Page 62 of The Don's Hidden Heir

I lean forward and prop as elbow on my table. My hands come close to quivering, but I keep my composure. “I don’t involve myself in family feuds, Mr. Peterson. We’re here to discuss business and I’d appreciate it if we could keep it at that.”

Peterson regards me with a shrewd expression. If he’s half as good at reading body language as Dominic is, then he must’ve noticed that I’m uneasy. “You know why I agreed to invest in your company, Ms. Marconi?”

“How about you tell me?”

“You’re smart and intelligent. It’s trait many women your age lack. I’m impressed.”

And not because you wanted to use me as bait to get to Dominic?

I force a smile although my fingers itch to wrap around his wrinkled neck. “Thank you. It’s the best compliment I’ve heard in a while. Can we get to business?”

“Not so quickly.” He taps his fingers thoughtfully on the armrest of the chair. “How about we discuss business in my home?”

“In your home?”

“I’m inviting you to dinner, and I’d love to meet my grandnephew.”

Silence hangs between us and the air is tense. I know what Mr. Peterson is playing at. He’s trying to gauge how much I know. I wouldn’t turn down dinner in his home if I had no idea who he really is and he knows that.

If I turn down his invitation, I’d be giving away how much I know. If I accept it, I’ll be playing right into his game, exposing myself and Lucas in the process.

I weigh my options carefully. “How about we have a family reunion?”

He smirks. “What do you propose?”

“Dinner with the rest of the Romano family.” And just like that, I caught him in his own web.

Chapter Sixteen

Dominic

“There’s no way in the world I’m letting you or Lucas into that fucker’s dungeon, you hear me?” I take in a deep breath when I realize I’m raising my voice at Elena.

After I dropped her off at the office this morning and she was with Peterson, I’d nearly lost my mind from the fear he would hurt her and I wouldn’t get there on time to save her.

Damn.

I’d been stupid to even allow her to take such risk in the first place, and what now? She wants to have dinner with Peterson. Fuck being family, I would tie a rope around that bastard’s neck and drape his lifeless body from the roof of my skyscraper before I let that happen.

Elena nears me and places a light hand on my arm.Her touch is so soft and warm it almost melts the icy storm whirling inside me.“Dominic…”

I move away before her touch has a chance to work its way any deeper in me. “No, Elena. I don’t care what you say, I’m not letting you in harm’s way.”

“Peterson won’t hurt me and I’m not going alone. I’ll have Marcus and some bodyguards with me. They’ll keep me safe.”

I rub my forehead. She just doesn’t get it. She has no freaking idea how dangerous this is. I’d overestimated her understanding of the mafia and how dark the world really is. “This conversation is over, Elena.”

“But…”

“It’s over!” I slam my fist on the nightstand and Elena visibly trembles. “I’m not going to risk your life, Lucas’s or Marcus’s to prove a point to that bald-headed fucker. And I’m sure as hell not going to let you get in harm’s way to win some stupid war with the Bratva.”

Rage bleeds into my veins and it’s tearing at every part of me. “You and Lucas are everything I have. I don’t care if I die, but I can’t lose you. I’d die for you, Elena.”

Her hazel eyes sparkle with tears as she flattens a palm on my chest. “You’re so unfair, Dominic. You’re so selfish. Who gave you the right to talk about dying as if you’re taking a walk in the park?” She sniffles anddigs her teeth in her bottom lip. “You can risk your life for me, but and Lucas and I can’t do the same for you?”

“No, you can’t,” I say in the quietest tone I can manage. I grab her shoulders and pull her close enough I can smell her sweet strawberry shampoo and vanilla perfume. “You know why? Because if anything happens to you or Lucas, I will burn the world to the ground and I would burn with it, as well.”

Her small hand cups my face and I lean into her touch, placing my hand on hers. “I want to help you.”

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