Page 303 of Hate Mates

She was perched on the staircase, arms crossed, leaning slightly forward. She always had that way of catching me off guard.

I paused, glancing over at her, a sigh already leaving my lips. “I’m not jumpy?” I muttered, brushing it off like it was no big deal.

Her grin widened, a knowing look in her eyes. “I can tell you know. That you have something on your mind.”

I rolled my eyes, trying not to show how much her observation had cut a little too close to the truth.Something? No. But someonewas definitely on my mind. My mind kept circling back to Isabella.

Alessandra didn’t miss a beat. She raised an eyebrow, eyes glinting with that familiar curiosity she always used to get under my skin. “You’re thinking about a girl, aren’t you? Who is she this time? Another woman you’re pretendingnotto be interested in?”

I shifted uncomfortably, trying not to let the slight tug in my chest betray me. There wasonebefore. I hated that reminder. I wasn't about to let Alessandra push any further, so I shrugged it off with a half-smile. “You think I’ve got time for distractions?”

She let out a huff of disbelief. “Yeah, sure,Fratello. Keep telling yourself that.”

I didn’t respond right away. Instead, I stared at her. The thought of how she'd grown crept into my mind.She’s fifteen. She’s only a kid. I couldn’t help but feel protective of her—my only sister. What would I do if someone ever touched her? There would be no saving the man who dared.

“I don’t have time for this,” I muttered, heading toward my father’s office, trying to push her words out of my head.

As I moved into the meeting room, my father and a few capos were already gathered, the low murmur of their conversationfading as I stepped inside. My father looked up from the table, his eyes narrowing slightly.

“Dominic, come, sit. We need to talk,” he said, his voice firm.

I sat at the table, letting my eyes drift to each man present. They all had their own way of looking at me—some with respect, others, the older ones, loyal to my father, with calculated patience. Some were waiting for me to take my place.Others doubted I had the balls.

“I’ve been going over the details,” my father began, his voice cold, steady. “The shipment’s coming in, but we need to discuss the next steps. I’m starting to doubt we can trust Carlos.”

The muscles in my shoulders tense, my hands curling into fists beneath the table. My father had been working with Deluca for years, but lately, it seemed like there was more to the story than he was willing to admit.

“You’ve been doubting him for months,” I said, keeping my voice even, the words like ice. “But if we want peace and progress in this city, we need to keep working with him. You know that.”

My father’s gaze hardened as he leaned forward, his voice dropping low. “Trust is earned, Dominic. It’s not something we give away because we need it. You forget who Carlos is.”

I felt the weight of his stare, felt the tension building, but I didn’t flinch. “You think I don’t know who he is? I’m not a child anymore.”

I leaned in, meeting my father’s gaze, my voice cutting through the room. “But if we want to take control of this city, if we want to make NOLAours, we need him. Right now, there’s no other choice. If we burn him now, we have nothing. It’ll be chaos.”

The capos exchanged glances, murmuring under their breath, but my father didn’t look away. The silence that followed was thick.

“You trust him that much?” he finally asked, his voice laced with something dangerous.

I met his eyes. “I trustRicoand the future we have wanted for this city since we were boys. Besides, Carlos isn’t stupid. He knows better than to stab you in the back.”

There was a long pause before my father spoke again, his tone quieter. “We’ll see.”

The tension in the room hung in the air like a storm waiting to break. I knew he wasn’t fully convinced, but it didn’t matter. At least not right now.

I leaned back in my chair. I wasn’t just playing this game for my father. I wasn’t playing it for Deluca, either. I was playing it for myself. For my family. And I would do whatever it took to keep everything—everyone—under control.

Even if it meant trusting people, I shouldn’t.

The club was alive,music pounding through the speakers, the smell of smoke and expensive cologne permeating the air. It was one of our usual haunts, where we could let off some steam and be amongst our own.

Rico was sitting at our VIP booth, dressed to kill, as usual—tailored suit, white shirt unbuttoned just enough to show off his tattoos. He waved his whiskey glass at me as I approached.

“Dominic!Mi amigo! You’re late!”

I forced a half-smile. “Yeah, well...business.”

Rico raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong? No, no, wait, it doesn’t matter because I have some pretty senoritas to keep us company tonight?”

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