watching out the peephole, she noticed his truck slow but it kept going. Stephanie let out a deep breath and leaned her back against the door. She should have felt relieved, but, surprisingly, all she felt was disappointment. The place was empty and quiet except for the noise of a television coming from behind one door. Someone was watching a talk show, laughter cutting in every now and then. Her footsteps creaked on the old stairs. It wouldn’t surprise her if someone’s foot went right through them someday. The whole place should be condemned, but then where would she live?

  The usual rotten egg smell kicked in by the time she reached the top. She really needed to contact the super about that, but he would just say, “Yeah, I’ll add that to my list.” Stephanie opened the door to her apartment. The humid air kicked up the smell of bacon from the leftover takeout containers. She quickly turned on the fans. The place didn’t have air conditioning but at least the windows still opened and weren’t painted shut.

  Her bags found their home on the couch and she settled in next to them. The whole world seemed out of sync. Why did today seem lonelier than any other day? Why did Dom just walk out the door this morning when she stood there naked? At first, she’d been thankful, but now she questioned her appeal to members of the opposite sex. Did men not find her attractive, or was it just the “I don’t want to get involved” vibe she gave off?

  Not too long ago, Dominic had kissed her. He’d grabbed her and pressed his lips to hers. Her fingers automatically rose to touch her mouth. Saying who was more shocked would be a toss-up. It was a panty dropping kiss if she’d ever had one. As much as she tried to deny it, he intrigued her like no one ever had. Her knees went weak whenever he was around and even sometimes when she pictured him in her mind. So far, he’d kept his distance. That fact should have relieved her, but for some reason, it didn’t.

  Things had not been easy since leaving California, leaving everything and everyone she’d known her entire lif
e.

  The first couple of years were the worst. Every shadow made her jump. Every stranger was a threat. Every man who looked at her made her flesh crawl—every man but Dominic. She twirled a strand of hair around her finger. In her former life, she wouldn’t have given the guy a passing glance. Not just because of his profession, but because of his appearance. Before, she only ever went out with the clean-cut guys approved by her father. Ones who never had a hair out of place, a tattoo, or who drove a car worth less than half a million. Boy, had things changed.

  Men she thought were above reproach turned out to be lower than dirt and not trustworthy at all. Especially the one she thought she’d spend her life with. Even when her dad knew what the man was capable of he still insisted she go through with the nuptials. It was about honor, he’d said. The family would lose respect if she didn’t. Her fiancé was just working his way to the top by taking risks. Risks like being in the sex trade and human trafficking business. Her father didn’t believe how dirty the guy was and wanted to believe the best of the young man. She hoped and prayed that he knew the truth now.

  Chapter Twelve

  Dominic

  He was running on fumes but managed to get a few hours’ sleep. When the fuck was Arlo getting back? Dominic half closed his eyes as he watched the scared shitless prospect tied up to a chair. His patch proclaimed him as Square. What kind of a name was that? They were in an old shed out in the country. Who owned it, he wasn’t sure and didn’t care. It was above his pay grade. A bead of sweat ran down his back. The heat index had to be in the upper nineties.

  Dominic stood by the open door. Jasper had just finished tying the guy up and was walking toward him and the welcome breeze from outside. Even he had shed the designer threads today but still wore a dress shirt and light-colored pants.

  “Hotter than a bitch today.” Jasper pulled at his shirt to keep it from sticking to his chest.