Page 97 of Corrupted Heir (Mafia Kings: Corrupted 1)

“How did you do all of this? I mean, you don’t know much about vet stuff,” I said.

“Corinne and I collaborated. She was there almost every step of the way,” Dominic said. “This is just as much her doing as mine.”

“Thank you, Dominic. This means so much to me.”

“I’m glad. I know how passionate you are. I don’t want you sitting around not chasing your dreams, you know?” he said.

I pulled him in for another hug, and he twirled me around until my legs lifted off of the floor. My heart swelled.

Things really did turn out okay in the end. Just as Maria had said it would.Thank you, Maria…wherever you are.

***

“What’s going on with you, honey?” I asked Dominic, who had that thousand-mile stare.

It was different than the look he had when he thought about his mother. That pain wouldn’t ever go away, not really—I knew that firsthand—but he seemed to be coming to terms with things. I tried my best to be his rock in his time of need, but I was flying blind. I’d never had the kind of support I wanted Dominic to have, but I was damn well determined to give it to him.

Dominic raised an eyebrow at me. “We doing cute little pet names now? Want me to call you pumpkin? I bet you preferlimone, hmm?”

“You know I love whatever silly little nickname you throw my way. Especially the mean ones.” I laughed, but I wasn’t willing to accept his attempt to divert my attention. “But I’m concerned about you. There’s something up, and you’re not talking to me about it.”

Dominic ran his hand up and down his face. “Do you trust me?”

“You’ve asked me this before. I don’t trust you further than I can throw you,” I teased but then smiled genuinely. “All joking aside, of course I do. With my life. I’ll stand by you until the day I die.”

“Then get dressed. I’ll explain on the way.”

I started pulling on a dress, but Dominic interrupted me. “Nah. Something old. And thick jeans.”

“O-kay,” I said, confused. “This seems awfully suspicious.”

“I need to get my thoughts together. I’m not sure if it’s a little too insane, even for me. If we don’t leave soon, I might talk myself out of it again.”

Dominic pulled on a sweater and a pair of jeans. And then, like he was about to do something shady, he pulled his hood up. “And sneakers.”

“Okay.” Although he wasn’t giving me much to work with, it had to be important to him if he was acting like this.

In the car, Dominic’s arms were locked straight ahead of him, both hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. We had been driving for a while now, and he still hadn’t said anything. He would open his mouth, make an unintelligible sound, then close it again.

“Do you think you could tell me where we’re going now?” I asked.

He ignored my question, but with his bearings gathered, it seemed he was finally able to speak. “You don’t think my mother was crazy, do you?”

“She was the sanest family member in that house,” I said confidently.

“Okay. All right.” He sighed heavily. “But do you think she was delirious? Do you think that’s possible?” Dominic looked at me with a pained expression when we came to a stoplight. “She sounded so certain that my sister was alive. She made mepromiseto find Sofia. But it doesn’t make sense. I was at the funeral. I-I… was there when they lowered her coffin into the ground…”

“So, you think she was telling the truth?” I asked.

We pulled up into the parking lot.

“Well, I spoke to my father—bad idea, I know. He dismissed me entirely, like I was stupid for even asking. But I guess something about the way she said it. I just couldn’t get it out of my mind. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since that night. And now I’m having dreams about Sofia and…” Dominic trailed off.

I put my hand on his thigh. “It’s okay, Dominic. Breathe. I heard what your mother said. She sounded so sure. Could it really have been anything but the truth?”

“I don’t know. I just know I’ll never be at ease until I know for sure.”

I followed him to the back of the car, and he popped the trunk.

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