Chapter 4 - The Dead Brother
His name was Rafael Russo.
For nineteen years, Dominic had believed Rafael was dead.
The story had been simple enough to survive because everyone who could challenge it had either disappeared or remained silent.
A rival organization attacked the Russo family’s lake house.
Dominic’s father died.
Sixteen-year-old Rafael vanished.
A burned body was recovered two days later wearing Rafael’s watch.
The family buried him.
Dominic never questioned it.
Until now.
Norah sat across from Dominic at the dining table while Marco opened an encrypted file recovered from Victor’s private laptop.
A photograph appeared.
Rafael.
Older.
Alive.
Taken six months earlier.
Norah looked at Dominic.
He had become motionless.
“Where?”
“Montreal,” Marco said.
Another image appeared.
Rafael entering a hotel.
Another.
Rafael meeting Victor.
Dominic stood abruptly.
“He knew.”
“Looks that way.”
“My uncle knew for nineteen years.”
Norah watched grief become rage.
Dominic swept a glass from the table.
It shattered against the wall.
Lily cried upstairs.
Dominic immediately stopped.
The sound seemed to shame him.
He closed his eyes.
Norah approached cautiously.
“Why would Rafael threaten your baby?”
Dominic stared at the broken glass.
“I don’t know.”
“Then don’t decide he did.”
He looked at her.
“The photograph was meant to make me question the past.”
“Exactly. Which means whoever sent it wanted you looking at Rafael.”
Dominic studied her.
“You think it’s misdirection?”
“I think you’ve spent your entire life surrounded by people who solve problems with suspicion. Maybe try evidence.”
A faint humorless smile touched his mouth.
“You really hate how I operate.”
“Frequently.”
“And yet you slept with me.”
Norah stared.
“Would you like to revisit the lamp I used downstairs?”
His smile became real for half a second.
It disappeared when Marco spoke.
“There’s more.”
A financial ledger showed payments.
Millions had moved from Russo accounts into shell companies over fifteen years.
Victor’s authorization appeared repeatedly.
Dominic leaned over the screen.
“He’s stealing.”
“Not exactly.”
Marco opened another file.
The money had financed a rival network.
Warehouses.
Trucking companies.
Political intermediaries.
Dominic understood first.
“He built his own organization using mine.”
Marco nodded.
“And Rafael?”
“One of its directors.”
Norah whispered, “Your uncle didn’t hide your brother.”
Dominic looked at her.
“He recruited him.”
That evening, Dominic sat alone on the back terrace.
Norah found him after Lily fell asleep.
“You should be resting,” he said.
“So should you.”
“I’m not pregnant.”
“Apparently that is the only medical fact you currently understand.”
He almost smiled again.
Norah sat beside him.
For several minutes, neither spoke.
Then Dominic said, “Rafael hated me.”
“How do you know?”
“My father chose me.”
“For what?”
“To inherit everything.”
“You were children.”
“I was twenty. Rafael was sixteen.”
Norah frowned.
“Then your father was the problem.”
Dominic turned toward her.
People probably didn't criticize Antonio Russo often.
Especially dead Antonio Russo.
Norah continued.
“Two brothers shouldn’t have been competing for a criminal kingdom before either was old enough to understand what it would cost.”
Dominic stared into the darkness.
“He told Rafael I was stronger.”
“That must have hurt.”
“I liked hearing it.”
The confession was quiet.
“I spent years hating myself for that.”
Norah’s anger softened.
“You were twenty.”
“I was his brother.”
“You still are.”
Dominic looked at her.
Before he could answer, Norah’s expression changed.
“What?”
She grabbed his hand.
Dominic tensed.
Then she placed his palm against her stomach.
“Wait.”
He stopped breathing.
A tiny movement pressed against his hand.
Dominic’s face transformed.
Another kick.
His eyes widened.
“That…”
“Your baby.”
Another kick.
Dominic laughed.
Norah had never heard the sound before.
It was low and startled and completely unguarded.
His thumb moved carefully across her sweater.
“Does that happen often?”
“Usually when I’m trying to sleep.”
The baby kicked again.
Dominic whispered, “Strong.”
“Don’t start.”
“What?”
“If you say Russo blood, I’m pushing you off this terrace.”
His smile lingered.
Then Norah realized how close they were.
Dominic realized too.
The moment changed.
His gaze dropped briefly to her lips.
Norah pulled his hand away.
“We’re not repeating the safe room.”
His expression closed.
“I wasn’t asking.”
“Good.”
“I was thinking.”
“Dangerous hobby.”
He leaned back.
“You’re very disrespectful for an employee.”
“I’m carrying your child. I think that qualifies me for upgraded privileges.”
For the first time in months, they laughed together.
Then Dominic’s phone vibrated.
The screen showed an unknown number.
He answered.
A man spoke.
“Hello, brother.”
Dominic went rigid.
Norah knew instantly.
Rafael.
“You’re alive.”
“Disappointed?”
“Where are you?”
“Not important.”
“Did you threaten my child?”
Silence.
Then Rafael said something neither expected.
“No.”
Dominic’s grip tightened.
“Then who did?”
“The man who taught both of us how to hate each other.”
“Victor?”
Rafael exhaled.
“Uncle Victor is moving against you tonight.”
Dominic stood.
“Why warn me?”
“Because I wanted your empire.”
A pause.
“I never wanted your children.”
The lights across the estate suddenly went out.
Darkness swallowed the terrace.
An alarm began screaming.
May you like
Rafael’s final words came through the phone.
“Dominic, get Norah out of that house.”
