Chapter 2 2

Dominic sat in the back of the yellow cab, his body rigid. The vinyl seat was torn, and the cab smelled of stale tobacco and pine air freshener, a stark contrast to the lavender-scented air of the penthouse.

He gripped his phone so hard his knuckles turned white. The blood had drained from his hands, leaving them cold and stiff.

Flashbacks assaulted him, not as images, but as physical sensations.

Three months ago. The gala. Evelin laughing at something Hank said, her hand lingering on his forearm a second too long. Dominic had felt a prickle on his neck then, a warning instinct he had shoved down with a gulp of champagne.

Last month. Hank calling at midnight. "Business emergency, Dom. Need Evelin to sign off on the merger docs." Dominic had handed the phone to her, trusting, blind. He felt the fool now. The shame burned in his gut, hot and acidic.

"Hey buddy, we're here," the driver grunted.

Dominic looked up. The neon sign of THE VELVET LOUNGE pulsed in pink and purple against the night sky. A line of people wrapped around the block, shivering in their party clothes, desperate to get in.

Dominic threw a wad of cash at the partition-he didn't count it-and shoved the door open.

He marched toward the entrance. The bouncer, a mountain of a man with a clipboard, stepped in front of the velvet rope, crossing his arms.

"List only tonight, pal. Step back."

Dominic didn't stop moving until he was inches from the man's chest. He pulled his wallet out and flashed his ID.

"Carney-Waters," Dominic said. The name tasted like ash in his mouth. He hated the hyphen. Evelin had insisted on it. To keep the brand alive, she had said.

The bouncer looked at the ID, then at Dominic's face. Recognition dawned in his eyes. The name Carney opened doors in this city that keys couldn't.

"Mr. Waters," the bouncer mumbled, unhooking the rope immediately. " didn't know you were coming. Mrs. Carney is already inside."

"I know," Dominic said. His voice was flat, devoid of inflection.

He walked past the line of envious stares and into the club.

The bass hit him instantly. It thumped against his ribcage, vibrating through his bones. The air was thick with the smell of sweat, expensive perfume, and spilled alcohol. Strobe lights sliced through the darkness, disorienting him.

He pushed through the crowd on the dance floor. Bodies pressed against him, wet and gyrating. He felt nothing. He was a stone moving through a river.

He scanned the room, his eyes locking onto the mezzanine level. The VIP section.

He saw her. Or rather, he saw Chloe Price leaning over the railing, laughing, holding a champagne flute high in the air.

Dominic headed for the stairs. His heart was pounding in his ears now, a frantic drumbeat that drowned out the house music. Thump. Thump. Thump.

He reached the top of the stairs. A long corridor stretched out, lined with private booths shielded by heavy curtains and oak doors.

At the end of the hall, standing guard in front of the largest suite, was Miller.

Miller was head of the Carney family's private security detail. He had driven Dominic's mother to chemo treatments. He had been there when Dominic learned to walk again after the... no, don't think about that.

Miller looked up. His eyes widened. He shifted his stance, blocking the door.

"Mr. Waters," Miller said, his voice strained. "You shouldn't be here, sir."

Dominic didn't break stride. "Move, Miller."

"Sir, please. Mrs. Carney gave strict orders..."

"I don't care about her orders," Dominic snapped. "Move. Or I fire you. Right now."

Miller hesitated. He looked at the door, then back at Dominic. He saw the look in Dominic's eyes-a look of a man who had nothing left to lose.

Miller stepped aside. He lowered his head. "I'm sorry, Dominic."

Dominic didn't answer. He stood before the heavy oak door.

He could hear them. Muffled laughter. It was Evelin's laugh. Not the polite, high-pitched titter she used at charity dinners. This was a throaty, genuine laugh. A sound he hadn't heard in five years.

Then, Hank's voice. "He's probably ironing your napkins right now. The guy is domesticated."

The humiliation hit Dominic like a physical blow to the face. His skin burned. His blood boiled.

He didn't knock. He reached for the handle. Locked.

Of course.

Dominic took a step back. He didn't think. He reacted. He drove the heel of his Italian leather shoe into the wood, just below the lock mechanism.

CRACK.

The wood splintered. The door swung open, banging against the inner wall.

The music inside the room seemed to cut out instantly. The occupants froze.

Dominic stepped into the room. His eyes adjusted to the dim red light, locking onto the velvet couch in the center.