The Cold Mafia Boss Refused to Look at the Scared Little Girl — Until She Said Her Mother's Name

Dominic didn't yell. A quick, violent outburst was far too generous for whatever monster had locked the mother of his child in a basement.

He slowly rose to his full, towering height, perfectly smoothing his black suit. The vulnerable, shocked father entirely evaporated. In his place stood an apex predator whose family had just been threatened.

"Lock down the estate," Dominic commanded his massive enforcers, his deep voice vibrating with a dark, demonic promise of violence. "Nobody leaves. If a single car tries to exit the gate, shoot the tires out."

The guards instantly snapped into action, the heavy deadbolts of the mansion slamming shut.

Dominic reached down, gently picking little Lily up into his powerful arms. She wrapped her tiny hands around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder.

He marched directly toward the servant's quarters.

As they walked down the long, shadowed hallway, the pieces of the horrifying puzzle snapped together in his brilliant mind.

Six months ago, Dominic had begrudgingly entered an arranged engagement with Vanessa, the incredibly arrogant, toxic daughter of a rival syndicate boss. It was strictly a business merger. Vanessa had recently fired a dozen of his household staff without asking him, claiming they were "incompetent."

But Vanessa hadn't just been firing maids. She had been actively hunting down anyone connected to Dominic's past.

Dominic reached the heavy oak door leading to the basement stairs. It was locked from the outside with a heavy brass padlock.