Page 51 of Mafia Don's Twisted Union

Something hidden? The phrase echoes in my mind. “What are you talking about?”

“I don’t know exactly what it is,” Dominic admits, his tone sharp with frustration. “But whatever it is, it’s more than some sentimental inheritance. And it’s the key to bringing down Matteo’s empire.”

The weight of his words presses against me, suffocating and surreal. My voice is quiet when I ask, “And what about you, Dominic? What do you want from me?”

His face hardens. “I want you to survive. Whatever this thing is, Matteo won’t stop until he gets it. He’ll destroy Carlito. And if you don’t tread carefully, he’ll destroy you too.”

“Why do you even care?” The question slips out before I can stop it, the rawness in my voice betraying my turmoil.

Dominic’s dark eyes flicker, and for a moment, I see something softer beneath his hardened exterior. “Because you’re my sister,” he says, the words quiet but firm. “And no matter how messed up this world is, you deserve to know the truth.”

The sincerity in his tone shakes me, but I can’t let myself trust it completely. “You killed Dario,” I whisper, my voice trembling. “You chose Matteo.”

Dominic’s jaw tightens, regret flashing across his face. “I didn’t have a choice,” he says, his voice low and hoarse. “Matteo holds the strings, Mia. And unless we find a way to cut them, he’ll keep pulling until there’s nothing left of any of us.”

His words hang in the cool night air, each one a sharp blade carving into the fragile world I thought I knew. I study his face, searching for anything—lies, remorse, truth. But all I see is a man trapped by his own choices, caught between regret and survival.

“You expect me to believe you?” My voice wavers, but my stare doesn’t falter. “After everything you’ve done, you think I’d take your word over Carlito’s?”

“I don’t expect anything from you, Mia,” Dominic counters, his tone flat yet heavy with meaning. “I don’t need you to trust me. I need you tolisten.”

I shake my head, anger rising like a tide. “Listen to what? That Carlito’s a liar? That I’m a target because of some inheritance I didn’t even know about? You don’t care about me, Dominic. You’re here because you’re scared of Matteo.”

He flinches at Matteo’s name, his jaw tightening. “You think I’m scared for myself?” He steps closer, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “I’m scared for you. For what Matteo will do when he gets what he wants—or worse, when he doesn’t.”

“And what does he want, exactly?” I ask, the question more bitter than genuine. “This property? The inheritance? Why am I so important all of a sudden?”

Dominic lets out a harsh, humorless laugh. “It’s not the inheritance itself, Mia. It’s what it represents. That property—it’s leverage. A piece of the power your father built, and Matteo wants every last shred of it. But you...” His gaze darkens, a mix of pity and urgency in his eyes. “You have your father’s blood. Our father’s blood. A bloodline that Matteo will stop at nothing to destroy. He wants revenge for whatever hidden item our father left in that inheritance property.”

The name Caruso feels distant now, a phantom of a life I never fully understood. But it still clings to me, tethered by Dominic’s words and the weight of the past.

“If you cared so much, why didn’t you come for me sooner?” I demand, my voice sharp. “Why wait until now, when everything’s already falling apart?”

“I didn’t know about you,” Dominic admits, his voice softening. “Not until Matteo did. By then, it was too late—I was already part of his plans. But I’m here now, Mia, because I need you to survive this.”

His words strike a chord I don’t want to acknowledge. I fold my arms tightly across my chest, as if that could shield me from the storm brewing in my mind. “And Carlito? What’s his role in all this?”

Dominic’s eyes narrow. “He’s playing his part, just like I am. But don’t think for a second he’s told you everything. Matteo isn’t the only threat you need to worry about, Mia.”

A sound from inside the penthouse breaks the tension—a soft knock, followed by approaching footsteps. Dominic’s head snaps toward the glass door, his body stiffening.

“I’ll find you again,” he says quickly, his voice low. “Until then, don’t trust anyone—not completely.”

Before I can respond, Dominic swings himself over the balcony railing and disappears into the evening air.

The sliding door opens behind me, and I turn to find Carlito standing there, his dark eyes immediately locking onto mine.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, his tone clipped with suspicion.

I force a smile, but my heart pounds against my ribs. “Nothing. Just needed some air.”

As I brush past him to step inside, his gaze lingers, heavy with doubt.

Carlito’s voice stops me before I reach the hallway. “You’re lying, Mia. What are you hiding from me?”

Chapter 24

Carlito

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