Chapter 31 - The Remnant
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The peace they had built was robust, but Dominic knew that ghosts did not simply vanish because you asked them to. He was sitting in his modest new office in downtown Manhattan when Daniel walked in, closing the heavy oak door firmly behind him. The loyal enforcer’s face was carved from granite, a clear indicator of trouble.
"We have a situation, boss," Daniel said, standing at parade rest.
Dominic set his pen down, leaning back in his leather chair. "I thought we were out of the 'situation' business, Daniel."
"So did I. But Marco Valenti just surfaced in Queens. He was one of Nathan’s mid-level lieutenants. Managed the extortion rackets on the docks before the feds swept the operation."
"I remember Marco. He was ambitious but lacked discipline. What does he want?"
"He sent a message through an old associate," Daniel explained, his voice tight with barely suppressed anger. "He claims he found a secondary ledger Nathan kept hidden. A ledger that lists the exact location of the Vermont cabin and Lily's address in Boston. He wants two million dollars to hand it over and keep his mouth shut."
Dominic’s expression did not change, but the temperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees. The old, dormant violence inside him flared, a terrifying, familiar fire in his veins. Marco was threatening the two places he had sworn to keep sacred.
"Does he have the ledger?" Dominic asked quietly.
"My sources say yes. Nathan was paranoid. It makes sense he kept a failsafe," Daniel said. "Give me the word, boss. I'll take a team to Queens tonight. We can handle Marco the old way. No noise. No trace."
Dominic closed his eyes, taking a deep, slow breath. The old way was easy. The old way was efficient. It was exactly how he had built his empire. But it was also how he had lost Elena. If he killed Marco, he would cross the boundary he had promised Lily he would never cross again.
He opened his eyes. The ruthless king was pushed back down into the dark.
"No, Daniel," Dominic said firmly. "We are not committing murder to protect our peace. That defeats the entire purpose of everything we have built."
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"Then how do we stop him?" Daniel asked, frustrated.
"We use leverage," Dominic said, standing up. "Bring the car around. I am going to Queens to speak with Marco myself."
