DOM: Alliance Series Book Three (104)

Nero presses his fists into my chest, putting his full weight onto me while he pushes himself up.

I flex against his heaviness so he doesn’t crush me, but to get him back, I kick the heel of his foot as he steps over my legs, making him trip.

Nero spins around, ready to fucking pummel me again, but King puts his arm out between us. “You’re even now,” he says to Nero, then lowers his hand to help me up.

I lift my head to see Val hugging Aspen, both of them wiping their eyes, then take King’s offered hand.

Back on my feet, I follow King when he tips his head toward the kitchen.

Nero steps up close behind me. “I kinda like you, Dom.”

I smirk at him over my shoulder. “Feeling’s kinda mutual.”

He slaps a hand, hard, in the center of my back. “It’d be a shame to have to kill you.”

He moves to step around me, so I get him with a backhand to the gut. “Feeling’s still mutual.”

King rolls his eyes at us before pulling open the fridge, and I feel my mouth pull into a grin.

I said my piece, and while I’m not happy about seeing Valentine cry, I think this will give her some closure for that chapter of her life. And she needs that so she can start looking forward to our future.

King turns back around with three beer bottles in hand. It’s not one I know, but I’m not picky. Before I remove the cap, I press the cool glass to my jawline, where Nero’s hit connected.

Nero eyes me. “You deserved that.”

I remember the rabid look on his face before he shoved me and smirk. “Worth it.”

He huffs and snags the beer King holds out for him.

King stares at me as he lifts his own bottle to his cheek, where I first hit him. “It was a cheap shot,” he tells me, like there’s any excuse for letting yourself get caught off guard.

“Maybe. But Val said some shit on the way over here that reminded me I owed you a punch to the fucking face.” I flex my fingers, releasing the stiffness. “And if you make me think about it too much, I’ll want to do it again.”

King watches me for a long moment, then drops his eyes to the ink on my neck. “She really tell you all that? Or did you dig it up?”

I lower the bottle from my jaw. “She told me. We talk. A lot.”

He nods once. “I’m glad she did. I’m surprised. But I’m glad.” King leans back against the counter. “I know I owe her more than one shitty apology, but I’ll take care of it.”

I eye him, then lower my beer and twist off the top. “Good.”

As much as I’m still pissed, I believe him. And it’ll be up to Valentine to decide whether she forgives him.

Nero moves to lean against the counter next to King. “So how about you finally clue us in on what’s going on? Why do you suddenly need the help of The Alliance?”

This is the whole reason this all started, so I tell them.

I explain how each man has been hit. How someone is targeting my family without leaving behind any calling cards. How the cowards are coming onto my turf, and how I’m going to make them pay.

“I can handle Chicago,” I tell them. “But when we find the man behind this, I’m going to need backup. Because it’s not a local. I’m not sure if the person behind this is even in this fucking country. But we’re close. And when I get a name, I’m going to wipe them from the face of the earth.”

Nero takes a pull of beer. “Sounds fun.”

“I’ll admit, I’m looking forward to it.”

“How close are you to finding them?” King asks me.

In answer, my phone dings with an incoming text.

I slide my phone out of my pocket and look at the text from the unknown number.

“Just got closer.”

Living Room Guy told me his handler’s name. I knew there’d be no contact for him in the phone, but this text is him.

Unknown: Check in





I open the message and click to add an attachment.

Me: sends photo of the dead man with his chest caved in





Me: You had my attention, Casey.





Me: And now I have yours.





I open a different chat and make sure my men back home saw that he messaged.

Rather than worrying about the hitters’ phones being traced, I just had them cloned to this untraceable one. There’s no guarantee we’ll find Casey through this text, but we’re already halfway to nailing down his location.

I move back to the chat with Casey, but he hasn’t replied. And I doubt he will.

Hopefully he’s too busy shitting himself.

“What’s that?” Nero asks, suddenly at my side, pointing to the photo I sent.

“A dead guy.”

“No shit, dumbass. Let me see.” He holds out his hand, and I set the phone in it.

Nero sets his beer on the kitchen island so he can use both hands to zoom in on the photo.

Then he holds the phone closer to his face.

“Need a minute to borrow King’s bifocals?” I snort.

“Fuck off.” Nero’s face is still close to the phone screen. “You’re a year older than I am.”

“Sure.” I take a long drink of my beer. “But clearly my vision is better.”