Dominic’s POV
I prowled through my office like a caged predator, my blood still burning from last night’s torture. Gemma had pushed every limit I possessed, and as a Capo of the Thorne family, I was not accustod to being played like so amateur street thug. Respecting her boundaries was one matter, but deliberately igniting my desires while denying any satisfaction? That was a calculated act of war.
My temper was hanging by the thinnest thread, and I could feel the familiar darkness rising. In my world, when soone crossed a line, blood usually followed. But this was Gemma, and despite my murderous instincts, I would find another way to settle this debt. The smallest provocation today could trigger an explosion that would paint the walls of Zenith Systems red.
I stalked to the bulletproof windows of my penthouse office, surveying the city sprawled beneath Thorne family territory. Last night had been exquisite agony, and this morning Zoe had already delivered one of her signature lectures about controlling my impulses. The irony was not lost on that my intelligence liaison was preaching restraint to a man who could order executions with a phone call.
Mia knocked and entered, carrying a steaming espresso in one of the fine china cups we used to maintain our legitimate business facade.
"Morning, Boss! Rough night with the lady?" she asked with barely concealed amusent. I fixed her with the kind of stare that had made grown n confess their sins before I put bullets between their eyes.
"How the hell would you know that?" I demanded, my voice carrying the deadly edge that usually preceded violence.
"It’s written all over you, Dominic. Look how on edge you are!" Mia extended the cup toward , her fearlessness one of the reasons she’d survived this long in my employ. "But you’re lucky I’m fond of you. I overheard sothing that might interest a vengeful Capo."
"I’m listening." She had captured my complete attention, the way only valuable intelligence could.
"I’m sharing this so you can fix things with Gemma—she’s perfect for you, Boss—but if you screw this up again, I’ll personally ensure the Thorne family bloodline ends with you!" Her threat carried genuine conviction, the kind that made respect her even more.
"Just tell what you heard, Mia."
She held my gaze until I rolled my eyes and exhaled slowly. "Fine! I’ll handle things exactly as you suggest. Now what intelligence do you have?"
"The girls had a video conference last night. I caught Gemma describing her little performance, and honestly, it was brilliant. You deserved every second of frustration—maybe now you’ll learn so self-control."
"Don’t push your luck, Mia. My patience is razor-thin today. What else did you intercept?"
"That it was all orchestrated. They planned to tornt you boys as punishnt, though apparently you were the only one who actually suffered the consequences." Mia’s laughter only deepened my scowl. "But she admitted it was difficult pretending she didn’t want you. According to Gemma, she was burning for you just as badly, but she was determined to teach the big bad Capo a lesson."
"So that’s what this was about. I’d bet my territory this was Zoe’s twisted sche."
"I wouldn’t take that wager because I’d lose everything. Yes, your dear intelligence liaison masterminded the entire operation."
"Those two are going to pay dearly for this, Mia! And you’re getting sothing special for this intel!" I pressed a kiss to my secretary’s cheek and handed back the espresso. "I’m leaving before Zoe returns from her morning briefings. If she asks, tell her I’m eting a potential client about expanding our money laundering network."
I strode from the office, my mind already calculating the perfect revenge. This little ga of psychological warfare would end today, and they would learn that crossing a Thorne family Capo carried consequences. I drove to the upscale district where our legitimate businesses provided cover—I was spending too much ti in civilian territory lately, but today’s mission required specific supplies.
First stop: an exclusive boutique where I purchased one of those designer handbags Mia had been admiring during our surveillance of rival family operations. My loyal secretary had earned this reward for her service and discretion.
Next, I visited a pharmacy for several key components, followed by a high-end stationery store. My final destination was an expensive toy emporium that catered to the wealthy families whose children we sotis used as leverage.
When I returned to Zenith Systems, my mind was buzzing with strategic possibilities. I imdiately summoned Mia and presented her reward.
"You’re officially the best boss in organized cri!" she whispered excitedly. "I’ll secure this in my car before Zoe spots it and starts asking questions."
"Excellent thinking. And hurry back to witness what I’m about to do to our intelligence liaison," I said with the kind of smile that usually preceded soone’s disappearance.
"Be careful, Boss! If she discovers what you’re plotting, she’ll literally extract your soul from your body with her bare hands," Mia warned, and I knew she wasn’t exaggerating about Zoe’s ruthless capabilities. "She was asking about your client eting, and I told her I had no information."
I returned to my office, and when I passed Zoe’s workstation, she flashed that smug little smile—the one that confird she knew exactly how she’d tortured through Gemma’s psychological warfare. But that satisfaction would be wiped from her face before sunset.
"Who did you et about expanding operations, Dominic? There was nothing on the schedule," Zoe probed with her characteristic nosiness.
"A potential future client in the financial sector. I’m hoping to make a strong impression and secure their laundering business." I turned casually, filled a crystal glass with water, then sat down and swallowed two harmless pills from a prescription bottle I’d prepared—setting my elaborate plan into motion.
"What dication is that?" Miss Intelligence imdiately inquired.
"Sothing for the migraine that’s been killing . It’s really affecting my judgnt," I replied with practiced casualness. "What operations do we have scheduled today?"
Zoe began outlining the day’s activities, and for several hours things remained relatively peaceful. Now it was ti for her punishnt to begin.
"Zoe, I need you to handle a particularly tedious assignnt for ," I began with serious intensity that suggested family business.
"What kind of assignnt?" She asked with imdiate suspicion.
"That potential client I t this morning was actually connected to us decades ago when the family was just establishing its financial networks."
"I’m listening."
"His information isn’t in our digital systems. Back then, my grandfather kept everything on paper for security reasons."
"Are you serious? Dominic, this is supposed to be a cutting-edge technology operation!"
"Yes, but that’s not how we started. When my great-grandfather founded Zenith, it was a telegraph operation. My grandfather transford it into security and information storage for criminal enterprises." Zoe stared at in confusion. "Even though we evolved into data security and money laundering technology, my father never bothered transferring all our legacy files into the system."
"What exactly are you requesting, Dominic?"
"I need you to input all this potential client’s information into our database."
"And where is this information located?"
"In our secure archive storage, basent level two."
"Wait! You’re not referring to those dusty boxes in the old vault, are you?"
"Unfortunately, yes," I feigned regret while internally savoring her horror.
"Dominic, that’s an enormous undertaking," Zoe protested.
"There’s highly confidential financial information in those files, Zoe. I need soone I trust completely with family secrets." I hoped my performance was sufficiently convincing.
"Let understand—you want to sort through these boxes and digitize everything about this client?"
"Correct. And since there are nurous boxes, you should work directly from the vault. Take a laptop and input the data onsite for security reasons."
"For God’s sake, Dominic, this is insane! Just hire a data entry specialist!"
"I can’t, Zoe. This involves money laundering records and sensitive criminal intelligence. You’ll only need to enter the surface-level information."
"So I’ll have to read through everything to separate what’s safe?"
"Yes, unfortunately." I tried to sound genuinely apologetic. "But it’s crucial for family operations. They’re a major client we lost to rival families, and I want to win back their business. Our eting was very promising."
"This is going to be hell, Dominic!" Zoe cradled her head in her hands. "But if it’s family business..."
Soon Mia entered with a laptop I had specially configured. It would appear connected to our secure network but wasn’t—any information Zoe entered would vanish into digital oblivion.
"Here, use this laptop. It has enhanced security protocols and better performance for sensitive data entry."
"Fine. Who’s the client?" Zoe asked with resigned defeat.
"Capital Trust. There’s an archive assistant who’ll help you locate the proper boxes."
"Never heard of them," Zoe muttered.
"They’re massive, Zoe. Dominic’s being strategic about reclaiming lost territory," Mia supported , though I caught her subtle warning glance.
"Well, I’m going then. The operational schedule is clear. Contact if there are any ergencies."
"Thank you so much, Zoe." I placed my hand over my heart as if she were performing sothing extraordinarily valuable for the family.
After Zoe trudged toward the elevator, Mia fixed with a disapproving stare.
"You’ve gone too far, Boss. Capital never stopped being our client; they just rebranded their operations. How long are you planning to keep her imprisoned down there?"
"There’s enough paperwork to keep her typing for ages!" I grinned with predatory satisfaction. "But I’ll show rcy eventually."
"When she discovers this deception, you’re a dead man!" Mia drew her finger across her throat dramatically.
"I’ll face those consequences later. Now I’m moving to phase two of my revenge."
"Which would be?"
"My sweet, manipulative Gemma!"
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