Chapter 2 - THE WOMAN BEHIND THE DOOREmma woke three days later.
The first thing she saw was a ceiling she didn't recognize.
The second was a man sitting beside the window.
Dominic Castellano.
She immediately tried to sit up.
Pain shot through her ribs.
"Don't."
His voice was quiet.
Emma froze.
"You've been unconscious."
She looked around.
"This isn't my apartment."
"No."
"Where am I?"
"My house."
Her eyes widened.
"I need to go home."
"You need medical supervision."
"My brother—"
"Safe."
She stared at him.
"How do you know?"
"Because I checked."
Something about the way he said it made her nervous.
"You checked?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Dominic stood.
"Because someone attacked you."
He walked closer.
Emma had never seen him this close.
Everyone in New York knew Dominic Castellano.
Cold.
Dangerous.
Untouchable.
But standing in front of her, he looked less like a monster and more like a man who hadn't slept.
"I need to ask you questions."
Emma's heart accelerated.
"Am I in trouble?"
"No."
"Then why?"
"Because the people who attacked you may come back."
She stared at him.
"I don't understand."
"You were attacked because of me."
Silence.
Emma looked down at her hands.
"That's not your fault."
"It is now."
"What does that mean?"
"It means you're under my protection."
She immediately shook her head.
"No."
His eyebrows lifted.
"No?"
"I can't stay here."
"You can."
"I have a job."
"Not anymore."
Her eyes widened.
"You fired me?"
"No."
"Then what?"
"I gave you paid leave."
"I can't afford leave."
"You can now."
He placed an envelope on the table.
Emma stared at it.
"I don't want charity."
"It's not charity."
"What is it?"
"Compensation."
"For what?"
"For working fourteen months in my house without complaining while being paid less than you were worth."
Emma pushed the envelope away.
"I don't want your money."
Dominic looked almost surprised.
"Most people do."
"I'm not most people."
Something flickered across his face.
"No," he said quietly. "You're not."
Before she could respond, Lucia entered.
"Emma."
She smiled warmly.
"How are you feeling?"
"Like I got hit by a truck."
Lucia laughed softly.
"That's because you nearly did."
Emma smiled despite herself.
Then she noticed Dominic watching her.
She immediately looked away.
Later that afternoon, Marco arrived with news.
"We found one of the men."
Dominic's expression changed.
"Where?"
"An abandoned warehouse in Queens."
"Alive?"
"Yes."
Emma heard the conversation from the hallway.
She wasn't supposed to.
But she couldn't stop herself.
"What are you going to do to him?"
Dominic turned.
Their eyes met.
"Nothing you need to worry about."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only answer you're getting."
Emma stepped closer.
"Those men hurt me because they thought I knew something about you."
Dominic's jaw tightened.
"You don't."
"I know that."
"Then stay out of it."
"I can't."
He stared at her.
"Why?"
"Because they hurt me."
Silence.
Emma's voice softened.
"And I want to know why."
For several seconds, Dominic said nothing.
Then he walked past her.
"Marco."
"Boss?"
"Bring the file."
Emma frowned.
"You're showing me?"
"No."
He stopped.
"I'm telling you enough so you understand why you need to stay away."
The file contained photographs.
Names.
Locations.
Old newspaper clippings.
One photograph showed Dominic's father.
Another showed Viktor Kolov.
And a third showed two men standing beside a burning warehouse.
Emma recognized one.
"The man who attacked me."
Dominic looked at her.
"You're sure?"
"Yes."
Marco nodded.
"That's Anton Volkov."
Dominic's expression hardened.
"He's alive."
"What does that mean?"
"It means Viktor Kolov is alive too."
Emma looked at the photograph.
"Why would he come after me?"
Dominic didn't answer.
Then his phone rang.
He listened.
His face became unreadable.
"Where?"
A pause.
"How many?"
Another pause.
"Get everyone inside."
He ended the call.
Emma's heart pounded.
"What happened?"
Dominic looked toward the windows.
"The outer gate was breached."
Her blood ran cold.
"Here?"
"Yes."
"By Kolov?"
"We don't know."
Dominic turned toward her.
"Stay here."
He walked away.
Emma grabbed his arm.
He stopped.
"Don't go."
The words escaped before she could stop them.
Dominic looked down at her hand on his sleeve.
Then at her face.
Something softened in his eyes.
"I'll be back."
He gently removed her hand.
And disappeared through the door.
Five minutes later, gunshots echoed from outside.
Emma stood frozen.
Then she heard footsteps racing down the hallway.
The mansion lights went out.
Darkness swallowed everything.
And somewhere downstairs...
May you like
a man whispered:
"Find the girl."
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