Chapter 5 - The Snake in the Grass
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Not everyone in the Valenti family was pleased with Cassidy’s presence.
Vincenzo Valenti, Dominic’s ambitious and deeply arrogant cousin, viewed the new nanny as a dangerous liability. Vincenzo believed in the old ways of the syndicate: trust no one outside the bloodline.
On a Thursday afternoon, Cassidy was in the massive estate kitchen preparing a snack for Bella. The kitchen staff had grown fond of her, appreciating that she didn't treat them like servants.
“Well, well,” a slick, condescending voice echoed from the doorway. “The little waitress playing house.”
Cassidy turned around to find Vincenzo leaning against the marble counter, holding a glass of scotch. He wore a tailored suit, but his eyes were reptilian, filled with malicious intent.
“Mr. Valenti,” Cassidy said politely, turning back to slicing apples. “Can I help you with something?”
“You can pack your bags and leave,” Vincenzo sneered, taking a sip of his drink. “I don't know what kind of spell you’ve cast on Dominic, but a stray dog doesn't belong in a purebred kennel.”
Cassidy paused. The knife hovered over the cutting board. She had dealt with men like Vincenzo her entire life—men who thought money gave them the right to be cruel.
“I work for Dominic, not you,” Cassidy said, her voice steady.
“Dominic is distracted,” Vincenzo snapped, stepping into her personal space. “He’s weak. He let his wife die, and now he’s letting a nobody raise his heir. You are a vulnerability, Miss Tate. And in our world, vulnerabilities get eliminated.”
He reached out and grabbed her wrist, hard.
Cassidy didn’t flinch. She looked down at his hand, then directly into his eyes.
“Let go of me,” she warned.
“Or what?” Vincenzo mocked.
“Or I break your fingers,” a chilling voice rang out from the shadows of the pantry.
Dominic stepped into the kitchen, his face a mask of pure, unleashed fury. The air in the room dropped ten degrees.
Vincenzo instantly released Cassidy’s wrist, taking a nervous step backward. “Dominic. I was just—”
“You were just leaving,” Dominic interrupted, his voice a lethal whisper. He walked over and stood directly between Cassidy and his cousin. “If you ever touch her again, Vincenzo, I will not hesitate to remind you who runs this family. Get out of my house.”
Vincenzo’s jaw tightened. He glared at Cassidy before storming out of the kitchen.
Dominic turned to Cassidy, his eyes searching her face. “Are you hurt?”
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“I’m fine,” she said, her heart pounding.
“He is a snake,” Dominic murmured, reaching out to gently trace the red mark on her wrist. “And I will not let snakes bite you.”
